Much thanks to my beta, MM, who helped snark this up. It seems that Not-Willing-to-Admit's snarcasm has done a runner. She also helped contribute to the Freud/Fraud section.
"You're to go with Oxana and the fuzzies and leave. I've made arrangements for you both to stay at Wizards Thatch in Alderley Edge. Something's come up, and there is a need for some serious cauldron bubbling. At the bare minimum, you can't be within a few thousand or so feet of what I'm brewing, so go. Spend my money. Have fun. See you tomorrow evening if it's safe for you to return," Sasha growled.
With that, Severus Snape found himself standing on the streets of Manchester, the door closed quite firmly behind him. Oxana shook her head at Sasha's brusque dismissal and she firmly took Severus by his left arm. With a muttered Charm, she ensured that they could speak freely without being overheard.
"Shall we be off?" The witch questioned. "I have a long list of what to purchase. A cot, buggy, vests and babygros, a Moses Basket, dummies, changing bag and… Whew! So much more. I don't wish to alarm you but our very large acquaintance and Sasha's Japanese friend devised the list of what we are to purchase."
That bit of news stopped Severus dead in his tracks.
"Truly that strikes a chord of fear in my heart," he quipped. Plus his stomach dropped to his knees at the thought of Toma and Byakko playing the proud grandfathers and cooing over his Ari. "Are weapons of mass magical destruction truly suitable for crib toys? Perhaps they might be more suitable when she's three years old?"
Like Minerva would have done, Oxana laughed.
"Well, Sasha and I never had children. Between the two of them, they've fathered a dozen or more plus have a legion of grandchildren, great grandchildren and more. The problem is that I'm not familiar with their names for some of the various bits and pieces. I mean, I'm sure the boys meant well, but we're in jolly old England, not Japan or Bulgaria. But between the two of us. I'm quite sure that we'll figure it out." Oxana nodded her head. "Do you any idea what an onbuhimo is?"
"I have no idea," admitted Severus in a flat monotone. "Is it contagious? Does she need to be inoculated against it?"
"Our Japanese friend said that it's similar to a mei tei," explained Oxana. She appeared perplexed, and Severus had to agree with her.
What the bloody hell was a Mei Tei?
"Isn't that an alcoholic Muggle drink?" Severus asked. "Would that not be more conducive for a full night's sleep for the parent?"
"Mei Tei, not a Mai Tai," retorted the witch. "It's some sort of baby carrier? I think you tie the baby in it and carry her on your back?"
Severus couldn't help his bitter laugh. Considering he was carrying Ari for nine months, it was only appropriate that the Headmaster carry the sprog everywhere until she could walk. Then and there, he vowed to get six assorted Mei Teis in Slytherin colors. The colors of Slytherin House, emerald green, silver and black would horribly quarrel with the Headmaster's bespangled robes. It would like an open, festering wound….
But… are you truly planning on returning to him? Would it not be better to stay with Sasha and Oxana?
"