Eyes of a Tiger

by LittleReporterGirl

Follow the story of young Abigail Abby Prewett through her days at Hogwarts. There is murder, loss, friendship, and, most importantly, love. If you liked my story "Dreams" you'll love this! Please Read and Review! I thrive off of reviews!

7. Year 7

YEAR 7

We stayed in New York for the next couple of weeks. Snape left occasionally to talk to him "informant" which was actually the sneak thief Mundungus Fletcher. I was welcome to go as well, but I thought my time was better spent doing what I wanted to do- I explored most of New York, riding the subways and buses to my heart's content. I even managed to convince Snape, after a lot of persuading, to take an ice-skating class with me. He was grumpy throughout the whole lesson, but when it was just the two of us, out on the ice, I think he actually enjoyed it.

I was surprised how few dirty looks we got about our relationship. Apparently Americans don't pay as much heed to age differences. One afternoon when out exploring the city, I found a new age club. It didn't open until 9, but the idea struck my fancy to try being a Muggle American teenager for a night. When I met Snape back at the hotel room later, he scoffed, but insisted he accompany me.

"I happen to have a few vials of Polyjuice Potion tucked away in case of emergency. It would be easy for me to steal the hair of a Muggle boy," he said.

"You consider this an emergency?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He scowled.

"No. I have to make sure you're safe. Besides, I can always brew more."

"We can always brew more."

"We can always brew more," he amended agreeably.

"You're too overprotective, you know that?" I said, but I smiled.

"I know," he replied, also smiling. He pulled me close to him and kissed my forehead.

He left shortly after that to find the hair of a Muggle boy. He insisted he go by himself, so I waited in the hotel room. I looked through all the clothes I had bought, trying to find something to wear to the club, and eventually decided on skinny jeans and a scoop-y black top. I spent a great amount of time doing my makeup the way the Muggle girl had taught me in the store.

When Snape returned he half-smiled at me before shooing me out of the bathroom and disappearing inside with a bag, locking the door behind himself. Curious, I waited impatiently for him to come out. About thirty minutes later someone emerged from the bathroom…but it wasn't Snape.

The person who came out of the bathroom was a teenage boy of about eighteen. He had long black hair and warm brown eyes. He was dressed in black jeans and a black t-shirt. He looked nervous, but he smiled. The smile gave him away and pulled it all together in my brain.

"Do you like him?" Snape asked hesitantly, for I had been standing there staring at him for a while.

"O-of course," I managed to say, "It just…took me a bit my surprise."

He chuckled quietly.

"Shall we go then? The effects of Polyjuice Potion only last an hour," he said.

"I know that. Yes, let's go," I replied. He took my hand, lacing his fingers in mine, and we left the hotel together.

The club was alive with teenagers dancing to the beat of the music and trying to hook up, but I had eyes only for the one who held my hand.

"They dance so strangely," Snape said to me, "And this music is…bizarre."

"I kind of like it," I said, grinning, "I have no idea what they're 'singing' about, but I like it."

The lights were flashing multicolored and they kind of hurt my eyes, but it gave the scene a strange but not unpleasant effect.

"You don't er…wanna dance, do you?" Snape asked awkwardly.

"I don't think I can dance like this…but we can try," I replied.

After about five minutes, we made our way to the bar, laughing at how ridiculous we'd looked.

"Neither of us can legally drink," Snape said, realizing when the bartender shot us guarded a glance before moving on.

"That's okay," I said, standing up and taking his hand. I looked back over my shoulder and smiled slyly as I led him through the crowd of people to the back door. As I had suspected, the back door led out into a deserted alley. Before Snape could ask, I pushed him against the wall and kissed him passionately. Snape caught on immediately and pulled me to him. It felt strange to have this strangers hand's on me- this Muggle boy- but I could tell it really was Snape. He knew all the right ways to touch me and kiss me to drive me crazy.

"Are you sure you want to do this here?" he murmured when I started fumbling with the belt on his jeans.

"Yes," I replied instantly, "I honestly don't think I could make it back to the hotel room."

This was the only incentive he needed to switch our positions so that I was the one pressed against the wall. He kissed me hungrily and had my jeans down before I'd even gotten the top snap of his undone. He brushed my hands aside, still kissing me, and unfastened them himself.

About five minutes later I was refastening my jeans, breathless and flushed. It had been quick, but very pleasant.

"That was fun," I said, grinning.

"Want to go back to the hotel room?" he asked quickly. I raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

"Sorry," he said, blushing slightly, "Hormones."

"I understand. And I would like to go back to the hotel room."

Later, once he had turned back into himself, Snape lay exhausted on the bed. He had totally worn himself out as a Muggle teenager. I curled up next to him, pleased with the night's events.

"Goodnight Severus," I murmured quietly.

"Mmph," was the only reply he could muster.

The next morning I awoke at 10:00. Snape made no sign of getting up anytime soon, so I left the hotel room to get breakfast on my own. I had just finished an omelet in a quaint little Bistro down the street when my forearm seared with pain.

Shit, I thought to myself, I can't Apparate that far by myself.

I left the dinner and ran down the street. Then I realized I could Apparate back to the hotel and ducked down an alley. A second later I was back in the hotel room.

Snape was waiting for me. He was seated at the small table in our room, calmly drinking coffee. He appeared alert, not tired, as I had expected.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked.

"Are you?"

"Of course," he said, extending his arm. I took it and we Disapparated.

We appeared outside of Malfoy Manor. We looked around to see if anyone else would appear, but no one did.

"Guess it's just us," I said and we made our way inside. The Dark Lord was seated at the long table. Yaxley was to his right. Other than them, the room was empty, apart from the snake, Nagini, who was slithering around the floor around my father's ankles.

"Good news, Severus," the Dark Lord said as we entered.

"My Lord?" Snape inquired.

"Our influence at the Ministry of Magic has gotten strong. Strong enough to procure this- Yaxley?"

Yaxley got to his feet and walked over to us. He handed Snape a scroll.

"Congratulations," he said, "You have officially been appointed the new headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Thank you, my lord," Snape said to the Dark Lord, "I will not disappoint you."

"Good. You will be employing Amycus Carrow to fill your position as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. This class shall no longer be a defense class."

"Of course, my Lord," Snape said, bowing slightly.

"Are the two of you still hiding out in America?"

"Yes, my lord."

"You may remain there, but I think you could also find a home at Hogwarts. You could return home, but I wouldn't recommend it. We still haven't managed to crush the Order and they may still be watching your house."

When we left Malfoy Manor, Snape extended his arm wordlessly. I wondered where we were headed, but didn't ask. I took his arm and we Disapparated.

We appeared outside of the familiar gates of Hogwarts. Though it had only been a few weeks, it felt like months since we'd walked down the path to the castle together.

It was a clear, beautiful day and it seemed romantic to walk down the path in the sunlight, had we been a typical couple. As it was, I could better imagine the pair of us walking hand-in-hand down a dark path, perhaps at night, with fog or perhaps rain.

Snape chuckled quietly.

"What?" I asked defensively.

"We could go for a walk in the Forbidden Forest later if you deem it more appropriate," he said, smiling.

"Stay outta my head," I said, shoving him playfully, "I don't go poking around in your head when I want to know what you're thinking."

A few minutes passed by in silence as we walked along the path.

"You want to know what I was thinking?" Snape said finally, "…I was thinking how it doesn't seem like Hogwarts without Dumbledore. …I shouldn't be headmaster."

"Yes you should," I argued, "Dumbledore knew he was going to die… in fact he'd probably be dead by now, even if you hadn't killed him. That curse would have taken its toll. You saved him a lot of suffering. He died honorably, in a fight between good an evil…"

I trailed off and squinted across the grounds at a looming white figure I had never seen there before.

"What is that?" I wondered aloud. Before Snape could respond, I did something I hadn't done in a while- I morphed into tiger form and bounded across Hogwarts grounds. It felt delightful to run in the sunlight, the soft grass beneath my paws…

The elated feeling dissipated when I realized what the large, white, marble structure was and what it contained. It was the tomb of Albus Dumbledore.

I sat down near the tomb, my tail wrapped around my paws, my head slightly bowed. It took Snape a few minutes to catch up with me. When he did, he stood beside me, looking at the tomb. We were silent a few minutes and I could sense the complexity of everything Snape was feeling.

"He wanted you here… to protect the students from my father," I said softly.

Snape nodded slowly. A few moments passed before he spoke.

"Will you do something, Abigail…for me?"

"Of course," I said, surprised, "Anything."

"Don't…don't call the Dark Lord your father. I know he is biologically, but… I don't like it."

I thought about it a moment.

"Of course… I don't really like it either. I mean- the most bad, evil, hated wizard of all time…is my biological father. And I think what if- what if there is something evil I him…something irreversibly evil. Something he passed on to me…"

I surprised myself by revealing this fear to him and I looked away from him, down to my paws. I sheathed and unsheathed my long, curved claws into the ground. I felt his hand on my head suddenly.

"Oh Abigail… you don't have to worry about that. You aren't evil… you couldn't even kill Karkaroff, remember?"

"Neither could you," I reminded him. He waved his hand dismissively.

"You told me last year you weren't going to worry about that. You told me you had something the Dark Lord never will," he said to me.

I remembered that and my fur grew hot in embarrassment.

"I never did tell you what that was, did I?" I asked him after thinking about it a moment.

"No, you didn't."

"Oh. Well- what I have that the Dark Lord ill never have is…" I leaned forward for emphasis and whispered, "love. …Or, more specifically, you."

He blushed slightly and half-smiled.

"Now, you had a secret, too, didn't you?" I recalled.

"Oh," he said, and blushed a little more, "So I did."

"You have to tell me," I insisted, "I told you mine."

"Well…alright," he said, leaning down to whisper in my ear, "My secret was- I liked you."

"Hmph. That's no big secret."

"It was then… it was the first time I ever admitted it to myself."

I smiled. Then I yawned loudly and lay down on the grass near Dumbledore's tomb, my paws stretched out in front of me. After a moment of hesitation, Snape sat down in the grass beside me.

"Do you still love me when I'm a tiger?" I asked, honestly curious. He glanced at me, then smiled.

"It's odd…weird…but yes, I do," he replied. I smiled as well.

We sat in silence, both of us looking at Dumbledore's tomb, thinking our own, private thoughts. I was thinking over my lessons with Dumbledore the previous year.

"I think Dumbledore knew. Before either of us would have admitted it," I said suddenly.

"Knew what?"

"That you…I…we…"

I tried to think of a way to word it.

"He knew I would love you?"

"Yes."

Snape looked thoughtful.

"Perhaps so. …I think he may have counted on it, from the moment you first came to stay with me. He always smiled this…this knowing, understanding smile whenever the two of us discussed you."

"You and Dumbledore talked about me?"

"Yes. You hated me at first, remember?"

"I did," I said, smiling, but then my smile faded, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he replied, looking curious.

"Well… Why did you agree to take me in after Mother died?" I inquired, "I mean- at first, I got the impression, you didn't like me either, right?"

"Oh Abigail… of course I liked you. I just wasn't cut out for being a guardian of any sort. As for the reason I took you in, I did so because your mother was my friend and I didn't, who knows where you would have ended up. Also, because Dumbledore told me to. He said it was a good idea."

"He was right," I said, smiling fondly and leaning against him, "If you hadn't taken me in, I would have ended up in an orphanage. Then I might be no better than the Dark Lord."

There was a certain ringing truth to what I said and neither of us spoke for a while.

"Hey! Get away from there! Who do you think-" came a loud, booming voice. It was Hagrid, Dumbledore's faithful gameskeeper and he froze when he saw Snape. Hagrid's face turned pale, then red. He charged at Snape, his massive fists raised. I leapt to my paws, claws extended, teeth bared, between Snape and the half-giant. I let out a loud, terrifying roar that stopped Hagrid dead in his tracks. His black eyes darted from me, to Snape, and back again.

"Y-you shouldn' be here ya murderin' thieving' evil-!"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you, Hagrid," Snape said calmly, "Not if you want to keep your job."

"What're you talkin about?" Hagrid demanded. Snape reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. I growled warningly as Hagrid took the paper from him. I recognized the paper- it was the legal document which declared him headmaster, signed by the Minister, and given to him by my father.

"No! This can't be happenin!" Hagrid said loudly, "Someone'll put a stop to this, you'll see!"

Then he let out a wail and bounded off towards his hut. His massive boarhound, Fang, growled at Snape. I growled at Fang. The dog whimpered pathetically before hurrying towards Hagrid's hut.

Snape looked down at me and sighed.

"Let's go inside," he said finally, "I want to see my new office."

I morphed back into human-form and- even though Hagrid was watching from the window of his hut- Snape took my hand.

"I don't care if he sees," Snape said when I opened my mouth, "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm headmaster now. My rules."

Then he smiled, leaned down, and kissed me.

We walked into the castle together and up the stairs to the office that had once belonged to Dumbledore. When we entered the office, we both froze- there, sitting directly behind the desk, was Dumbledore.

Snape released my hand and walked over to the desk to examine what was, in fact, a portrait of Dumbledore.

"Severus…Abby… it is good to see you both," said the Dumbledore portrait, beaming at us. I took a few anxious steps backwards until my back pressed against the wall.

"There's no need to be frightened, Abby," Dumbledore said to me.

"F-frightened? Who's frightened?" I muttered, "It's just… you're dead, aren't you?"

"Very much so," he said, "As dead as any of them."

He indicated the other portraits in the room, which had always been there- former headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts.

"Of course!" Snape exclaimed, sounding relieved, "They're placed here to assist the headmaster… it only makes sense you would be here. I can't believe I didn't realize it before."

"You sound relieved, Severus," Dumbledore said, still smiling.

"Of course I am! I thought I was going to have to do it all on my own… but with you here to guide me, well, it's just like you're alive!"

Snape sat down at the headmaster's desk- now his desk- and turned his chair to face Dumbledore.

"Is it alright if I go for a walk around the castle?" I asked Snape. I still didn't particularly like the Dumbledore-portrait. It was creepy.

"Hm…is anyone here besides Hagrid?" Snape asked Dumbledore.

"Only those that are usually here- Sibyll and Argus… I don't think anyone else is here, but I cannot say for certain. I'm only a portrait, after all," Dumbledore said with a laugh. Snape turned to me.

"You can go, but if you see anyone-"

"Sev, I'm not an idiot," I said, morphing into tiger form, "and I can take care of myself."

"Of course you can," Snape said smiling.

I wandered around the castle in tiger form for quite a while, enjoying the emptiness of the castle. I didn't run into anyone until I reached the Great Hall. There I found a figure dressed in green robes standing in the center of the hall, staring up at the enchanted ceiling. It was Minerva McGonagall. I turned to go back out and she whirled around, sensing my presence at last. In seconds, she whipped out her wand. Not knowing what else to do I turned tail and ran. McGonagall chased me all the way back to Snape's office, firing hexes and spells at me the whole time. I tried to avoid them, but more than one hit me. I didn't stop running until I reached Snape's office and was crouching behind him. Snape got to his feet, pointing his wand at McGonagall.

McGonagall's face paled drastically and she nearly dropped her wand.

"What are you doing here?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Snape handed him the same paper he had handed Hagrid earlier.

"…This can't happen… Albus," McGonagall said, looking at the portrait helplessly.

"Don't worry about it, Minerva," Dumbledore said to her.

"If you wish to keep your job, you will leave, now. Be here on September first- be ready to teach and listen, understand?" Snape said to her. McGonagall looked torn.

"Minerva, the children need you here," said the portrait.

"…Fine. Just fine," she said and marched out of the room.

"You could be a bit nicer, Severus," Dumbledore said to Snape once she was gone.

"Nice? She tried to kill Abigail!" he exclaimed, outraged.

"I'm fine," I assured him, "She only caught me once…or twice…"

I winced as Snape touched the wound on my left flank. He knelt beside me and examined the wound on my shoulder.

"I'll have you fixed up in no time," he assured me and kissed me on the head. I glanced at the portrait of Dumbledore who was twiddling his thumbs, looking the other way.

"Will healing spells work on me in tiger form?" I asked Snape curiously.

"I believe so," he replied. He hovered his wand over the wound on my flank and within seconds it had disappeared completely. Then the one on my shoulder.

When I was healed I morphed back into human form and hugged Snape quickly.

"You can't wander the castle alone anymore," he said and I stepped away from him.

"What? Why not?" I demanded.

"It's too dangerous."

"You worry too much! I can take care of myself."

"Obviously," he said with a snort of contempt.

"If I had had my wand out-" I snarled.

"Well, the point is you didn't. If you want to go wandering around the castle, just ask me to go with you and I-"

"You think you can tell me what to do?" I shot at him.

"I happen to be headmaster."

"Well I happen to be the Dark Lord's daughter! I can do what I want, when I want, and I don't need you telling me what to do," I said irritably. Then I morphed into tiger form again and left his office.

I thought he would pursue me, but he didn't. I thought about where to go where he wouldn't think to look for me. I didn't particularly feel like being around him- or anyone- right now. I didn't like being told what to do.

I ended up in the Owlery. The sight of a large white tiger coming in the door startled the owls and I quickly morphed back into human form. My eyes scanned the perches and found- much to my relief- Arsenius, my owl, who had been left behind.

"Arsenius!" I said aloud. The owl glanced at me rather disinterestedly, then came to perch on my shoulder. I tried to stroke his feathers and received a sharp peck to my hand. I didn't shoo him away, however. I walked out onto the balcony and conjured myself up a simple chair. I sat down. Arsenius looked at me curiously.

"I feel bad about arguing with Severus…but he should know better than to try and tell me what to do. I really hate that," I said to the bird.

Arsenius clicked his beak and dug his talons into my shoulder. I winced.

"I know he just wants to protect me, but… I can take care of myself, you know? I'm seventeen years old. I'm a witch, I'm an Animagus, I'm a freakin Death Eater, ya know? I'm the Dark Lord's daughter."

I swear the bird rolled his eyes.

"Who asked your opinion anyway?" I grumbled and shooed him off my shoulder. He dug his talons into my shoulder as he took off, leaving gashes, and making me cry out in pain.

"Don't know why I was concerned about you anyway," I said to the bird, glaring at him reproachfully. He hooted angrily as if to say he returned the feeling. I scoffed, morphed into tiger form, and left the Owlery.

I paced around the castle by myself for a while and eventually decided I owed Snape an apology. I blew out a sigh and walked back to his office. I pushed the door open with my forepaws. Snape was sitting at his desk, writing, when I entered. Only the portrait of Dumbledore looked up to greet me. The portrait of Phineas Nigellus- the last Slytherin headmaster before Snape- glanced at me, then turned his back on me.

"I, er…Dammit…I came to …apologize," I said, wincing slightly, "I know you're just trying to look out for me…"

Snape looked up from his work and put his quill down.

"No, Abigail, I'm sorry. You can take care of yourself."

The portrait of Phineas Nigellus scoffed. I growled warningly at him.

"You remember what the Animagus Sirius Black did to the Fat Lady that guards the Gryffindor Common Room? How'd you like a repeat?" I said to the portrait, sheathing and unsheathing my claws.

"Abigail," Snape said warningly, "Leave him-"

"How dare you threaten me?" said Phineas Nigellus, "I was headmaster of this school before you were so much as a twinkle in your mother's eye!"

"I don't give a rat's left nut-"

"Abigail!" Snape exclaimed.

"-if you were headmaster of ten schools. You're a portrait now, so I wouldn't go getting too mouthy, if I were you," I finished. Phineas glared at me, then stalked out of his portrait and disappeared. I looked around, trying to figure out where he'd gone.

"He went to his other portrait," Snape explained to me, "At headquarters."

I shuddered slightly.

"These things are freaky," I said, indicating the portraits with my head. The occupants of most of said portraits turned their back on me and 'hmphed'. Others, like Dumbledore, didn't care.

"They have feelings, Abigail," Snape said to me, "And they aren't freaky. They're helpful."

"Right," I snorted, "Well I still don't like it. A portrait shouldn't be able to think and feel for itself."

Snape sighed and ran his hands through his hair, exasperated.

"I need to clean out my old office. Would you like to help?" he asked me.

"Anything to get me out of here," was my response.

Over the next few weeks as we waited for September first to arrive, Snape spent increasing amounts of time away from Hogwarts. He was doing work for the Dark Lord, getting information. Most of the time I stayed at Hogwarts, but sometimes I went and stayed at Malfoy Manor. Staying at Hogwarts was dangerous unless I was shut up in Snape's office, which I disliked more than having to be on the lookout for teachers who might try to kill me.

One evening I sat in the drawing room at Malfoy Manor with the Dark Lord and some of the other Death Eaters, awaiting Snape and Yaxley who my father claimed were bringing news of Harry Potter. We sat at a long ornate table, the only light in the room coming from a roaring fire beneath a marble mantelpiece surmounted by a gilded mirror. The Dark Lord sat at the head of the table and I sat to his left. There was an empty spot to his right where Snape would sit when he arrived. The most disturbing feature of the scene was the figure of an unconscious woman that hung above the table, revolving slowly and casting frightening shadows around the room. I had grown used to disturbing things such as this, however, and I paid no mind to the woman. The only person who looked at it was Draco. He glanced up compulsively every few minutes, as if he couldn't help himself.

Draco had been kind to me since I arrived, but in a timid, frightened sort of way. He no longer amused me and I avoided him at most costs. I sensed a brief disruption in my mind and looked up at my father.

"They are here," I announced quietly. He nodded faintly, his red eyes on the door now. It was a few moments before the door opened. When I saw Snape standing on the threshold with Yaxley my heart leapt. I quickly tempered my emotions and made my face disinterested for the most part.

"Yaxley. Snape," said the Dark Lord, "You are very nearly late."

Both bowed their heads slightly and as Snape looked up our eyes met for the briefest of moments.

"Severus, here," said the Dark Lord, indicating the seat to his right, "Yaxley- beside Dolohov."

They both sat in their assigned places. My eyes weren't the only ones to follow Snape to his seat. The Dark Lord looked at him first.

"So?" he inquired.

"My Lord, the Order of the Phoenix intends to move Harry Potter from his current place of safety on Saturday next, at nightfall," Snape replied. Everyone sitting around the table gazed at Snape and the Dark Lord. Some were fidgeting, others sat still. I was the only one who seemed calm and collected as I gazed at them.

"Saturday…at nightfall," my father repeated. His red eyes gazed into Snape's black ones with an intensity that unnerved even me. Snape, however, gazed calmly back at him. Then my father smiled ever so slightly.

"Good. Very good. And this information comes-"

"-from the source we discussed," said Snape.

"My Lord," said Yaxley, leaning forward to look down the long table at them, "My Lord, I have heard differently."

Brief irritation flickered through me that Yaxley dare go against what Snape said. I made a point of glaring at him and he shuddered slightly before continuing.

"Dawlish, the Auror, let slip that Potter will not be moved until the thirtieth, the night before the boy turns seventeen," Yaxley continued. I glanced at Snape and to my surprise he was smiling.

"My source told me that there are plans to lay a false trail; this must be it. No doubt a Confundus Charm has been placed upon Dawlish. It would not be the first time; he is known to be susceptible," Snape said.

"I assure you, my Lord, Dawlish seemed quite certain," said Yaxley, though his voice held a trace of fear an uncertainty.

"If he has been Confunded, naturally he is certain," Snape sneered, "I assure you, Yaxley, the Auror Office will play no further part in the protection of Harry Potter. The Order believes that we have infiltrated the Ministry."

"The Order's got one thing right, then, eh?" said Amycus Carrow with a wheezy giggle. The Dark Lord did not laugh. His eyes had wandered upward to the body that was slowly revolving overhead. He was apparently lost in thought.

"My Lord," Yaxley continued, "Dawlish believes an entire party of Aurors will be used to transfer the boy-"

The Dark Lord held up a hand to silence Yaxley. Yaxley watched resentfully as the Dark Lord turned back to Snape.

"Where are they going to hide the boy next?" he asked him.

"At the home of one of the Order," said Snape, "The place, according to the source, has been given every protection that the Order and Ministry together could provide. I think that there is little chance of taking him once he is there, my Lord, unless, of course, the Ministry has fallen before next Saturday, which might give us the opportunity to discover and undo enough of the enchantments to break through the rest."

"Well, Yaxley?" the Dark Lord asked, "Will the Ministry have fallen by next Saturday?"

"My Lord, I have good news on that score. I have- with difficulty, and after great effort- succeeded in placing an Imperius Curse upon Pius Thicknesse."

Most of the Death Eaters looked impressed. Dolohov clapped him on the back.

"It is a start," said the Dark Lord, "But Thicknesse is only one man. Scrimgeour must be surrounded by our people before I act. One failed attempt on the Minister's life will set me back a long way."

"Yes- my Lord, that is true- but you know, as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Thicknesse has regular contact not only with the Minister himself, but also with the Heads of all the other Ministry departments. It will, I think, be easy now that we have such a high-ranking official under our control, to subjugate the others, and then they can all work together to bring Scrimgeour down."

"As long as our friend Thicknesse is not discovered before he has converted the rest," said the Dark Lord, "At any rate it remains unlikely that the Ministry will be mine before next Saturday. If we cannot touch the boy at his destination, then it must be done while he travels."

"We are at an advantage there, my Lord," said Yaxley, who seemed determined for praise, "We now have several people planted within the Department of Magical Transport. If Potter Apparates or uses the Floo Network, we shall know immediately."

"He will not do either," said Snape, "The Order is eschewing any form of transport that is controlled or regulated by the Ministry; they mistrust everything to do with the place."

"All the better," said the Dark Lord, "He will have to move in the open. Easier to take, by far. …I shall attend to the boy in person. There have been too many mistakes where Harry Potter is concerned. Some of them have been my own. That Potter lives is due more to my errors than his triumphs."

Everyone stared apprehensively at my father, afraid that they would be blamed for Potter's continued existence. He seemed, however, to be speaking more to himself and looking up at the unconscious body that still hung above him.

"I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best-laid plans. But I know better now. I understand those things that I did not understand before. I must be the one to kill Harry Potter, and I shall be."

At these words a sudden, loud, wail emitted from the dungeons beneath our feet. Several people looked down, disturbed, but my father continued to stare at the revolving body.

"Wormtail, have I not spoken to you about keeping our prisoner quiet?" the Dark Lord said with no change to his quiet thoughtful tone.

"Yes, m-my Lord," gasped Wormtail from halfway down the table. He scrambled from his seat and scurried from the room.

"As I was saying," continued the Dark Lord, now looking at the faces of his followers, "I understand better now. I shall need, for instance, to borrow a wand from one of you before I go to kill Potter."

The faces around us were shocked; he might as well have announced he wanted to cut off one of their arms. I doubted he would ask for my wand but my hand in my pocket clenched my wand anyway.

"No volunteers?" said my father, "Let's see…Lucius, I see no reason for you to have a wand anymore."

Lucius Malfoy looked up. His skin appeared yellowish and waxy in the firelight and his eyes were sunken and shadowed.

"My Lord?" he asked hoarsely.

"Your wand Lucius. I require your wand."

I sat back in my seat, bored with the proceedings. I let my eyes sweep over the table and paused when I saw Snape was looking at me. My father was too busy demeaning the Malfoys to notice. Snape's expression was one of blank disinterest, but his eyes revealed to me much more than that. I felt like I would melt into a puddle if he didn't stop staring at me like that…it would be hard to explain if I melted into a puddle.

Snape glanced away from me as a large snake emerged and climbed slowly up my father's chair. Nagini who, by some miracle, obeyed me as well as my father. She draped herself across the Dark Lord's shoulders and he stroked her absently, still looking at Malfoy.

"Why do the Malfoys look so unhappy with their lot? Is my return, my rise to power, not the very thing they professed to desire for so many years?" the Dark Lord asked.

"Of course, my Lord," Lucius said, wiping sweat from his face, "We did desire it- we do."

To Lucius's left, his wife, Narcissa nodded stiffly. Draco, who had been gazing at the body overhead, glanced at the Dark Lord then away again, terrified to make eye contact.

"My Lord," said Bellatrix Lestrange from halfway down the table, "It is an honor to have you here, in our family's house. There can be no higher pleasure."

Bellatrix was another of my least favorite of the Death Eaters. She spent half her time offering to do things for me and being as nice as possible…but I couldn't help but remember that she distrusted Snape.

"No higher pleasure," repeated my father, "That means a great deal, Bellatrix, from you."

Her face flooded with color and tears of delight welled in her eyes.

"My Lord knows I speak nothing but the truth!"

"No higher pleasure…even compared with the happy event that, I hear, has taken place in your family this week?"

"I don't know what you mean, my Lord," Bellatrix said, confused.

"I'm talking about your niece, Bellatrix. And yours, Lucius and Narcissa. She has just married the werewolf, Remus Lupin. You must be so proud."

There was an eruption of jeering and laughter from amongst the Death Eaters. Nagini, disliking the disturbance, hissed loudly, but no one took notice.

I forced a smirk, but pain shot through my heart. Lupin and Tonks had been married and I had not been there. I hadn't spoken to Lupin since the night he told me never to return. I longed to see him again, congratulate him on his wedding.

"She is no niece of ours, my Lord," Bellatrix cried, "We- Narcissa and I- have never set eyes on our sister since she married the Mudblood. This brat has nothing to do with either of us, nor any beast she marries."

"What say you, Draco? Will you babysit the cubs?" the Dark Lord asked. Everyone laughed loudly and Snape caught my eye again. We shared a small smile.

"Enough," said my father, stroking the angry snake, "Enough."

The laughter died at once.

"Many of our oldest family trees become a little diseased over time," he said as Bellatrix gazed, breathless and imploring at him, "You must prune yours, must you not, to keep it healthy? Cut away those parts that threaten the health of the rest."

"Yes, my Lord," said Bellatrix, her eyes filled with tears of gratitude, "At the first chance!"

"You shall have it," said the Dark Lord, "And in your family, so in the world…we shall cut away the canker that infects us until only those of the true blood remain…"

My father raised Lucius's wand and pointed it at the slowly revolving figure above the table. The figure came to life with a groan and began to struggle against invisible bonds.

"Do you recognize our guest, Severus?" asked the Dark Lord. Snape raised his eyes to the upside-down face. Everyone was staring up at her now.

"Severus! Help me!" said the woman in a cracked and terrified voice as she revolved to face the fireplace.

"Ah, yes," said Snape as the prisoner slowly turned away again.

"And you, Draco?"

Draco shook his head jerkily, unable to look up anymore.

"Abby?"

I looked curiously at the revolving figure before shaking my head no.

"But you would not have taken her classes," said my father, "For those of you who do not know, we are joined here tonight by Charity Burbage who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yes…Professor Burbage taught the children of witches and wizards all about Muggles…how they are not so different from us…"

One of the Death Eaters spat on the floor. Charity Burbage revolved to face Snape again.

"Severus…please…please…" she murmured.

"Silence," said Voldemort with another flick of Malfoy wand and Professor Burbage fell silent as if gagged, "Not content with corrupting and polluting the minds of Wizarding children, last week Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defense of Mudbloods in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of purebloods is, says Professor Burbage, a most desirable circumstance…she would have us all mate with Muggles…or, no doubt, werewolves…"

No one laughed this time. There was no mistaking the anger in his voice. Tears were pouring from Professor Burbage's eyes as she revolved to face Snape again. His face was impassive as he stared back at her. My heart went out to him, but I kept my expression blank as well.

"Avada Kedavra," said the Dark Lord. A flash of green light illuminated every corner of the room. Professor Burbage fell with a resounding crash onto the table below, which trembled and creaked. Several Death Eaters leapt back in their chairs and Draco fell out of his onto the floor. I was careful not to do so much as blink.

"Dinner, Nagini," said my father softly, and the snake slithered from his shoulders onto the polished wood.

The meeting was dismissed shortly after that, but at my father's request, Snape and myself remained behind.

"You now have another post to fill, I believe," the Dark Lord said, addressing Snape, "You will employ Alecto Carrow for the post of Muggle Studies."

"Of course, my lord," Snape said with a quick bow of his head.

"Good. Now, Severus, I have an errand for yourself and Abby."

"My lord?" I inquired.

"The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix has no doubt been evacuated, but I would like for you to go and see what is left. If there is anything left behind worth mentioning, bring it here to me."

"Yes, my Lord," Snape replied obediently.

We left Malfoy Manor together and Disapparated. We appeared in the hallway of headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, which looked exactly as I had remembered it, as if Lupin might come out of the kitchen any minute. It was eerie, cobwebbed, and there were the heads of dozens of house-elves on the wall. We both stood in silence, looking around. Then I took a step forward before Snape could stop me.

"Severus Snape?" a magical voice whispered out of the darkness. I leapt back onto the doormat, startled. Something cold whooshed over me and I felt my tongue curl back on itself. Before I had time to try and yell it had unraveled again. Judging by the alarmed expression on Snape's face he had just experienced the same unpleasant sensation.

"Mad-Eye Moody," he muttered darkly, "Of course."

This time it was Snape who took a step forward. Something stirred in the shadows at the end of the hall and I let out a startled cry as a tall, dust-colored, terrible figure rose from the carpet. The gray figure was gliding towards me, its waist-length hair and beard streaming behind it, its sunken, fleshless face, and empty eye sockets. It was Albus Dumbledore, dreadfully altered, arm raised and pointing at me. I took a terrified step backwards and knocked over an umbrella stand.

Snape waved his wand quickly and the figure exploded into a great cloud of dust. It caught in my throat and I coughed until the dust had settled and I was able to look up at Snape. His face was unreadable.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah."

I pulled out my wand, feeling safer with it in my hand that in my pocket.

"I think that was the last one," Snape said quietly, "Light your wand and let's get going. Lumos."

"Lumos," I copied, "What are we looking for?"

"Anything…and don't worry about not making a mess."

We split up to search the rooms. I pulled out drawers and picked through them, tossing pointless objects aside. We made our way to the topmost landing where there were only two rooms, one bearing the name Sirius, the other Regulus. Snape opened Sirius's room and we peered inside. Everything was covered in dust. There were several Gryffindor banners, pictures of Muggle motorcycles, and several bikini-clad Muggle girls.

"Ugh," I said, wrinkling my nose, "He had terrible taste in decorations, didn't he?"

Snape nodded his head briefly.

"I'll take this room. You take Regulus's," he said to me.

"Who's Regulus?" I inquired.

"Sirius's brother. Ex-Death Eater. Tried to betray the Dark Lord and was killed for it."

I suppressed a shudder and walked across the hall to the other room. There was a sign on the door.

Do not Enter

Without the Express Permission of

Regulus Arcturus Black

The door was locked when I tried to open it. I waved my wand and said, "Alohomora." There was a click and the door swung open. The room was the exact opposite of Sirius's. Slytherin banners hung from every possible place and the Black family crest was painted above the bed with a stack of yellowed newspapers beneath it. All were clippings about the Dark Lord.

A sudden change in my mental link with Snape startled me. I prodded his mind ever so slightly and found it filled with sorrow and grief. Wondering what could possibly cause such feelings I forced my subconscious into his and looked through his eyes. He had an old yellowed letter in his hand and was reading it. The handwriting was familiar to him.

Dear Padfoot,

Thank you, thank you, for Harry's birthday present! It was his favorite by far. One year old and already zooming along on a toy broomstick, he looked so pleased with himself. I'm enclosing a picture so you can see. You know it only rises about two feet off the ground, but he nearly killed the cat and he smashed a horrible vase Petunia sent me for Christmas (no complaints there). Of course, James thought it was so funny, says he's going to be a great Quidditch player, but we've had to pack away all the ornaments and make sure we don't take our eyes off him when he gets going.

We had a very quiet birthday tea, just us and old Bathilda, who has always been sweet to us and who dotes on Harry. We were so sorry you couldn't come, but the Order's got to come first, and Harry's not old enough to know it's his birthday anyway! James is getting a bit frustrated shut up here, he tries not to show it but I can tell- also Dumbledore's still got his Invisibility Cloak, so no chance of little excursions. If you could visit, it would cheer him up so much. Wormy was here last weekend, I though he seemed down, but that was probably the news about the McKinnons; I cried all evening when I heard.

Bathilda drops in most days, she's a fascinating old thing with the most amazing stories about Dumbledore, I'm not sure he'd be pleased if he knew! I don't know how much to believe, actually, because it seems incredible that Dumbledore could ever have been friends with Gellert Grindelwald. I think her mind's going, personally!

Lots of love,

Lily

I made my way quickly to Sirius' room. Snape was kneeling in the middle of the floor. He took the page bearing Lily's signature and tucked it into his pocket. He took the picture that had been included, which was one of Lily laughing while little Harry Potter rode a broomstick with his father nearby, and ripped the picture into two pieces. Snape took the one with Lily laughing, letting the portion with James and Harry fall to the floor.

Snape stood and sat on the edge of the bed. To my surprise and alarm, tears were pouring down his face. He looked startled to see me standing in the doorway and for a moment he looked as if he would get angry- then he sighed and motioned for me to come sit beside him on the bed. I went to sit beside him, putting my arms around him hesitantly. He put one arm around me and kissed the top of my head. Together we looked down at the picture he held in his hand. I reached out and wiped his tears away with my sleeve.

"…I need a minute, Abigail. Why don't you finish looking through the rest of the house?" he said quietly. I nodded my head and left the room obediently, shutting the door behind me. I went back to Regulus' room, but I could hear Snape wrenching drawers open, tossing things around, smashing and ripping things.

I finished searching Regulus' room, but found nothing. I gave Snape however long he needed to compose himself. I walked through headquarters, regretting that I had never been made an official member of the Order. I imagined Lupin walking through those same rooms and my heart throbbed painfully. I missed my friend. I missed being able to talk to him, ask his opinions on things…

"Abigail are you ready to go?" Snape asked, finding me in the kitchen.

"Yeah. Yes. Let's go," I said, "Did you find anything worth mentioning to the Dark Lord?"

"No. You?"

"No. Looks like the Order cleaned out pretty good before they left."

"Right. Let's go back to Hogwarts, then."

The following Saturday, the Dark Lord amassed all the Death Eaters to prepare for his attempt on the life of Harry Potter. Snape had informed me that he had planted the idea of decoys to the Order, on Dumbledore's orders, though they all thought that the sneak thief Mundungus Fletcher had been responsible for the idea. The Dark Lord gave careful instructions to his Death Eaters.

"We'll circle them once they take off from his aunt and uncle's house. There's no doubt they've planned sort of diversion, so if they split up, so do we," the Dark Lord instructed as we waited for dusk. We hid ourselves amongst the buildings surrounding Harry Potter's aunt and uncle's house. I stuck close to Snape.

When fourteen people rose into the air- some on broomsticks, some on Thestrals, and one- Hagrid- on a giant flying motorcycle. The thirty of us rose into the air, encircling them. We all wore hoods and masks, myself included. I tried to stick close to Snape, but lost him once people started to break away from the circle. I glanced frantically back and forth, trying to decide which of the seven Potters to follow. Then I spotted Lupin and one of the Potters on broomsticks. I immediately changed directions to follow them. I had my wand out for three of my fellow Death Eaters were following them as well.

"Abigail?" Snape said within my mind.

I'm following Lupin, I informed him quickly.

"I can see that. I'm right behind you."

I turned and fell back slightly to let him catch up with me. The other two Death Eaters got ahead of us. We were gaining on Lupin and Potter. One of the hooded Death Eaters in front of us raised his wand and aimed it at Potter's back, ready to perform the Killing Curse.

"Sectumsempra!" Snape cried, his wand raised. He was aiming for the Death Eater's wand hand, but the spell missed and hit Potter instead.

"George!" I heard Lupin cry, struggling to keep Potter on the broomstick.

"It's not the real Potter!" I called to the Death Eaters, "Fall back! Find another."

To my surprise and delight they obeyed.

Still I followed Lupin. Or, I tried to- Snape grabbed hold of my broomtail.

"Abigail no, someone will notice-" he started.

"Don't make me curse you, Severus," I said painfully, "Just let me go."

He hesitated a moment, then released me, looking irritated.

"Fine. Go then," he said and took off in the opposite direction.

I followed Lupin. When I got close I tried to help keep George on his broom, but Lupin tossed a hex at me.

My mask, I thought and ripped it off, throwing my hood back as I did.

"I'm trying to help, Moony," I said to Lupin. He hesitated then nodded his head. I helped keep George on his broomstick until we reached a point where Lupin stopped abruptly. .

"You can't go any farther. There are magical barriers up," he said to me. George was unconscious now. I quickly helped Lupin get him seated in front of him on the broomstick.

"I've got to go, too, or I'll be missed," I said, looking him in the eye, "Good luck…and congratulations on getting married."

He inclined his head, avoiding my gaze, and flew onwards, where I couldn't follow. I turned around and headed back to look for my fellow Death Eaters, wondering if the Dark Lord had killed Harry Potter.

I wasn't the only one who had gotten lost apparently, since all the wizards had flown off in opposite directions. I soon felt the Mark burn on my arm and- replacing my mask- I Apparated back to Harry Potter's aunt and uncle's house. The Dark Lord was livid- Harry Potter had escaped. They had been right on his tail and met a barrier like the one Lupin had warned me of. The Dark Lord punished those that had been with him for not being faster, just to vent his fury on someone. We watched as Selwyn, Yaxley, and Dolohov all suffered the Cruciatus Curse. The rest of us were ordered to search the house for anything of importance, anything that could be helped to locate Harry Potter. Then the Dark Lord Disapparated.

The Death Eaters stormed the house but we found nothing of use. Selwyn had news for all of us that the Dark Lord had been to annoyed to share- Mad-Eye Moody was dead. The Dark Lord had killed him when a Potter-who-wasn't-Potter Disapparated from the scene. I was glad when Snape and I were able to Disapparate back to Hogwarts, but Snape immediately started up the path and didn't speak to me. I ran to catch up with him and he glanced at me.

"Nice to see Lupin didn't kill you," he said dryly.

"Lupin wouldn't have killed me," I scoffed.

"Well that Dark Lord would have. If he discovers you helped Lupin you're done for," he said, "And I'm not going to have anything to do with it."

"I was helping a friend," I said.

"You risked your life for a werewolf!"

"I risked my life for a friend!"

"It was a foolish, unnecessary act that could have gotten us both killed!"

We glared at each other until Snape finally sighed and looked away from me. A moment later he looked back.

"Look, I'm not going to fight with you about this. If you want to risk your life for a werewolf, fine."

Snape stalked off towards the castle.

That night, for the first time since we had been staying at Hogwarts, I slept in the Slytherin dormitories.

A few days later, I was out in the garden at Hogwarts, prowling around in tiger form, when my forearm- well, my forepaw, since I was in tiger-form- burned like fire. I immediately morphed into human form. The Dark Mark was burning.

I met Snape coming out of the castle and as soon as we were outside of the gate we Disapparated. We appeared inside the hall of Malfoy Manor, which was abuzz with excited chatter. My stomach sank- this could mean nothing good.

"Rufus Scrimegeor is dead!" the Dark Lord, "I have complete control of the Ministry of Magic! We have Harry Potter's location and have broken enough of the enchantments around it to Apparate there. He is at the house of Arthur and Molly Weasley. When we Apparate, find Potter and bring him to me!"

When we Apparated to where the Dark Lord told us, we arrived in the middle of a wedding- Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding. The first person I saw was Lupin. He and Tonks, their wands raised, shouted Protego! putting up a shield. It didn't take long for the Death Eaters to storm the party, but by then Potter had Disapparated. The Dark Lord, furious, ordered Yaxley and a few others to keep watch over the Weasleys and the members of the Order that were there with them. Lupin had Disapparated with Tonks shortly after casting the Shield Charm, which had probably barely given Potter time enough to escape. After giving orders, the Dark Lord Disapparated with a pop.

"He's been spending increasing amounts of time away from Malfoy Manor," Snape informed me, "I wonder where he goes."

I shrugged my shoulders indifferently. I stared around at the ruined wedding scene- flowers were strewn everywhere, chairs were overturned and broken…a giant cake had been smashed to bits.

"Let's get out of here," I murmured, taking Snape's hand. He inclined his head and we Disapparated back to Hogwarts.

The next morning I read the Daily Prophet for lack of better things to do. Nearly everything printed in it was a lie now that my father had control. Harry Potter was officially "Wanted for questioning about the death of Albus Dumbledore". The Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimegeour, had 'resigned' and was replaced by Pius Thicknese whom I knew to be under the Imperius Curse. There was also an announcement that young witches and wizards were required to attend Hogwarts. Snape, who was sitting at his desk while I read the newspaper, was fidgeting anxiously. He had barely spoken to me all morning and finally I put the paper down and looked at him curiously.

"Something bothering you, Sev?"

"I…well… I'm supposed to take a turn tailing Remus Lupin," he said quietly, not looking at me.

"Let me do it," I said at once, "Please…"

He sighed and continued not to look at me.

"Fine. Do it," he said sulkily, "Your shift starts tomorrow morning… Please don't do anything stupid, Abigail."

"I'll try," I said sardonically, but smiled to show him I was grateful. He still wasn't looking at me, however. I walked over to behind his desk and kissed his cheek. A few of the portraits hissed disapprovingly.

They're portraits. What can they do about it? I thought to myself. Snape chuckled quietly.

"Where's Lupin been staying?" I asked casually.

"At his wife's parent's house," Snape replied reluctantly.

The next morning I awoke early in Snape's chambers.

"Where're you going?" Snape murmured sleepily when I rose.

"I've got work to do, remember?"

"Mmph. Have fun. Don't do anything stupid."

"Hmph," I said, but smiled at him, "Goodbye Severus…sweet dreams."

I slipped quietly out of his quarters and passed the portraits, all of which were still sleeping…except Dumbledore.

"Tell Remus I said hello," Dumbledore whispered cheerfully as I slipped out the door to the office.

I left Hogwarts grounds and Disapparated to Tonks' parents house. I replaced Dolohov, who had been tailing him.

"They don't move around too much, but if they all take off, send for assistance," Dolohov told me. Then he Disapparated. I roamed the perimeter of their house until sunrise. I was surprised to see Lupin slip quietly out of the side door as the sun was rising. None of the other occupants of the house were awake or aware of his leaving. I thought he was going to leave, but his eyes found me- his Death Eater tail who was wearing a mask- and he let out a weary sigh. He sat on the front steps. I approached him and his hand found his wand, just in case.

"Moony, it's me," I whispered, removing my mask but leaving my hood up, "Abby."

"Abby? You're my tail?"

"For today… if you want to go… I promise I won't follow you, but…please come back. I could get into an awful lot of trouble if they found out I let you slip past me."

"I…you're sure?"

"Of course. I know where my loyalties truly lie, even if you don't," I said with a slight smile. He tried to smile, but I could tell something was bothering him. Something that didn't have to do with me.

"Anything you want to talk about, Moony?" I asked gently.

"I…well… Tonks is going to have a baby," he muttered.

"That's great! You're going to be a Daddy!" I squealed delightedly, "There're going to be little Lupins running around, how adorable!"

"Typical," he said with a snort, but he half-smiled.

"What?" I asked defensively.

"You're such a girl, Abby," was his reply. I punched him lightly in the arm.

"You're a girl. Now get, before I decide not to let you go," I said, winking at him to show I was kidding. He smiled.

"I'll be back," he promised, then Disapparated with a pop.

I waited impatiently for Lupin to come back. I paced and worried for 30 minutes. What if he didn't come back? What if he had lied to me? What would the Dark Lord do if he found out I let one of the Order escape? Would the Lupin I knew and loved really do that to me? He didn't trust me anymore, who knew what he was capable of? However, thirty minutes after his departure, Lupin Apparated in almost the exact same spot. His face was livid and he struggled to hide his emotions from me. Obviously, this didn't work.

"What happened?" I asked gently, putting a hand on his arm.

"Harry…Harry Potter called me a…coward," he said, not looking at me.

"He does that to a lot of people. Stupid, valiant Potter," I said, rolling my eyes. Lupin raised an eyebrow at me.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly, "I spend too much time with Severus. …Just because I'm one of the good guys, I don't have to worship Potter's every move."

"Right. Well…he was sort of right, I suppose…"

"About you being a coward? Preposterous," I snorted.

"No, I… I wanted to run off and help Potter on his quest- whatever it is- that Dumbledore left him to do."

"You were going to leave your wife…and your kid?" I said, shocked.

"You don't understand, Abby," he said, looking slightly wild, "I should never have married Tonks- I've made her an outcast of society. What person in their right mind would marry a werewolf? Her own parents disapprove of our marriage!"

He gestured towards the house.

"And the child! The child… The child will be like me, I'm certain," he said, near hysterical, "How can I forgive myself when I knowingly risked passing this condition to a child? An innocent child…"

"Moony, calm down," I said, squeezing his hand, "The child will be fine. And Tonks- Tonks loves you. She's a sharp girl- she knew what she was doing when she married you and she did it anyway. I don't know her all that well, but I know she loves you."

He didn't say anything and averted my eyes. I decided maybe it was best to change the subject.

"Has the Order heard anything about that no-good rotten thief Mundungus?" I asked curiously, "I heard he deserted Mad-Eye Moody…"

Grief entered his eyes at Moody's name.

"No, we haven't heard anything of Mundungus. …Did…did some of your lot take Mad-Eye's body?"

I winced.

"I'm afraid I don't know. Severus and I left after we searched the aunt and uncle's house."

"But he did die?"

"That's what I heard…"

"That's what I heard, too."

"…One of your lot lost an ear that night?"

"I don't want to talk about that."

"He didn't do it on purpose."

"I don't want to talk about it," he repeated.

"Alright. Fine."

"I need to go back inside. Tonks and her family will be waking up soon," he said, glancing at the house.

"Yeah. My shift is over at 6:00pm, if you want to come back out here and talk at any point… and if I don't talk to you again for a while, will you send me pictures of the baby when it's born?"

He nodded his head.

"Bye Abby… Be good and stay safe."

"Those two things don't necessarily coincide for me nowadays," I said with a sad smile.

"Well stay safe."

"I'll try."

Lupin turned and went back into the house. I watched the house all day- which was quite boring, I might add- but he did not come back out to speak to me. When Trent Kellogs came to replace me at 6:00 I Disapparated back to the castle. To my surprise, Snape was waiting for me at the gate.

"You talked to him, didn't you?" he said as soon as I arrived.

"Maybe, maybe not," I said evasively.

"You did, Abigail, I know you. Well? What did he tell you?"

"He and Tonks are having a baby-"

"Disgusting," he sneered and I punched him.

"Be nice or I won't tell you anything."

"Sorry."

"I let him go see Potter today," I said quietly, "I figured it could do some good. Moony might be able to give him advice about whatever task Dumbledore left for him, but apparently he won't tell Lupin what it is either."

"Did he tell you where Potter was?"

"I didn't ask-he wouldn't have told me. Apparently he's somewhere safe though."

"Good."

The weeks dragged on. I occasionally guarded Lupin or some other known member of the Order- I did what I could to help them if it wouldn't get me caught- and a few times I was made to stand guard outside Number 12 Grimmauld Place all day staring at nothing with two other Death Eaters. It was one of the likely places for Potter to try and come and we were always on the lookout. The spell that had greeted us when Snape and I Apparated inside prevented us from talking about the Order of the Phoenix. We had been unable to tell them the location, therefore none of the other Death Eaters could get in.

When September first finally arrived, the day when the students would arrive, I could tell Snape was nervous. I awoke to an empty bed and went looking for him. I found him walking around the castle courtyard, just looking around, his face rather pale.

"Tomorrow this place will be crawling with children," he said, wrinkling his nose.

"I wonder if all the staff know you're headmaster now?" I wondered aloud.

"I'm sure Minerva's told them…some of them are here already."

"Really?"

"Yes. Minerva's in her office, Flitwick's in his, Sprout's in the greenhouse…Slughorn is down in the Potions classroom."

"I didn't see anyone on my way down here."

"They're all avoiding us. Usually teachers and staff return to Hogwarts at least a week before term starts."

"…They hate us, don't they?"

"They hate me…I don't know what they think of you."

"Hm… You don't think it's a little dangerous for us to be here with so many unfriendly people here?"

"I didn't really think about it…"

"When are the Carrows supposed to be here?"

"Not until noon."

"Well perhaps we should send for them earlier. We could send them an owl."

"That may be a good idea."

We returned to his office and Snape sat down to write the Carrows a letter.

"I hate the thought of bringing them into this school…but I dare not disobey the Dark Lord," Snape said with a sigh, "I can't imagine what sorts of changes there are going to be around here…"

"At least you don't have to attend the classes. Can you imagine what Muggle Studies is going to be like now? And it's a required subject."

"I know," he said, "But you could ditch whenever you want. You're the Dark Princess and they're Death Eaters- what are they going to do, give you detention?"

I laughed.

"Good point. This is going to be fun," I said, grinning.

The Carrows came a short while later, bringing with them the news that my father was still abroad. He'd been gone for a long time now, off on some secret errand. A handful of people- myself included- knew that he was keeping Ollivander, the wand-maker, in the dungeon. When the Carrows went off to set up their offices, Snape and I went for a walk around the grounds.

"This won't be so hard, right?" Snape said uncertainly, "Being headmaster? I mean, how hard could it really be? I make the rules."

As if to prove a point, he reached out and took my hand, even though Professor Sprout could be seen bustling about in her garden, trying to pretend we didn't exist.

We walked around the castle until the sky began to grow dark, then we returned to Snape's office. Snape looked tense.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine," I said reassuringly.

"…I think the fact that you're the Dark Princess is going to leak eventually."

"The Carrows will know to keep there mouth shut and so will Draco," I said menacingly.

"Your classmates aren't stupid- they'll notice your power over the Carrows after a while."

"They'll think I have power because you're headmaster now," I said after thinking about it a moment, "And you're my guardian."

"Maybe… Oh god- it's time to go down to the Great Hall for the welcoming feast. What am I going to say to these kids?" Snape said, running his hands through his hair.

"You'll do fine," I said, kissing his cheek. The portraits on the walls didn't even bother hissing anymore. They just looked away pointedly. Snape laced his fingers in mine and squeezed my hand. Then the two of us walked down to the Great Hall together.

None of the students had arrived yet, but most of the teachers were seated. Snape didn't release my hand until we reached the Slytherin table and I had to sit down. Then he continued on to the headmaster's chair. None of the teachers spoke. Alecto and Amycus Carrow sat on either side of him, which I knew didn't please him, and the rest of the teachers had moved their chairs as far away from his as possible.

When the students finally arrived, the number was smaller than I had expected. I thought there would be more students than usual, since attendance was enforced by law, but there were less.

"The Muggle-borns. A lot of them have gone into hiding," Snape informed me, "I think I'll be making a place for you up here, in the future. Can you imagine only having the Carrows to talk to?"

I was proud to say the Slytherins looked the least perturbed out of all the students coming into the hallway. In fact, some of them looked excited- which wasn't necessarily a good thing. The Gryffindors all muttered amongst themselves, shooting furtive, distrustful glances at the new headmaster. I couldn't help but notice Potter, Granger, and Weasley all were not there.

"Abby!" said Jenny warmly when she sat down beside me.

"What happened to you?" Brandy asked, "That night…that Dumbledore died…"

"I left with Snape."

"Of course you did. I've got your trunk with me- I had a feeling you'd be coming back."

"Oh that's good. Thank you," I said gratefully, "I had to buy all new things when I went to America-"

"You went to America?" Jenny asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, Severus and I were abroad for a while," I replied casually.

"What was America like?" Brandi asked curiously.

I spent all of the feast telling my friends about America. When Snape addressed the students after the feast, he didn't say much.

"There are going to be some changes at Hogwarts this year," Snape said in his low, dangerous voice that commanded complete silence, "Misbehavior will not be tolerated. Punishments will be much more severe than ever before. All detentions will be referred to Professors Alecto or Amycus Carrow. Now, to bed with you all," Snape said dismissively. The students erupted into chatter at once and the Great Hall was filled with the sound of benches scraping as the students stood and began to pour out of the hall.

I made my way up to the staff table, which had emptied as quickly as the House tables. Only Snape remained.

"You should go back to your dormitory tonight," he said rather reluctantly, "It's best…for now."

I agreed. I caught his eye and smiled before leaving the Great Hall.

It didn't take long for the students to realize Snape wasn't kidding about increased punishment. Torture was a favorite of the Carrows. In Amycus' Dark Arts class we were made to practice the Cruciatus Curse on students who had been assigned detention. I didn't like it, but I saw what happened to kids who complained. I spent an increasing amount of time out of class anyway. Snape had encountered a greater revolution from the students than he expected, despite the increase in punishment. Over the next few weeks we found graffiti on the walls of the castle: Dumbledore's Army, still recruiting; Long Live Dumbledore!; Love Live Potter!

Snape found it irritating, but didn't put forth too much effort into finding out who was behind it.

One afternoon I was heading up to Snape's office after lunch when five students I didn't even know cornered me. They had their wands pointed at me before I even realized what was happening.

"Reach for that wand and you're dead meat, Snape's girl," sneered one of the boys. I let my hand fall.

Severus! I called with my mind, I think I may have hit a spot of trouble!

One of the girls used a Leg-Locker curse on me and I went crashing to the floor, thoroughly irritated.

"What good does cursing me do?" I said appealingly, "It's just going to make the headmaster mad. The best any of you can do is just do what they say. Obey their rules and keep yourselves safe."

"Shut it-"

"What's going on here?" said Snape's commanding voice from the top of the staircase. The students scrambled.

"Detention, all of you!" Snape bellowed after them, "Sampson, Japlin, Thomas…"

Snape looked down at me worriedly.

"Are you alright?" he asked me quietly.

"Never better," I said, struggling to my feet. I grabbed my wand from my pocket and unlocking my legs.

"These little rebellions are starting to get dangerous," Snape said, frowning, "…I want you to stick closer to me from now on. You're a vulnerability. They think they can hurt me by hurting you. You will eat meals at the staff table with me. You will no longer sleep in the Slytherin dormitories…"

"Yes, headmaster," I said with a grin. I snapped him a salute and he rolled his eyes.

The weeks continued to pass and I doubted there was a soul in the castle who didn't know about mine and Snape's relationship. All the Slytherins knew I no longer slept in my dormitory and everyone knew I sat with him at mealtimes. Sometimes we avoided the Great Hall altogether and dinned in his office.

One afternoon we were heading upstairs to his office when we encountered three students on the stairs- Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and- my heart leapt- Ginny Weasley. They were trying to smuggle something down the stairs but Snape caught them. It was the Sword of Gryffindor. They had broken into Snape's office and stolen the sword.

"You will all receive detention for this," Snape hissed through gritted teeth, "Now get out of my sight."

The three members of Dumbledore's Army scampered away. Ginny Weasley glanced back at me over her shoulder. The coldness in her brown eyes pierced my soul.

"Please don't be too harsh on them," I pleaded with Snape as soon as we were in his office. He considered this a moment.

"…I'll send them into the forest with the oaf Hagrid. Does that satisfy you?" he said finally.

"Yes," I said, relieved, "…thank you."

He waved his hand dismissively.

Halloween dawned early for me- my eighteenth birthday. I awoke wrapped in Snape's arms and I awoke to him kissing me. We skipped breakfast and didn't emerge from his room until almost lunchtime. The Great Hall was decorated for Halloween, as usual.

"I have somewhere I'd like you to go with me tonight, before dinner…I think you'll appreciate it," Snape said casually to me at lunch time.

"Ooh a surprise? Where are we going?"

"You'll see," was his reply.

I actually attended my classes that afternoon, despite Snape's protestation that it was my birthday and I shouldn't have to. When the last class of the day ended I made my way up to Snape's office. He was waiting for me outside the door. He had his traveling cloak on. We left Hogwarts. Any inquiries I made as to where we were going were shot down. I was curious, for I could detect a faint sadness around him. It confused me.

When we Apparated, we appeared inside what looked like a town square. The town square was covered in Halloween decorations and Muggle children in costumes all ran around with bags of candy. No one paid any mind to us- Snape with his billowing black cloak and me with my school robes.

We began to cross the square which had what appeared to be a war memorial in the center of it. As we got halfway across the square, however, he war memorial transformed into a statue. I gasped loudly, but Snape barely did more than give it a passing glance. It was a statue of three people- a man with untidy hair and glasses, a baby boy in his mother's arms, and the mother…a beautiful girl with long hair and a pretty face. Lily.

The realization of where we were headed dawned on me when I saw we were heading for a church. Not to a church, I realized, To a graveyard.

"I come here every Halloween," Snape said quietly as he opened the gate to the cemetery and we slipped inside. He walked purposefully through rows and rows of tombstones. It took his less than a minute to find the one we sought. My heart pounded as I approached the marble white tombstone, which made me think of Dumbledore's tomb. It was easy to read the words engraved upon it.

JAMES POTTER LILY POTTER

BORN 27 MARCH 1960 BORN 30 JANUARY 1960 DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981 DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

The tears came before I could stop them when I realized that this was indeed where the girl I loved was laid to rest. Her body lay rotting beneath the very ground on which I stood. I felt like vomiting. Snape enclosed me in his arms and I could tell he was crying, too, from the way his body trembled.

We didn't stay there very long and we didn't speak until we were outside the cemetery. Snape took my hand and squeezed it.

"One last stop," he said to me. I inclined my head and allowed myself to be led back to the rows and rows of houses. There was a big mass at the end of the rows of houses and Snape and I walked towards it. When we drew nearer I could see that it was the remains of a house. Most of the house was still standing but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart.

When I realized what it was, I leaned on the rusty old gate for support. My touch triggered a sign to rise up out of the ground before us, up through tangles of nettles and weeds. In golden letters upon the wood it said:

On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981,

Lily and James Potter lost their lives.

Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard

Ever to have survived the Killing Curse.

This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left

in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters

And as a reminder of the violence

That tore apart their family.

All around these neatly lettered words, scribbles had been added by other witches and wizards who had come to see the place where James and Lily had died. Some merely signed their names in Everlasting Ink, others carved initials or messages. The most recent all had a similar theme: Good luck, Harry Potter; We're all still behind you Harry; Long live the Boy Who Lived!

"Can I write on the sign?" I asked Snape hesitantly. He smiled slightly.

"You may."

After careful consideration, I merely wrote Good luck, Harry. Stay safe.

Snape nodded approvingly. After one final glance at the spot where Lily Evans died, Snape extended his arm and we Disapparated back to Hogwarts.

"Thank you," I said as we walked back up the path to the castle, "For taking me there…"

"Somehow, I didn't quite feel up to going by myself this year…" he said quietly.

November came in with a gust of cold wind that seemed to blow unceasingly. I began to feel ill when I awoke in the mornings. Snape said it was probably just the weather and started having Pepperup Potion ready for me should I need it. What I didn't tell him, however, was that the Potion did nothing to quell my nausea. One morning, late in November, I awoke feeling worse than ever before. I slipped out of bed without waking Snape and made my way to the bathroom. I glanced at myself in the mirror as I splashed cold water on my face. I was paler than usual and gaunt-looking. Suddenly I felt a wave of nausea roll through me and rushed to the toilet.

When I finished throwing up, I made my way shakily back to the sink and rinsed my mouth out.

"Oo-hooo!" said a voice from behind me, making me jump, "Someone's got a little morning sickness!"

It was the ghost of a rather plain girl with glasses- the ghost who had witnessed Potter using Sectumsempra on Draco the previous year.

"You're Moaning Myrtle, aren't you? What did you say?" I asked, frowning slightly.

"Morning sickness. I'd recognize it anywhere. You aren't the first girl to get pregnant at Hogwarts," replied the ghost.

My heart stopped in my chest.

"P-pregnant? I can't be pregnant. That's…impossible…"

"Is it? Is it really?" the ghost asked.

"I…uh…"

My face paled even more and I swayed on my feet. I sat down on the cold, hard floor, numb from shock.

"Don't worry," the ghost said, "Your secret's safe with me."

Then she winked and disappeared down one of the toilets.

Shaking and terrified I got to my feet. I hurried back to Snape's office as fast as I could. I didn't know how he would react, but I was terrified and I couldn't handle it on my own. When I burst into Snape's office he was sitting at his desk.

"Abigail. Where've you been-?" he asked, mildly curious.

"I have to tell you something," I said urgently, "Er…in private."

The surrounding portraits 'hmpphed' disapprovingly, but Snape sensed my urgency. He inclined his head and we went into his chambers.

"I…I…"

I couldn't bring myself to say it.

"What is it, Abigail?" he asked gently, "What's wrong?"

"I think…I think I'm…p-pregnant," I stammered, then I burst into tears. Snape stood there for a minute, shocked, as I sobbed, sitting down and pulling my knees up to my chin so I could hide my face. Snape put his arms around me after his initial shock wore off.

"Abigail, why are you crying?" he murmured, "It's not the end of the world."

"A baby, Sev? I'm not ready to be a mom, I'm not, I can't," I said through my tears.

"You can," he said soothingly. He kissed me on top of the head.

"How can I raise a child…in the midst of all this? This war? This secrecy?"

"These are dark times," he agreed, "But…perhaps it will all be over by the time the child- our child- is born."

Our child. A shudder passed through me and after a minute I stopped crying. Snape kissed me, wiping the last trace of tears from my face- then he froze.

"Oh shit- your father is going to kill me," he moaned. I thought about this.

"Well…Maybe not. He likes you well enough and if we tell him the truth…"

"The truth?"

"That we're in love."

"Of course."

"Maybe he won't disapprove."

"…We have to be certain before we tell the Dark Lord. We have to be certain you're pregnant. …We'll have to go to Madam Pomfrey-"

"She'll tell everyone!"

"Not if she wants to keep her job," he said matter-of-factly, "Being headmaster does have its privileges. We should go see her now, before the rest of the castle wakes up."

I nodded reluctantly and we left his quarters. The portrait of Dumbledore looked curious, but Snape ignored him and steered me towards the door.

We made our way to the hospital wing, passing only Professor Flitwick who immediately turned and walked the other way. We were, thankfully, the only people in the hospital wing.

"You wait here," Snape told me, "I'll go talk to Madam Pomfrey in her office."

"Fine by me," I muttered, hopping up onto one of the white beds. Snape knocked on the nurse's office door, then disappeared inside. I sat there in silence. Maybe I wasn't really pregnant. Maybe I was worried for nothing more than a stomach bug. Snape had looked almost excited though. He hadn't looked worried at all until he thought about what would happen if the Dark Lord found out.

When Snape emerged with Madam Pomfrey, she shooed him away and pulled the curtains around the bed I was on so should could give me an exam. Ten minutes later I was officially declared pregnant.

"Don't you fret now, dearie," Madam Pomfrey said kindly, "You aren't the first girl at Hogwarts to get pregnant."

"Everyone's going to know," I moaned.

"No, they aren't. We have ways of magically concealing such conditions as yours," she told me, "Of course, you won't have to worry about it for a few months to come. Now, you say you've been feeling ill in the mornings?"

"Yes. This morning was the first morning I threw up though."

"There are certain potions that help with such things, I highly doubt Severus would object to brewing them for you. You'll also have to start taking vitamin tablets that are good for developing babies. I'll have them for you in a minute," Madam Pomfrey said, "Then you are free to go- but take it easy."

I inclined my head. She pulled the curtains away from my bed and Snape, who had been pacing back and forth at the other end of the hospital wing, came hurrying over. I gave him a trembling smile. His face flooded with emotions- joy, worry, fear.

"We'll have to tell him," I said once Madam Pomfrey had gone to find the vitamin tablets, "I'll have to do it. It's less risky for you that way."

"Less risky for me?" he snorted, "It's you I'm concerned about. I'm not letting you go alone."

"He's more likely to listen to me without you there."

Madam Pomfrey came bustling back into the room with a bottle of vitamins for me.

"Now you'll want to avoid strenuous activities- Apparating and taking Portkeys are not to be used unless absolutely necessary, especially after the first trimester," Madam Pomfrey told me.

"What about morphing? She's an animagus," Snape told the nurse.

"Really? An animagus? So young! No, I'm afraid morphing is out of the picture. The contorting of your bone structure would be detrimental to the health of your baby."

"My baby," I repeated vaguely.

"Our baby," Snape said inside my head. He took my hand and squeezed it reassuringly. I got to my feet and prepared to leave.

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Snape said to the nurse as we left.

"I'm not going to tell Dumbledore," I said once we left the hospital wing, "You can do it, if you want to, but I won't be there."

"Okay. …If you are determined on going to see you father alone, I suggest you do it today. The sooner you go ahead and get it over with, the better."

I nodded my head.

"Good luck," he said to me when we reached the Entrance Hall and kissed me swiftly.

I left school grounds and just outside the gate I Disapparated. Madam Pomfrey had told me not to Disapparate unnecessarily after my first trimester. I was not yet three months along, so it didn't seem too risky. I appeared outside Malfoy Manor and went inside. Bellatrix met me at the front door.

"Not run away from school, have you, princess?" she asked me.

"No, not at all. I wanted to speak to my father about something important."

"Well, lucky you- he just got back this morning. You wait here a tick and I'll tell him you wish to speak to him," she said, disappearing into the room with the long table where we usually had Death Eater meetings.

A moment later she reappeared and motioned for me to go inside. She did not follow me in.

The Dark Lord was seated at the head of the table and the room was empty apart from the two of us.

"You wished to speak with me, daughter?"

"Yes, my lord," I said, bowing respectfully, "You see, something has come up I thought you should know about, you see, I'm… I'm with child."

His eyes grew wide and for a moment he said nothing.

"Who is the father? A boy at school?" he asked me.

"No exactly, my lord, you see- I'm in l-love with Severus Snape. The baby is his."

The Dark Lord did not speak, but got to his feet and walked over to me. He lifted my arm and pushed my sleeve back. He touched one, long, pale finger to the Dark Mark on my arm. Pain seared through it, but I grit my teeth. He was summoning Snape through me.

While we waited for Snape, my father didn't speak. When he arrived, Snape came to stand beside me, face pale.

"Is is true, Severus?"

"Is what true, my lord?"

"Do you love my daughter?"

Snape's eyes found mine and he took my hand. Then he looked back to the Dark Lord.

"With all my heart, my lord," he said firmly.

The Dark Lord didn't speak for a very long time. He observed us in complete silence. I could sense Snape's fear, but also his fierce love, which gave me courage. I prayed the Dark Lord would just let us be. Snape squeezed my hand when the Dark Lord began to speak.

"Well then. There's only one thing left to do then- the two of you will have to be married immediately," the Dark Lord said matter-of-factly.

"M-married?" I stammered, "But I'm only seventeen!"

"You love Severus, do you not?"

"Of course, but-"

"Then you will marry him."

I glanced at Snape whose face was carefully expressionless.

"Whatever you say, my lord," Snape said casually, as if our getting married was no big deal.

"I shall perform the ceremony myself, right here," the Dark Lord said.

"Right now? What about a dress? I'm still in my school robes!"

"Indeed," the Dark Lord said, looking thoughtful, "Bellatrix!"

Within seconds Bellatrix was in the room.

"Yes, my lord?" she asked obediently.

"Take Abigail and make her look nice. She's to marry Severus this very afternoon."

Bellatrix stared at him as if she couldn't possibly have heard correctly. Then she looked from me, to Severus, to me, then back to the Dark Lord.

"Whatever you say, my lord," Bellatrix said with a bow, then she took my arm and led me from the room.

Upstairs in her room, Bellatrix began to rummage through her closet for a dress suitable enough for a wedding. I stood, shifting my weight anxiously from one foot to another.

"Married…to Severus…why?" Bellatrix was saying from inside her closet.

"Because I love him and he loves me…and because I'm…with child."

I was saying it so much it was really starting to sink in. Yesterday if someone had told me I'd be pregnant and marrying Snape, I'd have thought they got hit by a stray Bludger.

"A baby?" Bellatrix said, pausing in her rummaging through the closet to look at me, "Tsk tsk. Imagine that. A baby."

"A baby," I repeated.

"Oh, I know!" Bellatrix exclaimed suddenly and began rummaging with renewed fervor. She emerged a moment later with a strappy black dress, more revealing than the one I'd worn to the Yule Ball.

"Change into this while I find you some accessories," she commanded. I obeyed. The dress came down to my knees and showed a great amount of cleavage. I was, as always, wearing the silver heart on the silver chain Snape had given me for Christmas my fifth year. Bellatrix returned with black lace half-gloves similar to the ones I had worn to the Yule Ball. They covered the scars on my hands perfectly. Bellatrix saw the scars, but didn't ask, for which I was grateful.

When it came time for me to go downstairs, I was nearly hyperventilating. Bellatrix kept an arm out to steady me as she escorted me down the stairs. When I saw Snape standing there with my father, my mind went completely blank. I descended the stairs in a daze. Snape met me at the foot of the stairs, took my hand wordlessly, and led me back to where the Dark Lord was waiting.

"Now, may we begin?"

Snape and I both inclined our heads.

"Do you, Severus Snape, take Abigail Prewett to be your wife, to love until your time on Earth is over?"

"I do," Snape said quietly, his black eyes on me.

"And do you, Abigail Prewett, take Severus Snape to be your husband, to love until your time on Earth is over?"

I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. Somehow I couldn't get my vocal chords to work right. Snape, who still held my hands in his, squeezed them reassuringly. His gaze told me everything.

"I do," I said softly.

"Then I declare you bonded…for life," the Dark Lord said. He rose his wand high over our heads and a shower of silver and green stars fell upon us, spiraling around us as Snape leaned down and kissed me.

There were no white doves or friends and family gathered around, unless you counted Bellatrix who was lurking in the shadows, watching the proceedings in silent awe. The Dark Lord tapped our clasped hands with his wand. I looked down at my left hand where a silver ring had appeared on my ring finger. The ring was a snake devouring itself, with emeralds for eyes. I glanced at Snape to see him looking down curiously at an identical ring on his ring finger.

"Congratulations," the Dark Lord said, "You're married."

Then he left and went into the other room.

"Congratulations," repeated Bellatrix. She looked slightly amused.

When Snape and I Disapparated back to Hogwarts, it was almost sunset. The grounds were crawling with students who paid little heed to Snape and myself as we walked back towards the castle. We didn't speak until we reached his office.

"Where have you two been all day?" the portrait of Dumbledore asked us.

"We were- …We were wed by the Dark Lord," Snape said, sitting down at his desk, "He insisted upon it."

"At least he didn't kill you."

Snape inclined his head.

"Severus, I'm feeling a bit…overwhelmed. Can I go to bed?"

"…Of course," he said and followed me into his room.

"Something bothering you?" he asked once he shut the door.

"Well…it's just… Would you still have married me if the Dark Lord hadn't been forcing it?"

"Abigail…of course. I would have asked you to marry me, probably before the week was out. It's the proper thing to do, considering I got you…pregnant," he said.

I sat down on the bed and he sat down beside me.

"We're going to have a baby," I said faintly.

"Yeah," he said with a somewhat nervous, but excited smile.

"A baby," I murmured, putting my hand on my stomach, which was not yet betraying any signs of a living being inside of me, "…I've never spent time around babies. I have no idea what to do with a baby."

"Nor have I," Snape admitted, "There are books, though, I was thinking of making a trip to Diagon Alley tomorrow."

I smiled. He was taking the whole 'parenting' idea a lot better than I was. I couldn't imagine having a baby. I couldn't imagine that there was something growing inside of me, living off me.

"Don't worry," Snape said, sensing how I felt, "It'll hit you eventually."

He smiled and put an arm around me. He kissed the top of my head.

I spent a large portion of the next few weeks 'taking it easy' as Madam Pomfrey had recommended. I spent most of my time in Snape's office or his private quarters, reading baby books…any books with babies in them really. One day I was sitting in Snape's office alone- Snape was attending some matter with the Carrows involving the punishment of a first year. A new book by Rita Skeeter had come out and I had ordered a copy called The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. The portrait of Dumbledore saw me, sitting in Snape's chair with my feet up on his desk, reading this book.

"Would you read it to me?" said the portrait in a quiet tone. I hesitated, but the serious, somewhat sad tone to his voice made me agree to read the book aloud to him.

Some of the things I read in the book were appalling but I didn't ask Dumbledore about them. I continued reading steadily, even when I began reading about his friendship with Gellert Grindelwald and I noticed a tear trickling down the face in the portrait. At the end of the Chapter entitled "For the Greater Good" Dumbledore told me to stop.

"I don't want to hear anymore right now," he said, his voice slightly strained.

My mind whirred with what I had just read and I voiced the suspicion that had crept into my mind towards the end of the chapter.

"Did…Grindelwald kill Arianna?" I inquired timidly, knowing I was overstepping a boundary but unable to help myself. Dumbledore looked away from me. He didn't speak for a long time.

"…I never thought he had it in him. I never knew he was truly evil until that day. He was my best friend. We were planning to run off together. We wanted to change the world, we did. Aberforth confronted us, telling us we couldn't expect to move Arianna with us, she was too fragile. Gellert started yelling…and then I…"

He took a deep breath before continuing.

"I was forced to watch my best friend torture my brother. Then the three of us started dueling. I don't know which of us did it…but at the end of the duel, Arianna was dead. She had tried to help and gotten in the way. It was Gellert, I know it…"

His voice was bitter and I could hear the tint of sorrow.

"You loved him," I guessed, "Grindelwald."

"…He was my best friend. He was brilliant. The one person I could talk to," he said, shaking his head, "I was young. I was foolish. When Aberforth ran from the house after what happened to Arianna, Grindelwald and I fought. I told him he was evil, wicked, and he and I were no longer wanting to achieve the same goals. I told him to leave and that I never wanted to see him again. I spent the rest of my life fighting for Muggle rights, even as Grindelwald sought to overthrow their world. I avoided him at all costs, until the cry of help from the public became to great to ignore. Only then did I go after my former best friend to put a stop to his reign of terror."

"You didn't kill him though."

"Of course not. I could have…sometimes I think I should have…but it was easier just to let him rot in his own prison…"

At that moment the office door opened and Snape walked in. He looked mildly surprised to see me facing the Dumbledore portrait and talking to him.

"Bonding?" he asked with a slight smirk. I scowled at him.

"We were just talking. Where've you been off to?" I asked curiously.

"Alecto and Amycus had a first year tied up in the dungeons for three days," he said, frowning slightly, "The poor kid was nearly dead."

"What was his crime?" I asked, shocked.

"She didn't remember!" he said, shaking his head.

I was pleased to find I wasn't the only one reading the baby books. I often caught Snape reading them, even when he was supposed to be working. I even caught the portrait of Dumbledore telling him off for it once. Snape's excitement about the baby was the only thing that kept me from sharing my fears with him. I wished I had someone I could talk to and one morning while I was sitting in Divination class it dawned on me where I should go. When the bell rang, rather than head down to Muggle Studies with my classmates, I left Hogwarts grounds and Disapparated.

I appeared outside of Tonk's parents house where I found Dolohov the Death Eater standing watch. I stunned him, since it was the only thing I could think of to do. I would perform a Memory Charm before I left. I dragged Dolohov's body behind a hydrangea bush, then turned to face the house, wondering how I was going to lure Lupin out without getting myself killed. Finally, I decided there was no better way than to go knock on the door. I left my wand tucked away so maybe they wouldn't kill me on sight. As luck would have it, Tonks opened the door. Her belly was swollen now with the promise of a child to come and for a moment I felt we shared a common bond- then she pointed her wand at my heart.

"What're you doing here?" she demanded, eyeing me distrustfully.

"I wish to speak with Moony- with Lupin. Will you tell him I'm out here, please? I'm sure he'll talk to me," I said, "Tell him it's important."

She didn't really have any choice but to obey. She shut the door and minutes later the door was opened by Lupin whom, I was touched to find, was wandless.

"What's going on, Abigail?" he asked, sitting down beside me on he steps. His wife had not followed him out.

"Well, there's something I wanted to tell you… er… I'm pregnant…Severus' baby, of course, and…the Dark Lord made us get married," I said, wiggling my ring finger in front of his face.

Lupin stared at me, shocked speechless. Then, without warning, I burst into tears. I flung my face into his chest and sobbed. Lupin, quite alarmed, patted my back awkwardly.

"Just what I need," he muttered to himself, "Another hormonal woman bursting into tears every five minutes."

I punched him lightly, but continued to cry.

"I'm not ready to be a mom, Moony, I don't think I can do it," I said weakly, "but Severus is so excited. I can't let him see I'm scared. I don't know what to do with a baby- what I'm supposed to do with a kid?"

"…Sounds just like me. Have you been reading those books, too?"

"Like 'Baby's First Steps', 'How to be a Parent', and 'What Your Baby Needs'?" I listed. He nodded his head.

"How about 'Baby's First Words', 'Your Child's Brain Development', and 'When Children Start Showing Signs of Magic'?"

"I've read them all. They just make me feel panicky. I don't even know how to change a diaper!"

"How far along are you?" Lupin asked curiously.

"Well Madam Pomfrey said it was conceived on Halloween night-"

"Not what I needed to know," he said, shaking his head as if to clear it of unwanted thoughts.

"So almost two months," I finished.

"That's not too bad. Wait until it starts kicking. It's weird."

"It's going to move inside of me," I whimpered, unable to suppress a shudder.

"I'm glad I'm not a woman," Lupin commented.

"I hate this. Being pregnant. I can't morph into tiger form, I can't eat certain things, I feel sick every day, I'm always tired, I'm not supposed to Apparate-"

"You shouldn't have come here, then," he said disapprovingly.

"Well, Madam Pomfrey said mostly after the first trimester."

"Still, it's not a risk you should be taking."

I made a face at him.

"When is your wifey due?" I inquired, "She looks about ready to pop."

"Not for a few months to come. You should be going, Abby- what happened to the Death Eater that was out here?"

"Dolohov? I stunned him. I'll put a Memory Charm on him before I go so he'll forget I was here."

"Good idea. And Abby- don't worry about the whole baby thing. It'll hit you eventually. You've got a while to go yet," he said reassuringly. I inclined my head in thanks as he retreated back inside the house.

Christmas was approaching quickly and nearly all the students went home for the holidays. Some of the teachers left, too. The grounds were blissfully deserted and I missed now more than ever my ability to morph into tiger form. Snape wouldn't let me leave the castle without a scarf, hat, gloves, and three layers of clothes.

"You have to stay warm," he told me when I protested, "And not just for your own sakes."

Dumbledore had taken to asking me how "little Severus junior" was whenever I was near so I spent increasingly less time in the headmaster's office. I spent a lot of time in the library, though I couldn't risk being seen reading baby books there.

Christmas morning I awoke in Snape's bed. He was still sleeping soundlessly. I lay there quietly for a moment, thinking. Then I leaned over and woke him with a kiss.

"Merry Christmas, Severus," I said quietly when he opened his eyes.

"Merry Christmas," he repeated.

"My first Christmas as Mrs. Abigail Snape," I said, more to myself than anything. Snape caught my eye and smiled. I couldn't help it- I smiled, too.

Late that night, however, I wasn't smiling at all. The Dark Lord had nearly captured Harry Potter in Godric's Hollow, but he had escaped. Snape and I were away from the school until well past midnight. I was exhausted when we finally came back to Hogwarts and I could barely make it up the stairs to Snape's office.

"You go on to bed," Snape said to me, "I've got a few things to finish up."

I nodded my head gratefully and stumbled tiredly into his chambers. I lay down on his bed and fell asleep instantly.

I awoke a few hours later when I felt something move inside of me. I placed my hands on my stomach tentatively. Snape was sleeping beside me and my movement did not disturb him.

"Is that you, little baby?" I murmured quietly to my flat stomach. I felt something move again and winced. Snape lifted his head sleepily.

"Abigail? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. The baby moved, I think."

"Moved?" he repeated, "He shouldn't be moving yet…Something's wrong."

Even as he said this a great pain ripped through my abdomen and I cried out in pain.

"We've got to get you to the hospital wing," Snape said, getting up, "Can you walk?"

I tried to sit up and then fell back, shaking my head vigorously. Snape scooped me up in his arms and carried me out of the room, past the portrait of Dumbledore whom he didn't pause to talk to, down the stairs to the hospital wing. He laid me gently on one of the beds then went to pounding on Madam Pomfrey's office door.

The pain was constant now and I could barely stay conscious. I closed my eyes and could feel myself slipping. I could hear voices though I could barely make out what they were saying through the haze of darkness.

"She may be miscarrying," I heard Madam Pomfrey's voice say, "If it comes a choice between saving her life or the baby's?"

"Save hers," Snape said without hesitation, though his voice was faint.

After that I didn't hear or feel anything else. I let myself drift off into the darkness…

The first thing I saw when I awoke was the ceiling of the hospital wing. Details started to sink in slowly- the curtains pulled closed, Snape dozing in a chair by the bed I lay on, the hospital bracelet on my wrist…the last thing I noticed was the long scar that ran from my bellybutton down. I struggled into a sitting position to get a better look. This movement startled Snape awake, who immediately began hugging me, kissing my face.

"What happened to the baby?" I asked, shocked to find my voice sounded so hollow and distant. Snape fell back into his chair.

"They…they couldn't save him, Abigail," he said quietly.

"H-him?"

"Yes," Snape said softly, inclining his head.

If he spoke after that I didn't hear it. There was a roar in my ears. Everything seemed distant, surreal.

I guess I must have fallen back into the darkness for when I awoke again Snape was gone and Madam Pomfrey was there.

"Where's Severus?" I murmured.

"I sent him to get some sleep. He hasn't left your bedside in three days," she replied.

"Good. …Where's my baby?"

"Severus didn't tell you?"

"He told me," I said, keeping my voice surprisingly calm, "But I want to know what happened to him. To his…body."

"They buried it. I'm not sure where."

"Ah, well… I suppose it really doesn't matter, does it?"

Madam Pomfrey looked on me sympathetically, pityingly.

"When can I leave?" I asked quickly, not wanting her sympathy or pity.

"Not for a few more days, I'm afraid, dearie," she said gently.

"Oh, I'm afraid that's the wrong answer," I said and before she could react I grabbed my wand off the bedside table and pointed it at her. I immobilized her, not caring that three younger students who were hospitalized witnessed it, and left the hospital wing without a backwards glance.

I was still wearing my pajamas from three days ago, but I didn't care. Judging from the darkness outside and the lack of students, I judged it was late- midnight probably. I thought about going to Snape's office, but he would undoubtedly make me go back to the hospital wing. Besides, I didn't feel like being around him or the creepy Dumbledore portrait right now. I didn't want to have to talk to them.

I found myself walking aimlessly and somehow I ended up on the Astronomy tower, the tallest tower at Hogwarts. I went and stood at the edge, looking down over Hogwarts grounds and the lake. I climbed out onto the edge without really thinking about what I was doing- and sat.

It was freezing cold but though I wore naught but pajamas I couldn't feel it. There was a freezing wind that whipped my hair around my face. I sat on the edge, staring at but not really seeing the moon reflected in the lake. I thought about the baby I had just lost- the son I had just lost. I thought about what his life would have been like if he had lived. He would have gone to Hogwarts, no doubt been in Slytherin considering his heritage.

Then the thought occurred to me that it was my fault he died.

I had Apparated when I shouldn't have.

I had said I didn't think I could care for a child.

I hadn't even thought of him as real until he was gone.

I put my hand on my stomach. I could feel the scar where they had cut him out of me. My stomach hurt, but it was nowhere near the torturous pain in my heart. I found myself looking down at the ground and thinking about jumping, if only to ease the pain, the guilt…

"Abigail don't!" I heard a voice on the wind cry. I turned to see Snape had come out on the Astronomy tower with me.

"Come away from the ledge," he said, extending his hand to me. I noticed his black hair whipping around his face and wondered vaguely if our child would have had his hair…his eyes…

I closed my eyes and turned my head away, not wanting to see him, not wanting to think about the child would have looked like.

I want to die…

"Abigail, please no," Snape said desperately, approaching the ledge. I noticed how tired he looked. He looked as if he hadn't eaten or slept since Christmas.

"You can't take the coward's way out, Abigail, please. …I need you here, with me… I love you," he said.

The intensity of the pain and sadness I felt radiating from him made me break. The tears that had long pooled in my eyes started to fall. I leapt down from the ledge into his arms. He held me tightly for a few minutes.

"It's freezing out here and you aren't wearing anything but pajamas. Come inside," he said finally. I nodded my head and allowed him to lead me inside.

"I talked to Madam Pomfrey and persuaded her to let me care for you, so you don't have to go back to the hospital wing," he said as we walked down the staircase.

To my surprise, we didn't take the stairs to his office. I wondered where we were going but didn't ask. Then we turned down a familiar corridor and stopped in front of a familiar slab of wall.

Snape paced a moment, then a door appeared. The door opened into a bedroom. It looked as if it could have been in the dungeon. There was a large bed with black bed sheets and a large black comforter. There was a warm fire roaring in a fireplace close- but not too close- to the bed. Snape led me over to the bed and we sat on the side closest to the fire.

"God, you're freezing," Snape said, holding my hands in his. I shrugged my shoulders indifferently.

"I don't feel it," I said monotonously.

Snape frowned and a moment later a door appeared in the wall. Snape pulled me to my feet and led me into the new part of the room, which was a bathroom where a warm bubble bath was drawn in an in-ground tub. He helped take off my pajamas and helped me into the warm tub. Then he sat on the floor, rather than get into the tub with me, for which I was grateful.

Eventually I started to feel warm again. When I got out of the tub Snape wrapped me in a soft, warm, black bathrobe the Room of Requirement had so kindly provided. Then he led me back to the bed and we lay down. Even though we were both exhausted, physically and mentally, neither of us fell asleep. Snape held me in his arms, which made me feel warmer than the bath had.

My thoughts strayed again towards my baby and I cried silently. Snape pressed a kiss on top of my head, letting me cry into his shoulder. I could sense his grief now, too, so similar to my own.

"I…I had to name him," he whispered softly, "…they made me…"

"What did you name him?" I asked quietly.

"Mandrake Brian," was his reply.

"Brian?"

"After Dumbledore," he said with a ghost of a smile.

"Mandrake Brian Snape," I said aloud.

We lay there in silence for a long time and eventually I fell asleep. I awoke a short time later from a troubled sleep. I'd had disturbing nightmares where Death Eaters killed Muggle babies and the Dark Lord sliced open the bellies of pregnant witches to steal their children. When I awoke, panting and sweating, Snape was not in the bed. Confused panic coursed through me until I noticed the bathroom door was open. I slipped out of bed and peeked inside. Snape was standing at the mirror, examining his nose which was bleeding.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You were thrashing around in your sleep and screaming. I tried to wake you up and…well you punched me pretty hard," he said.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to," I said guiltily.

"I know you didn't," he said, walking past me to get his wand from the nightstand. He mended his nose easily. I brought some tissue from the bathroom and gently wiped the blood from his face.

"What were you dreaming about?" he inquired.

"Just nightmares…bad ones…" I replied softly.

"Do you want to tell me about them?" he asked gently. I shook my head no.

"Then you don't have to. Would you like for me to fetch you a potion to help you sleep?"

"…I don't want you to leave me alone," I said softly. He nodded his head. Then his face lit up like he had an idea. A moment later another door appeared. He opened this door to reveal a stock of medicines. After searching he found a sleeping potion and brought it to me. It was Draught of Living Death.

"I love the Room of Requirement," I said fondly after I downed the potion.

"Me too."

Drowsiness overtook me again immediately and the knowledge that I would have no dreams soothed me into sleep.

Snape and I slept through most of the next day and we didn't return to his office until nightfall. As soon as we entered his office I noticed the portrait of Albus Dumbledore looked irritated.

"You should have come back here. Or at least let someone know where you were. What if the school had been attacked by Death Eaters?" Dumbledore said once Snape sat down.

"I would have known," Snape said, rubbing his forearm.

"What if we had found out Harry Potter's location?"

"It could have waited," Snape snapped, "I had important matters to tend to."

Being a painting sure has made him cranky, I thought. Snape caught my eye and smirked slightly.

As if to prove Dumbledore's point, Snape and I were sitting in his office later that night when Phineas Nigellus, whose frame had been empty all day, came hurrying into his portrait.

"Headmaster! They are camping in the Forest of Dean! The Mudblood-" Phineas said.

"Do not use that word!" Snape said, eyes flashing dangerously.

"-the Granger girl, then, mentioned the place as she opened her bag and I heard her!"

"Good. Very good!" cried the portrait of Dumbledore, "Now, Severus, the sword! Do not forget that it must be taken under conditions of need and valor- and he must not know that you give it! If Voldemort should read Harry's mind and see you acting for him-"

"I know," Snape said curtly. He approached the portrait of Dumbledore and pulled at the side of it, revealing a hidden cavity which I knew nothing about. From the hole, he took the sword of Gryffindor.

"And you still aren't going to tell me why it's so important to give Potter the sword?" said Snape as he pulled on his traveling cloak.

"No, I don't think so," said Dumbledore, "He will know what to do with it. And Severus, be very careful, they may or may not take kindly to your appearance after George Weasley's mishap-"

"Don't worry, Dumbledore," he said coolly, "I have a plan…"

I hurried to follow Snape out the door.

"I thought you sent the Sword of Gryffindor to Gringotts?" I demanded.

"It was merely a copy," he said dismissively.

"I'm coming with you."

"I thought you would say that. You know it's freezing out there?"

"I don't care," I said determinedly. He seemed to sense there was no point in arguing and together we left the castle.

When we appeared in the heart of the Forest of Dean it was pitch black dark and freezing. Snape took out his wand so we would have light and I morphed into tiger form- for the first time since I had lost my baby- so that I could stay warm.

"Potter has no doubt got enchantments hiding his encampment," Snape said in my mind, "We must be quiet. If he sees us…"

I inclined my head and followed him, curious as to what his plan was.

Snape walked, seemingly aimlessly, until we came to a forest pool which was frozen over. Without offering any explanation, he lifted his wand.

"Diffindo," he said quietly. The ice on he surface broke. Snape approached the edge of the pool with the Sword of Gryffindor and dropped it into the water where it sank to the bottom, glinting by the light of his wand. Snape lifted his wand again and conjured his doe Patronus.

"Find Harry Potter and bring him to this spot," he told her softly. The shimmering silver doe pranced off into the forest.

"I could've found Potter and brought him here," I said, sitting down on my paws and wrapping my tail around myself.

"Perhaps, but I think he will take more kindly to a mysterious, supernatural, luminescent doe than a large, rather frightening, white tiger."

"Hmph. We should hide before she returns," I said, gesturing towards the darkness of the trees. Snape inclined his head and we hid ourselves amongst the trees. He extinguished his wand.

We sat silently in the impenetrable darkness between two large oak trees, unable to see or hear anything. I nearly jumped out of my fur when Snape reached out and touched my head. He began to stroke my fur.

"Stop purring so loudly, Abigail," Snape said inside my head, his amusement evident.

I can't. It's not a conscious action. You'd have to stop doing that, was my response.

"Well…it's not that loud…"

I chuckled quietly.

All of a sudden the deer stepped soundlessly into the clearing, Harry Potter following her, transfixed. Snape stopped petting me, but I could feel his hand clenched in my fur.

"He doesn't look well," Snape thought and I could sense his worry and concern. I smirked.

The doe disappeared, enveloping the clearing in darkness. Potter lit his wand-tip quietly.

It didn't take him long to discover that the sword was at the bottom of the pool. He looked around to see if there was anyone around, but Snape and I were well-hidden. Potter soon returned his attention to the sword.

"Accio Sword," he muttered, pointing his wand at the sword.

"Idiot," Snape said, rolling his eyes, for of course the sword did not move. Potter looked around desperately, then looked back down at the sword.

"Help," he murmured to it. I shook my head incredulously.

Potter stood there for a long time. He knew what he had to do. Slowly he began to undress until he stood in only his underwear, barefoot, in the snow. He pointed his wand at the ice, which had frozen over again.

"Diffindo."

The crack rang out across the clearing and made my fur prickle. He stepped into the pool tentatively then, taking a deep breath, he leapt into the pool. He searched for the blade with his feet, which were probably half-frozen, and then dived.

"I'm not sure I would have the guts to do that, no matter what Dumbledore wanted me to do with that sword," I said, shivering.

Suddenly my ears pricked forward and I heard running footsteps. Someone ran past us, looking back over their shoulder in confusion, but not stopping. The person pulled Potter out of the water. He was unconscious.

"We need to leave," Snape said, "Now. Weasley saw something when he ran past."

Weasley? I thought he was home with Spattergoit or something?

Snape motioned for silence and extended his arm. I morphed soundlessly back into human form and took his arm. We Disapparated with a quiet pop that was not noticed by the two boys by the pool.

The rest of the Christmas holidays passedwithout incident. Several students didn't return after Christmas, including Luna Lovegood whom I discovered, with some prodding, had been kidnapped by Death Eaters for her father's continued support of Harry Potter. Snape and I discovered a show on the radio called Potterwatch and we listened to it frequently, trying to find Potter's location, to make sure he was alive. It was tricky though. The station changed and had passwords you needed to tune in. They changed frequently so they wouldn't be found and raided by Death Eaters.

Students continued to disappear from Hogwarts and Dumbledore's Army continued to give us hell, but nothing of true interest happened until March. Snape and I were in his quarters, participating in some rather raunchy activities when the door burst open and the Carrows hurried in. I let out a shriek and quickly covered myself with a blanket.

"We've just heard that the gameskeeper is holding a 'Support Harry Potter' party in his shack, headmaster," said Amycus, ignoring the fact that we were naked.

"Well go do something about it," Snape snapped.

The Carrows nodded and left, shutting the door behind them. I blew out a sigh.

"Well that killed the mood," Snape commented dryly.

"You should probably go keep them from killing Hagrid and the students."

Snape made a face, but nodded his head in agreement. He climbed out of bed and began to get dressed.

"You coming?" he asked me, noticing that I had not moved.

"Nope. You can handle this on your own. I'll wait right here."

He smiled and kissed me lightly on the lips before leaving.

A few hours later we found Potterwatch on the radio and sat in Snape's office so that Dumbledore could hear it, too.

"We apologize for our temporary absence from the airwaves, which was due to a number of house calls in our area by those charming Death Eaters," said the voice of the host, River aka Lee Jordan, "Luckily, we've now found ourselves another secure location and I'm pleased to tell you that two of our regular contributors have joined me here this evening. Evening, boys!"

"Hi," said one voice.

"Evening, River," said another, more familiar voice. My heart leapt into my throat.

"Lupin?" Snape and I said simultaneously, Snape with disgust, me with relief. Lupin had long ago evaded his Death Eater tail and I hadn't heard from him since I told him I was pregnant.

"But before we hear from Royal and Romulus," continued River, "let's take a moment to report those deaths that the Wizarding Wireless Network News and Daily Prophet don't think important enough to mention. It is with great regret that we inform our listeners of the murders of Ted Tonks and Dirk Cresswell. A goblin by the name of Gornuk was also killed. It is believed that Muggle-born Dean Thomas and a second goblin, both believed to have been traveling with Tonks, Cresswell, and Gornuk, may have escaped. If Dean is listening, or if anyone has knowledge of his whereabouts, his parents and sisters are desperate for news.

"Meanwhile, in Gaddley, a Muggle family of five has been found dead in their home. Muggle authorities are attributing the deaths to a gas leak, but members of the Order of the Phoenix inform me that it was the Killing Curse- more evidence, as if it were needed, of the fact that Muggle slaughter is becoming little more than a recreational sport under new regime.

"Finally, we regret to inform our listeners that the remains of Bathilda Bagshot have been discovered in Godric's Hollow. The evidence is that she died several months ago. The Order of the Phoenix informs us that her body showed unmistakable signs of injuries inflicted by Dark Magic."

I raised a curious eyebrow at Snape.

"She was an Inferius," he explained quickly.

"Listeners, I'd like to invite you now to join us in a minute's silence in memory of Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, Bathilda Bagshot, Gornuk, and the unnamed, but no less regretted, Muggles murdered by the Death Eaters," River continued. Silence fell and neither Snape nor I looked at each other or spoke for a few minutes.

"Thank you," said River, "And now we turn to regular contributor, Royal, for an update on how the new Wizarding order is affecting the Muggle world."

"Thanks, River," said the voice I didn't know. Snape frowned in thought, then his expression cleared.

"Ah," he said quietly.

"Who is it?"

"Kingsley Shaklebolt. He worked for the Ministry of Magic. He's one of the Order of the Phoenix," he explained.

"Muggles remain ignorant of the source of their suffering as they continue to sustain heavy casualties," said Kingsley, "However, we continue to hear truly inspirational stories of wizards and witches risking their own safety to protect Muggle friends and neighbors, often without the Muggles' knowledge. I'd like to appeal to all our listeners to emulate their example, perhaps by casting a protective charm over any Muggle dwellings in your street. Many lives could be saved if such simple measures are taken."

"And what would you say, Royal, to those listeners who reply that in these dangerous times it should be 'Wizards first'?" asked River.

"I'd say that it's one short step from 'Wizards first' to 'Purebloods first' and then to 'Death Eaters'," replied Kingsley, "We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving."

"Excellently put, Royal, and you've got my vote for Minister of Magic if we ever get out of this mess," said River, "And now, over to Romulus for our popular feature 'Pals of Potter'."

"Thanks, River," said Lupin.

"Romulus, do you maintain, as you have every time you've appeared on our program, that Harry Potter is still alive?"

"I do," said Lupin firmly, "There is no doubt at all in my mind that his death would be proclaimed as widely as possible by the Death Eaters if it had happened, because it would strike a deadly blow at the morale of those resisting the new regime. 'The Boy Who Lived' remains a symbol of everything for which we are fighting: the triumph of good, the power of innocence, the need to keep resisting."

"And what would you say to Harry is you knew he was listening, Romulus?"

"I'd tell him we're all with him in spirit," said Lupin, "And I'd tell him to follow his instincts, which are good and nearly always right."

"What if Potter really is listening?" I mused. Snape held up a hand to silence me.

"…and our usual update on those friends of Harry Potter's who are suffering for their allegiance?" River was saying.

"Well, as regular listeners will know, several of the more outspoken supporters of Harry Potter have now been imprisoned, including Xenophilius Lovegood, erstwhile editor of The Quibbler," said Lupin, "We have heard within the last few hours that Rubeus Hagrid, well-known gameskeeper at Hogwarts School has narrowly escaped arrest within the grounds of Hogwarts, where he is rumored to have hosted a 'Support Harry Potter' party in his house. However, Hagrid was not taken into custody, and is, we believe, on the run."

"I suppose it helps, when escaping from Death Eaters, if you've got a sixteen-foot-high half brother?" asked River.

"It would tend to give you an edge," agreed Lupin, "May I just add that while we here at Potterwatch applaud Hagrid's spirit, we would urge even the most devoted of Harry's supporters against following Hagrid's lead. 'Support Harry Potter' parties are unwise in the present climate."

"Idiot," I grumbled, referring to Hagrid, "and how do they even know so soon?"

"They have informants here. McGonagall most likely," Snape replied.

"And now let's move to news concerning the wizard who is proving just as elusive as Harry Potter. We like to refer to him as the Chief Death Eater, and here to give his views on some of the more insane rumors circulating about him, I'd like to introduce a new correspondent: Rodent."

" 'Rodent'?" said another slightly familiar voice, "I'm not being 'Rodent', no way. I told you I wanted to be 'Rapier'!"

"It's one of the Weasley twins," I provided and Snape nodded.

"Oh, all right then. 'Rapier', could you please give us your take on the various stories we've been hearing about the Chief Death Eater?"

"Yes, River, I can. As our listeners will know, unless they've taken refuge at the bottom of a garden pond or somewhere similar, You-Know-Who's strategy of remaining in the shadows is creating a nice little climate of panic. Mind you, if all the alleged sighting of him are genuine, we must have a good nineteen You-Know-Whos running around the place."

"Which suits him, of course," added Kingsley, "The air of mystery is creating more terror than actually showing himself."

"Agreed," said the Weasley boy, "So, people, let's try and calm down a bit. Things are bad enough without inventing stuff as well. For instance, this new idea that You-Know-Who can kill with a single glance from his eyes. That's a basilisk, listeners. One simple test: Check whether the thing that's glaring at you has got legs. If it has, it's safe to look into its eyes, although it is really is You-Know-Who, that's still likely to be the last thing you ever do."

I laughed openly and even Snape's mouth twitched a little bit.

"And the rumors that he keeps being sighted abroad?" asked River.

"Well, who wouldn't want a nice little holiday after all the hard work he's been putting in?" asked Weasley, "Point is, people, don't get lulled into a false sense of security, thinking he's out of the country. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but the fact remains he can move faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo when he wants to."

I roared with laughter and Snape scowled at me. Even the portrait of Dumbledore had a familiar amused twinkle in his blue eyes. By the time I finished laughing the program was over, leaving us with a password for the next episode.

A few days later we received news that Harry Potter and his friends had escaped the Dark Lord's grasp again. The very next night Snape awoke me before dawn to tell me that the Dark Lord was coming to Hogwarts.

"Why?" I asked curiously as I got dressed so we could go out to meet him.

"I have no idea. Something private that he wants no one to see…"

An idea struck me and once I was dressed I cast my Disillusionment Charm and hid my mind.

"Wha-? Abigail, no! That's much too dangerous. If he finds you following him-" Snape began.

"He won't find me. If I weren't speaking to you, could you find me?"

"Well no, but the Dark Lord-"

"Trust me," I said certainly.

He hesitated then inclined his head. He got a lantern and I followed him down to the gate of Hogwarts.

Snape opened the gates and the Dark Lord entered the grounds of Hogwarts. He was unaware of my presence as he and Snape began to walk up the path.

"How long do you plan to stay, my lord?" Snape asked curiously.

"I will be gone before the students wake," the Dark Lord replied dismissively, "How are the Carrows acting as members of your staff?"

"The performance is exemplary, my lord."

"And how is Abby?" the Dark Lord asked, something like a smile crossing his face. A shiver passed through me.

"She's fine," Snape replied.

"Where is your little wifey tonight, Severus?"

"Asleep," he said without hesitation.

The sun was barely visible over the horizon when the Dark Lord stopped.

"I shall join you in the castle shortly," the Dark Lord said, "Leave me now."

Snape bowed and set off back up the path, his black cloak billowing behind him. The Dark Lord waited until Snape's figure disappeared. Then he looked around to make sure no one was there. There were no lights in the windows of the castle. The Dark Lord raised his wand. I feared, for a moment, that he had somehow spotted me, but all he did was cast over himself a Disillusionment Charm comparable in strength to my own.

I wasn't entirely sure where my father was when he was invisible, but when I heard a crack I knew what it was almost immediately. I ran as fast and as quietly as I could to the tomb of Albus Dumbledore. The shrouded figure that could be seen lying inside the broken tomb was long and thin, as he had been in life. The wrappings fell open at my father's wand. The face was translucent, pale, sunken, yet almost perfectly preserved. They had left his spectacles on his crooked nose. I felt nauseous, but resisted the urge to throw up. No doubt vomit appearing out of thin air would give away my position.

The Dark Lord, invisible, swooped down and took from Albus Dumbledore, his wand, and as he took it, a shower of sparks flew from its tip over the corpse of its previous owner.

I beat the Dark Lord to Snape's office by only a few minutes and barely had time to duck into Snape's private quarters before the Dark Lord came knocking on Snape's office door. I was able to spend the entirety of the Dark Lord's visit to Hogwarts pretending to be asleep. I was on edge, however, and tense. Every time I closed my eyes the sunken face of Albus Dumbledore appeared.

At last Snape came into the room to tell me the Dark Lord was gone from Hogwarts. Relieved, I left the bed and walked into his office so I could tell he and the portrait what I had seen.

"He stole my wand, didn't he?" said the portrait of Dumbledore before I could say anything.

"…Well if you say it like that, it's anticlimactic," I said, scowling, "In reality it was very creepy and weird."

"My corpse?" Dumbledore asked, smiling sadly. I shuddered.

"What does the Dark Lord want with your wand?" Snape inquired.

"My wand…is more powerful that other wands," Dumbledore said, still smiling a sad smile, "I knew Tom Riddle would come for it eventually."

"I thought wands couldn't be stronger than other wands?" I asked, frowning.

"It is not impossible," Dumbledore replied and refused to say any more on the subject.

A few days later I was in the middle of Muggle Studies class when our class was interrupted by an owl tapping on the window. It was a tawny owl and it was looking at me with bright yellow eyes. Alecto Carrow scarcely glanced at me as I went to the window and continued to teach the class as if nothing was happening. I took a small scroll of parchment from the owl and went back to my seat. I read it discreetly under the desk.

Come to the Shrieking Shack as quickly as possible. Tell no one.

My heart pounded in excitement as soon as I saw the handwriting. I packed my bag discreetly, slung it over my shoulder, and left the classroom, much to the envy of my classmates.

Sometimes I love being the Dark Lord's daughter, I thought to myself.

Three teachers saw me leave Hogwarts- McGonagall, Trelawney, and Professor Grubbly-Plank who had come to replace Hagrid. None of them bothered to tell me off though. They knew any complaints about my behavior were ignored by the Carrows and Snape. They didn't know why- most of them suspected it was my relationship with Snape.

As I walked towards the Whomping Willow, which concealed a passage to the Shrieking Shack, a small part of my mind wondered if this could be a trap. It could be a member of the Order trying to kidnap me, either because of my ties to Snape or my ties to the Dark Lord. Despite this suspicion, I didn't falter for a moment. I shook off this suspicion- the Order were good guys, they didn't go around kidnapping eighteen-year-old girls.

I entered the hidden passage and when I reached the Shrieking Shack I pushed open the door. I was immediately thrown back against the wall with a wand directed at my heart.

"Security question…What creature attacked the first time I met you?" Lupin asked. I could tell he was excited, even though he was trying to keep his expression and voice serious.

"…A dementor," I said, thinking back to that day on the Hogwarts Express. He lowered his wand.

"Tonks had the baby!" he said excitedly.

I felt as if I had taken a blow to the stomach, but I forced an excited smile.

"A boy or a girl?" I asked.

"A boy."

Another blow to the stomach.

"What did you name him?" I inquired.

"Teddy Remus Lupin," he said, beaming. I smiled, glad that he had gotten over his fear of being a parent.

"Congratulations, Moony," I said.

"Thank you…wait…something's not right," he said, looking at me and frowning, "…You aren't fat."

"…I lost the baby in December," I said quietly, "You would know that if you didn't disappear off the face of the Earth so often."

"Oh Abby…I'm sorry," he said, hugging me, "…How did Severus take it?"

"It hit us both pretty hard. …Severus had to name him. Mandrake Brian Snape."

"Of course Severus named him with a name like that," Lupin said smiling slightly and shaking his head.

"It's not too bad. The Brian part came from Dumbledore's full name."

"It could've been worse- Wulfric or Percival."

"Have you got pictures of little Teddy yet?" I inquired, wanting to change the subject.

"Oh- yeah," he said rummaging in his pockets. He handed me a picture and by the light of my wand I saw an impossibly tiny baby with blonde hair.

"Is he…like how you feared?" I asked, uncertain of how to ask it. Lupin knew what I meant.

"No signs yet," he said with a forced smile.

We were silent a moment.

"So how's the Order faring in all of this…madness?" I inquired.

"…We're okay. Still fighting back."

I hesitated a moment, then decided to share something with him.

"…The Dark Lord stole Dumbledore's wand," I informed him, "If that helps any."

Lupin gasped.

"He broke into Dumbledore's tomb?"

"Yes. I saw him, but he didn't know I saw. He really didn't want anyone to see him."

"And he stole his wand? Why?"

"Dumbledore said- that is, the portrait of Dumbledore in Snape's office said- that his wand was stronger than other wands."

"I didn't think wands could be stronger than other wands," Lupin said, frowning.

"Dumbledore says his was," I said with a shrug.

"Thanks for the information. Who knows besides you?"

"Just Severus. I think he would approve of me sharing this information with you…I don't think I'll tell him I told you, though."

Lupin nodded his head and looked at his watch.

"I should be getting back to Tonks and Teddy," he said, "How did you manage to get out of class?"

I laughed.

"I can do anything I want- I'm the Dark Lord's daughter. I have power over the Death Eaters- they call me Princess. Also, I'm married to the headmaster. I can't get in trouble for anything…except leaking information to the Order. That'd probably get me killed," I said with a grin.

"You are one of the good guys still," Lupin said.

"I know. I'm glad you know it, too. Does this mean you trust me?"

"…Yes. I have to be wary, but I do trust you."

I nodded my head. I wished so badly I could tell him Dumbledore had arranged his own death- it would prove that Snape was still good and Lupin would trust me again.

Something sprang through the wall suddenly- at first I thought it was a ghost. I recognized it as a weasel-shaped Patronus. It filled the Shrieking Shack with light, illuminating the scratches in the woodwork and the destruction. It stood in front of Lupin, then glanced at me, then back up at him.

"She's to be trusted," Lupin told the weasel, "What's the message?"

"We just found out Harry, Ron, and Hermione broke into Gringott's and flew away on a dragon," the weasel said, "One of the goblins told Bill. The only thing he stole was some sort of cup."

The weasel disappeared, leaving the room dark.

"Some sort of cup," Lupin repeated, frowning.

"They have dragons in Gringott's?" I asked, also frowning. He nodded absently.

"You can't tell anyone this. Not even Severus," he said to me.

"I won't," I said solemnly.

I attended my classes for the rest of the day and didn't go to see Snape until after dinner. As I walked in, the Carrows were walking out.

"The Dark Lord fears Harry Potter will return to the castle," Snape informed me, "He thinks he will try to enter Ravenclaw Tower. I've sent Alecto to guard the tower."

"What does Potter want in Ravenclaw Tower?" I wondered aloud.

"He knows," Snape said, jerking his head at the portrait of Dumbledore, "but he won't say."

"It's something that will help him defeat the Dark Lord," Dumbledore said.

"Where is the Dark Lord? Why isn't he here staking out Ravenclaw Tower himself?" I inquired.

"He was heading abroad somewhere, but if we catch Potter we're to summon him."

We didn't go to bed that night, but sat up in his office, fearing that something bad was going to happen and not really knowing what. I was trying to read a book I had checked out of the library, but couldn't really concentrate. Snape was writing something but kept pausing for long periods of time to stare off into space. It was late and we had not heard anything. I was beginning to think the Dark Lord was mistaken about Potter coming to Hogwarts when I felt the Mark burn.

"Alecto is summoning the Dark Lord. She has Potter," Snape said, leaping to his feet. I cast my Disillusionment Charm and followed Snape towards Ravenclaw Tower.

We soon heard footsteps coming towards our own. Snape, his wand out, his behind a suit of armor. The footsteps stopped.

"Who's there?" asked the voice of Minerva McGonagall. She had her wand raised, ready to duel.

"It is I," said Snape in a low voice, stepping out from behind the suit of armor, his own wand raised as well.

"Where are the Carrows?" he asked quietly.

"Wherever you told them to be, I expect, Severus," McGonagall replied coolly.

He stepped closer to McGonagall and his eyes flitted over her, into the air around her, looking for any trace of Potter.

"I was under the impression," said Snape, "that Alecto had apprehended an intruder."

"Really?" asked McGonagall, "And what gave you that impression?"

Snape made an unintentional flexing movement of his left arm where the Dark Mark was branded in his skin.

"Oh, but naturally you Death Eaters have your own private means of communication," said McGonagall coolly, "I forgot."

Snape ignored this. His eyes were still searching for Potter and he was moving gradually closer, with an air of hardly noticing what he was doing.

"I did not know it was your night to patrol the corridors, Minerva," Snape said suddenly.

"You have some objection?" she asked.

"I wonder what could have brought you out of your bed at this late hour?"

"I thought I heard a disturbance," she replied.

"Really? But all seems calm. …Have you seen Harry Potter, Minerva? Because if you have, I must insist-"

McGonagall's wand moved so fast I barely saw it. I quickly cast a Shield Charm before Snape, throwing McGonagall off balance for a moment with its strength and swiftness.

McGonagall brandished her wand at a torch on the wall and it flew out of its bracket. It became a ring of fire that filled the corridor and flew like a lasso at Snape- Then it was no longer fire, but a huge black snake that McGonagall blasted to smoke, which reformed in seconds to a swarm of daggers which Snape avoided only by pushing a suit of armor before himself.

"Minerva!" exclaimed a squeaky voice. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Slughorn were sprinting up the corridor behind Minerva.

"No!" squeaked Flitwick, raising his wand at Snape, "You'll do no more murder at Hogwarts!"

Flitwick's spell hit the suit of armor behind which Snape had taken shelter and caused it to come to life. Snape struggled free of it's crushing arms and sent it flying back towards his attackers.

"We can't win this, Abigail. Run!" Snape commanded in my head. He took off running and I followed. McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, and Slughorn gave chase. Snape and I hurtled through a classroom door. He looked around wildly and seemed to come to a decision. With a muffled squeak of indignity from me, he grabbed me and jumped through the window.

I expected to find myself hurtling towards the ground. Instead we were flying, without the use of a broomstick.

"Coward! COWARD!" cried McGonagall.

"Sev, how are we-?" I began.

"I've learned a thing or two from your father," he said, smiling at me wryly. He had one arm around my middle and the other was holding his wand.

"This is extremely uncomfortable," I said, squirming as we flew over Hogwarts grounds, "You're bruising my ribs."

"Quit complaining and be still," he commanded, "Would you rather I drop you and you be splattered all over Hogwarts grounds?"

I made a face at him, but ceased moving immediately.

We descended just inside the Forbidden Forest. I lifted my Disillusionment Charm as soon as my feet touched the ground. I was cut from bursting through the glass, as was Snape. Snape made a fire using his wand and began to tend to my wounds.

"I'm sorry, Abigail. It was the only way I could think of to get us out of there quickly," he said quietly as he healed my cuts.

"No big deal," I said with a shrug. When he finished healing me I forced him to sit and let me heal his cuts as well.

"They'll be preparing to fight. The Dark Lord will arrive soon," he said quietly when I was finished.

"Should we go back?"

"I don't know," he said. I could sense his uncertainty and fear, though he was trying hard to hide it.

We sat in silence for a long time, trying to decide the best next course of action. All of a sudden a loud voice trailed to us from the castle.

"I know that you are preparing to fight," said the magically amplified voice of the Dark Lord, "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

The silence that followed was deafening. Snape got to his feet, extinguished the fire, and motioned for me to follow him. We were walking through the woods, towards Hogsmeade.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"I must join the Dark Lord. It is what would be expected of me," he said quietly. I nodded in agreement and continued to follow him.

We met Lucius Malfoy a short ways away from the Shrieking Shack, on old crumbling building that was said to be haunted. He looked terrible.

"Severus…the Dark Lord requires a service from you," he said weakly, "He is in the Shrieking Shack."

"Very well, thank you, Lucius."

"Have you seen Draco? Is he alright?" Lucius asked desperately.

"I haven't seen him," Snape replied slowly. Lucius, grief-stricken, wandered off towards the castle. As soon as he had disappeared from sight Snape looked at me, pleading in his black eyes.

"You would be safer if you returned to the castle…barricaded yourself in my office, perhaps?"

I snorted indignantly.

"Nonsense. I'm coming with you…if you think it'll be safer, I'll cast my Disillusionment Charm," I said.

"Very well, do that, then. You've proven its infallibility many times."

I re-cast my Disillusionment Charm and barred my mind so strongly that he couldn't tell where I was. He let out a sigh and walked towards the shrieking shack.

The Dark Lord was sitting in the middle of a dark room, twirling his wand- Dumbledore's wand- thoughtfully. Nagini, the large snake, was in an enchanted sphere of protective magic. Snape stood, waiting for the Dark Lord to say something.

"…My lord, their resistance is crumbling-" Snape began.

"-and it is doing so without your help," said the Dark Lord, "Skilled wizard though you are, Severus, I do not think you will make much difference now. We are almost there…almost."

"Let me find the boy. Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please."

The Dark Lord stood up, facing Snape, his red eyes glowing.

"I have a problem, Severus," he said softly.

"My Lord?"

My father held up his wand delicately.

"Why doesn't it work for me, Severus?" he asked with a snake-like sigh.

"My- my lord?" said Snape blankly, "I do not understand. You- you have performed extraordinary magic with that wand."

"No," said the Dark Lord, "I have performed my usual magic. I am extraordinary, but this wand…no. It has not revealed the wonders it has promised. I feel no difference between this wand and the one I procured from Ollivander all those years ago. No difference."

Snape could think of nothing to say. The Dark Lord started to move around the room.

"I have thought long and hard, Severus…Do you know why I have called you back from the battle?"

"No, my Lord, but I beg you will let me return. Let me find Potter."

"You sound like Lucius. Neither of you understands Potter as I do. He does not need finding. Potter will come to me. I know his weakness, you see, his one great flaw. He will hate watching the others struck down around him, knowing that it is for him that it happens. He will want to stop it at any cost. He will come."

"But my Lord, he might be killed accidentally by one other that yourself-"

"My instructions to my Death Eaters have been perfectly clear. Capture Potter. Kill his friends- the more, the better- but do not kill him.

"But it is of you that I wished to speak, Severus, not Harry Potter. You have been very valuable to me. Very valuable."

"My Lord knows I seek only to serve him. But- let me go and find the boy, my Lord. Let me bring him to you. I know I can-"

"I have told you, no!" said the Dark Lord impatiently, "My concern at the moment, Severus, is what will happen when I finally meet the boy!"

"My Lord, there can be no question, surely-?

"-but there is a question, Severus. There is. Why did both the wands I have used fail when directed at Harry Potter?"

"I- I cannot answer that, my Lord."

"Can't you? My wand of yew did everything of which I asked it, Severus, except kill Harry Potter. Twice it failed. Ollivander told me under torture of the twin cores, told me to take another's wand. I did so, but Lucius's wand shattered upon meeting Potter's."

"I- I have no explanation, my Lord."

"I sought a third wand, Severus. The Elder Wand, the Wand of Destiny, the Deathstick. I took it from its previous master. I took it from the grave of Albus Dumbledore."

Snape's face was deathly pale, like a mask, and so still it looked as if he were dead.

"My Lord- let me go to the boy-"

"All this long night, when I am on the brink of victory, I have sat here wondering, wondering, why the Elder Wand refuses to be what it ought to be, refuses to perform as legend says it must perform for its rightful owner…and I think I have the answer.

"Perhaps you already know it? You are a clever man, after all, Severus. You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen."

"My Lord-"

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine."

"My Lord!" Snape protested, raising his wand.

"It cannot be any other way," said the Dark Lord, "I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand and I master Potter at last."

The Dark Lord swiped his wand at Snape. My scream died on my lips when I saw nothing happen. Snape looked up in prospect of a reprieve. Then, suddenly, the sphere holding Nagini rolled towards Snape and before he could so much as scream, engulfed him.

"Kill," said the Dark Lord in Parseltongue. Snape and I both screamed when the snake's fangs pierced his neck. I saw his face lose what color it had left. His eyes widened as the snake's fangs pierced his skin, as he failed to push the enchanted cage off himself, as his knees gave way and he fell to the floor.

"I regret it," said the Dark Lord coolly. He lifted the cage back into the air and bade it follow him as he left the room without so much as a backwards glance. Coldness was crushing down on me as I stared down at Snape, slowly bleeding, his black eyes wide, staring at me. All of a sudden a crate moved and Potter crawled out of a hole. Potter bent over him, shocked, and Snape seized the front of his robes, pulling him close.

"Take…it…take…it…" he said in a terrible, rasping, gurgling voice. Silvery blue things were gushing from Snape's mouth. Memories…

Hermione Granger, who was standing behind him, conjured a flask from thin air and handed it to him. Potter used his wand to put the memories in the flask. When it was full to the brim Snape's grip on Potter slackened.

"Look…at…me…" he whispered. His eyes found Potter's. Then the hand holding Potter fell to the floor and Snape moved no more.

Potter stood there for a long time, staring at Snape. Tears were streaming down my invisible face. I was too stunned to do anything when all of a sudden, my father's voice rang clear over Hogwart's grounds once more.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley both looked at Potter and shook their heads frantically.

"Don't listen to him," said Ron.

"It'll be alright," said Hermione wildly, "Let's- let's get back to the castle, if he's gone to the forest we'll need to think of a new plan-"

All three of them glanced once more at Snape's body, then left. My shock wore off and I lifted my Disillusionment Charm. I fell to my knees beside Snape's body, crying. I clutched at him and wept for a very long time. I closed his unseeing eyes and pressed my face into his unmoving chest, weeping.

"You can't leave me, Severus, you can't," I wept pleadingly, "You can't take the coward's way out, Severus, please. …I need you here, with me… I love you."

But though these words had coaxed me off the ledge a few months ago, they did nothing now to bring my lover back from the dark abyss.

I didn't know what to do. I laid there for a long time. Some small part of my brain was telling me to go, to try and help Potter somehow, to seek help from Dumbledore, but I couldn't bring myself to leave him there alone. I waited…and waited…and waited. Surely something would happen soon…

I heard a cheer from the castle, so loud that I could hear it in the Shrieking Shack. It could only mean one thing- the Dark Lord was vanquished.

"We won, Sev," I said quietly, in the darkness of the Shrieking Shack. There was no response.

It was Potter and McGonagall who came to retrieve Snape's body and only Potter looked surprised to find me there. McGonagall explained quickly who I was.

"Did you see the memories he meant you to see?" I asked quietly when he entered the room, my voice hoarse from crying.

Potter nodded his head wordlessly.

"So you know he was good? You know about Dumbledore…and about Lily?" I inquired. I didn't know which memories Snape had shared with him. Potter nodded his head.

"Severus Snape," he said finally, "Was, without a doubt, the bravest man I have ever known."

Tears pooled in my eyes. I reached for Snape's left hand and held it. I could see his wedding ring, the match to mine.

"I was thinking," Potter said quietly, "Of giving him a tomb next to Dumbledore's."

I shook my head firmly.

"He wouldn't like that, I don't think," I said, my throat tight, "I would like, if you have no objections, to have him buried in the cemetery with Lily…"

Potter nodded his head in agreement.

"We need to take his body up to the castle, Abby," McGonagall said gently. I released his cold hand and stood up. I looked down at him one final time before turning and leaving the Shrieking Shack, my heart heavier than it had ever felt before in my life.

I stayed at Hogwarts for a few weeks, assisting Potter how I could, and making sure Snape's affairs were taken care of. When they put his portrait in the headmaster's office, however, I couldn't stand it. I wouldn't see the portrait and I left Hogwarts with the intentions of never returning.

Many Death Eaters had died during the final battle and many of the Order, including not only Lupin but Tonks as well. Their death hit me hard and I wondered what would become over their son. Potter had informed me that he was being cared for by Tonk's parents. Before I left Hogwarts I made Potter promise to keep an eye on him.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" Potter asked. He had followed me out to the gates of Hogwarts to say goodbye. I shrugged my shoulders indifferently.

"Goodbye Harry Potter," I said quietly and stepped outside the gate. Then I Disapparated.

I returned to our house in Spinner's End, but found I couldn't make myself go inside. It hurt too much. I wandered blindly around the Muggle village I had explored in my youth, trying to decide what to do. I couldn't stay at Hogwarts. I couldn't stay here. I had no life without Snape. Thinking of a life without him hurt so bad I could barely breathe. Finally I did the only thing I could think of. I Disapparated.

I appeared in the middle of the town square. It was nighttime and with no holidays to celebrate, the square was empty. Tears pouring silently down my face, I crossed the square and entered the cemetery. I found the headstone as if drawn there by a magnet. His grave was on the other side of Lily's. Seeing there names there, together, the two people I had loved most in the world, tore me up inside. I sat down on the bit of ground between their two graves.

I sat there for what could have been hours or only a few minutes, trying to work up the courage to do it…or the courage not to do it…. Finally I reached into the pocket of my cloak and pulled out a small vial, the only thing I had taken from Snape's private stores at Hogwarts. I studied the crimson liquid by the moonlight, running my fingers over the clear glass of the vial. To think he had brewed this…and now it was being put to this use…

Feeling strangely calm and collected, I uncorked the vial. I sat there a moment, staring at the open vial. This was it. I looked at Snape's tombstone, toasted it, then downed the potion. It tasted bitter but was strangely smooth. I felt the effects immediately. My muscles went completely limp and I could no longer move. My body collapsed, my head landing on the freshly packed dirt of Snape's grave. Everything got very bright suddenly until all I could see was white brightness. I felt light, lighter than air- then everything went dark.

I could feel warm sand beneath my paws when I next became conscious. I could hear the sound of waves lapping at a shore. I could smell salt water and forest. It occurred to me that my eyes were closed and I opened them.

It was the island Snape and I had stayed on during our trip to America.

The entire island was shrouded in a bright, strange mist. It occurred to me that I was laying and I sat up, wrapping my tail around my paws. Strange enough, I didn't wonder how I had come to be in tiger-form.

My ears pricked forward suddenly and I looked towards the forest of trees. A large Siberian tiger stepped out of the forest- the largest tiger I had ever seen. He was orange and a lot bigger than me- taller and more broad-shouldered. Probably because he was male. I was frightened at first, but my instincts told me he meant me no harm. As the massive tiger approached, it began to change, which somehow did not surprise me. It morphed into Albus Dumbledore, who wore robes of deep blue.

"So I am dead, then?" I said as he approached.

"Well you did rather take the cowards way out, but yes, I think you are dead," Dumbledore replied, his blue eyes twinkling.

"So where's Severus?" I asked, peering around curiously.

"I imagine he'll be here shortly, as will the others."

"'Others'?" I repeated, "What others?"

"You'll see," was his reply.

Dumbledore said nothing else and I began to pace, looking around the island. I could see the ocean from where I stood and something that had definitely not been there when Snape and I were there- a large crystal ship.

I turned to ask Dumbledore about it, but before I could form a question my ears pricked forward again. Another tiger was emerging from the woods. This one was only slightly larger than me. He was male and his fur was not orange or white- it was dark blue-ish black. I knew it was him. I ran across the sand as fast as my four paws could take me. I slung sand up as I ran at him with the intentions of hugging him, but I ended up sort-of tackling him and knocking him to the ground.

"I missed you," I said quietly.

"I missed you, too, Abigail. Will you let me up?" Snape asked, amused. I stepped off of him and Snape looked down at himself curiously.

"Why am I blue?" he inquired.

I laughed heartily.

"There are blue tigers. Can you morph into human like Dumbledore?" I asked.

Snape glanced at where Dumbledore stood a little ways away. Dumbledore waved cheerfully. A moment later Snape morphed so that he stood before me in glorious human-form. I morphed and hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. He leaned down and kissed me, no matter that Dumbledore was standing a few yards away.

When he finally broke the kiss Snape took my hand and led me back over to where Dumbledore was standing.

"None of the others came with you?" Dumbledore asked him. Snape shook his head.

"What others?" I demanded, "Who's coming?"

"No one you wouldn't want to see," Snape assured me, "This is, after all, your death."

"What happens after this?" I inquired. Snape looked to Dumbledore who smiled mysteriously and said nothing. Snape rolled his eyes.

This time I didn't hear the footsteps before two figures emerged from the forest. Only one of them was a tiger- she was smaller than me and her fur was a deep reddish-orange. Her eyes gave her away- her eyes were deep emerald green.

The creature standing beside her was familiar to me- a werewolf- and I ran to throw my arms around his neck.

"Moony!" I cried and his tail wagged excitedly. Then he turned human and embraced me. The girl beside him turned human as well and I, feeling nervous and humbled, peeked out at her from over Lupin's shoulder.

She was smiling, however, and all trace of nervousness vanished from me. I released Lupin and embraced Lily.

"Did that time when I was in the hospital actually happen?" I inquired. She smiled.

"You think it did and that's all that matters," she said, winking at me.

We went back to stand with Snape and Dumbledore.

"No one else came with you?" Dumbledore asked Lily, frowning slightly.

"No, just me and Moony," she replied.

"Hm… We'll just have to get started without her," Dumbledore said.

" 'Get started'?" I inquired.

"We're here to clarify a few things for you," Lupin informed me.

"Those questions you wouldn't answer that night in the hospital wing?" I asked Lily. She nodded her head.

"What night in the hospital wing?" Lupin asked, frowning.

"It's not important," Lily said quickly, "What questions did you ask me?"

"Why do I dream Severus' dreams?"

"Ah. I believe I can answer that," Dumbledore said, "Severus was teaching you how to duel in your second year. You kept predicting his spells by reading his emotions. He didn't like the idea that you could read his emotions and he ended up teaching you Legilimency and Occlumency. The two of you were walking in the forest, collecting herbs for potions, and practicing your Legilimency."

"I remember that day," I said, looking at Snape, "The day we discovered we could speak in our minds."

"I don't know how, but that day a part of your minds combined. You could form a connection between your minds- a link that had no filter," Dumbledore continued.

"And that's why I dreamed his dreams?" I asked.

"Yes. You didn't do it on purpose, of course, but you were stealing the memories from his mind while you slept," Lily said.

"It's ironic- He was teaching you Legilimency to keep you from reading his emotions and ended up with you in his head...permanently," Lupin said, grinning.

"…Sorry," I said sheepishly, looking at Snape. He shrugged indifferently and put an arm around my waist so he could pull me to him and kiss the top of my head.

"You two are so cute together," Lily gushed. Snape and I both blushed slightly and looked away from her.

"So…why do I feel the emotions from those dreams like they were my own?" I asked, looking at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, not understanding.

"Like…When I dreamed about Severus loving…" I blushed even harder and cursed myself for bringing it up, "Loving Lily…it made me love her, too."

I was careful not to meet her eye.

"Ah," said Dumbledore, "That is just another mystery of the link you two shared. It is possible the link was so deep in your subconscious that any shared memories altered your emotions. That is just my guess, however."

"Why didn't it affect Severus as much as it did me?" I asked, looking at Snape. Snape hesitated.

"It did, Abigail. True I never dreamt your memories, but…the one you shared with me…the memory of your mother's death… It made me hate the men who did it. The two Death Eaters who killed Julia… I killed them," he said quietly.

"You killed them?"

He nodded his head, looking guilty.

"I was driven by revenge and when the opportunity came, I took it," he said softly. I wanted to say thank you, but couldn't form the words. I laced my fingers with his and squeezed his hand.

"I believe Lily has something she wants to say to you, Abigail," Dumbledore said, nodding to the girl whose gaze I had been trying to avoid. I looked at her now.

"Something about your mother that I think you should know," Lily said quietly with a small smile.

I listened intently and she began.

"I went out for a breath of fresh air one night. I wasn't supposed to. Albus warned us that leaving the safe house was dangerous, but I really couldn't stand being cooped up. So when James and Harry were sleeping, I slipped out of the house. I was just going to go for a walk around the block- no harm in it, I thought, we were in a perfectly obscure Muggle village. I hadn't reached the end of the driveway when I heard muffled sobs. I looked all around me, but saw nothing. Finally, I felt compelled to look up. There, sitting in a tree, was a girl I had not seen since she graduated Hogwarts- Julia Prewett.

She was dressed in all black robes. Her black hair hung in wisps around her pale face. She was crying, something that so vastly contrasted the personality of the girl I had known at school I thought at first if wasn't her.

But I knew it was. There was no mistaking those bright blue eyes. The fact that she was sitting in a tree helped, too.

My gut instinct was to run- run back into the house, get Harry and James, and leave. It was common knowledge when we were young that Julia wanted to be a Death Eater. But she, herself, had never been too dark. She had an interest in the Dark Arts, but I had never seen her torture anyone. She kept to herself most of the time and she could make friends with the best of them and the worst of them...even if she didn't like them.

Maybe that's why I didn't run. Seeing her, Julia- the girl who had never been afraid or anything other than cool and emotionless- seeing her disheveled, crying, in a tree made me stay.

"Julia?" I said cautiously, still not entirely sure that she might not hex me. My hand was tight on my wand- it had been ever since I heard the sobs. She sniffed and looked down.

"Is that...Lils?" she asked. Then she smiled, a watery smile, and slid down out of the tree. She landed on her feet, though rather unsteady. She had no wand or weapon that I could see, but I still kept my wand out.

"Are you going to hex me, Gryffindor?" she inquired, half-smiling. I hesitated but didn't falter.

"You can't be too careful," I murmured.

"No," she agreed, "You can't."

A moment of silence passed and I had to ask.

"Are you a Death Eater?" I asked. Her face fell for a moment and I saw reflected in her blue eyes a sort of terrified helplessness that just about broke my heart. She quickly cleared her expression and looked towards the house.

"I heard you have a baby now. Girl or boy?" Julia asked me, not answering my question.

"A boy. His name is Harry. ...you didn't answer my question."

"I have a girl," Julia continued as if she hadn't heard me, "Two, actually. Mary who's six and Abby, who's one."

"Harry's a year old as well. Is Abby short for Abigail?"

"Yes. Is Harry short for Harold?"

"No," I replied, making a face at the name Harold. James had liked the name Harold, but I hadn't. We had compromised by settling on Harry.

"Are you a Death Eater?" I repeated my question.

"I...am. I'm just not so sure I want to be anymore. My girls... I don't want them growing up like this."

"Why don't you leave?" I asked her, "The Order can protect you, if that's what you fear-"

Julia laughed bitterly.

"It's not just that...though I feel the need to point out, the Order can barely protect you and yours."

"We're safe," I argued.

"You change hiding places once a week. I found you...but it's mostly because I'm good. The other reason we can't leave is... Tommy..."

"Tommy Rivers?" I inquired.

"My babies father. He won't leave. He is loyal to the Dark Lord. He wants Mary and Abby to grow up under the Dark Lord, being faithful to him, learning the Dark Arts..."

She looked away from me, turning her gaze instead to the sky.

"I should have been an astronomer," she murmured quietly to herself, or at least I think that's what she said.

A few more minutes passed.

"Have you heard from Severus?" she asked me finally. This time it was my turn to look away. I hadn't spoken to Severus in years...since the day he called me a Mudblood.

"No," I said without looking at her, "We haven't spoken since..."

"Do you still hate him?" she asked, sounding like she might already know the answer. I looked around to make sure it was just us. I glanced up at the stars again.

"Of course I don't. I was...just a kid. I screwed up a good friendship with him by staying mad. Is he...?"

"No. He's not mad. He was never mad. He was consumed with guilt after what happened. He moped for months. He really loved you and was really sorry. I think he's still moping, but now... he's different."

"Different how?" I asked, still not looking at her, and not entirely sure I wanted to know.

"He's bitter. Very."

"...and he serves the Dark Lord," I said. It was a statement, not a question. Albus had told me Severus was a Death Eater. Julia didn't respond, which I took as confirmation. I sighed heavily.

"I wish there were some way...to get him to come over to the good side. To make him see the error of his ways," I said mournfully.

"You could, I think... if anyone could do it, it would be you. If anyone could turn Severus from good to bad, it would be you," she replied, "If you just talked to him..."

"It's too risky now. I shouldn't even be talking to you now. But maybe, once this war is over, once I can stop hiding... I will go find him…" "

Snape closed his eyes and turned his face away. A moment passed before he looked back at Lily.

"You were going to come see me…and try and get me to turn good?" he asked quietly.

"Would it have worked?" she asked with a faint smile.

He nodded his head wordlessly.

All of a sudden another tiger came bounding out of the forest. This one was white, like me, only bigger and with two bright blue eyes.

"I heard you talking about me, Gryffindor," said Mother to Lily as she came bounding up.

"Julia," Lily said smiling. Mother's eyes found me and Snape. Her tail twitched mischievously and she bounded over to us. She butted Snape with her head, hard enough to make him lose his balance and fall over.

"What was that for?" Snape protested, getting to his feet.

"For having sex with my daughter, you old perv," she said lightly. Lily looked as if she were fighting a smile.

"Mother!" I protested.

"Hey Abs," she replied brightly.

"Why are you still a tiger?" I inquired, "Everyone else turned human when they got closer."

"Because I like being a tiger," she replied, examining her lethal claws with an interested expression on her tiger face.

"Albus, shouldn't we be going?" Lupin asked, looking towards the Crystal Ship I had noticed earlier.

"Right," Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together, "Now that we're all here, we can take Abby on…"

"'On'?" I repeated curiously.

"Yeah, you know- on," Lupin said dramatically, pointing to the horizon.

Snape took my hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Don't worry," he murmured in my ear as we started towards the ship.

"I'm not worried," I replied, "I'm with you."

But as we got father down the beach I started to feel weird.

"Ow," I said and stopped walking.

"What ow?" Snape asked, looking concerned, "You shouldn't be able to feel anything here…"

"I feel…like I'm being stretched. Almost like I'm being forced to Apparate," I said, wincing.

"Oh dear," said Dumbledore, coming to a stop, "You're being called back. Apparently you aren't completely dead."

"But I am! I drank a poison!" I said, "A lethal, fast-acting one."

"You committed suicide?" Snape said, shocked.

"How did you think I died?"

"I thought maybe Aurors got you are something, I don't know, I didn't really think about it. Abigail, why would you do that?"

He looked into my eyes imploringly.

"…I don't want to live without you," I murmured quietly.

"Abigail, I don't want you to die! You should live your life as long as you can. Don't worry about me. I'll be waiting for you," he promised.

"But-"

I felt something pulling at me again. I grabbed Snape's hands in a desperate attempt to remain.

"Abigail, promise me you won't kill yourself again," he said to me. I didn't respond.

"Abigail, if you commit suicide again, I'll never speak to you again," he threatened.

"…Fine," I said, eyes filling with tears, "I won't do it again."

Something pulled at me again and I knew this was my last chance. I threw my arms around Snape's neck and kissed him desperately. Then he was gone- as was the feel of the sand beneath my bare feet, the warm breeze, and the smell of the ocean.

I awoke to the smell of dirt and a throat so sore it felt like a rock had been shoved down it. When I finished coughing I could see that I was still in the cemetery in Godric's Hollow. I looked up into the face of my rescuer and saw familiar emerald eyes.

"Potter," I said, scowling, "Leave it to you to come valiantly to my rescue."

He rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't going to just let you off yourself," he said, "I shoved a bezoar down your throat."

"I want to see Severus again," I said pitifully, looking at his name engraved on the headstone. Potter hesitated.

"There…may be a way…" he said slowly.

"How?" I demanded, standing up to look him in the eye.

"Do you know the story of the Deathly Hallows?"

"Of course. My mother used to read The Tales of Beetle the Bard to my sister and I when we were little. What does a children's tale have to do with anything?"

"The Resurrection Stone," he said quietly.

"It's a myth," I said scornfully.

"It's not. It was real. Dumbledore had it- it was part of Marvolo Gaunt's ring, but you wouldn't know who that is…"

"Actually I do know who that is," I said, thinking back to the day I first say the ring in Dumbledore's office, the day his hand had been cursed, "What happened to the ring?"

"I had it…I dropped it…in the forest. The night I killed Voldemort. I think…if you're meant to find it, you will."

Then Potter turned his back on me and walked away. When got outside the gate, he Disapparated. Heart pounding, I got to my feet. I had promised Snape I wouldn't commit suicide again and I planned on sticking to that promise- whether it had been a dream or not, I wasn't sure. But Potter had just offered me a way we could be together again. The question was, would I go against the laws of nature itself and bring someone back from the dead?

The answer was yes, I would.

I returned to Hogwarts, but did not even approach the castle. I went straight to the edge of the woods, cursing Potter for not giving me a more specific location. I morphed into tiger-form and looked for any sign of the ring. Finally, I hit Potter's scent. It was stale and smelled of fear. I searched and searched for an hour before a bit of moonlight hit the little blue stone and made it shine just enough for me to see it. I pounced on it out of instinct, then morphed back into a human with it held in my hand. I examined the little blue stone with the strange symbol on it.

I thought over the story of the Deathly Hollows as I made my way back to the Godric's Hollow cemetery. The empty vial of poison still lay on the ground where I had dropped it. I kicked it away and sat down, staring at the stone. In the story, the brother had ended up committing suicide after bringing the girl he loved back from the dead. It was said she was "Sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered."

"Maybe I can find a way to fix that," I said quietly. Surely there was some sort of magic- undoubtedly dark and extremely forbidden, but as long as I didn't have to kill anyone I didn't care- that could restore someone from death?

"I owe it to my heart to try," I said aloud. Breathing fast and hard I stared down at the stone, then turned it over three times in my hand, as the brother had in the story.

My eyes were closed for fear of what would happen, but I knew it worked when my ears picked up the faint sound of shuffling feet.

"Abigail. How-?" said his voice and I opened my eyes.

He wasn't quite a ghost, but I could tell he wasn't true flesh either. That didn't matter to me. It was still Snape- the same black eyes, the same black hair, the same ghost of a smile.

"The Resurrection Stone," I said softly, "From the children's tale? Apparently it's real."

"Dumbledore said Potter dropped it."

"He told me where it was and I found it. I intend to lose it again as soon as possible. It makes me extremely nervous."

"…Where are we?" he asked, looking around.

"Godric's Hollow."

His eyes found his own tombstone, then the one next to it.

"You had me buried next to her?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. I nodded.

"…Thank you, Abigail…"

He looked down at himself for the first time, a mildly interested expression on his face.

"I don't feel right," he commented.

"I'm hoping there's a way to fix that. Something the second brother from the story wouldn't have dared to try."

"Dark Magic?" Snape asked, smirking.

"Dark Magic," I confirmed with a mischievous grin.

It took months of reading and researching before I found what I needed to restore Snape to his true self. I could see why the second brother had gone mad- having the one you love, but not having them…it was torture. But I finally found what we needed in a bunch of dust-covered books that came from the Malfoy's basement. The Malfoys had all survived the battle of Hogwarts and had stopped being such pricks to everyone. Bellatrix had died, however- she had been killed by Mrs. Weasley, which I found both amusing and satisfying.

It was a potion that restored Snape to himself, not unlike the potion the Dark Lord used to return to power. It called for some pretty horrid things and some things that were difficult to procure and illegal. Still I brewed the potion, not caring that I was breaking probably a hundred laws. My definitions of good and bad were a little blurry, but as long as I didn't have to kill, I was fine with it.

I finished the potion early one morning over the summer. Snape insisted on going into the other room to drink it. We were staying at our house in Spinner's End and, as of yet, we had not been disturbed by anyone. I heard a startled cry from the other room, but Snape assured me, his voice sounding slightly different, that everything was fine.

"In fact, it's more than fine," he called.

When Snape stepped into the kitchen ten minutes later I saw that he had grown younger. The potion appeared to have made him eighteen again. He caught my eye and smiled and I knew it was truly him. I started to cry. I ran to him and buried my face in his chest. He took my face in his hands and kissed me reverently.

"I'm never leaving you again," he vowed, "I don't care if we never do anything dangerous ever again. I don't care if we have to go live as bloody sheep farmers!"

Then he kissed me again and I was laughing and crying and everything felt right in the world.

"I don't know about sheep farmers," I said, "But there might be a job for us at Hogwarts."

"But I'm supposed to be dead," he reminded me, "And somehow I doubt Minerva would hire me. She's headmistress now, right?"

"Yes, but we've got Potter on our side. He made sure everyone knew you were really one of the good guys all along."

"Seriously?" he said with a groan.

"Yes. Of course, most people might not recognize you now. You could change your name. Just make one up. Then we could go work at Hogwarts and no one would be the wiser."

"More teaching? Can't we take a break for a while, maybe make another attempt at a vacation? This time we won't have to Apparate back every few days."

"Sounds good to me," I said agreeably. Then he smiled and kissed me again and I knew that everything would be fine, no matter what happened, as long as we were together…

THE END

Or is it???

Little Epilogue coming up, you guys, stick with it! J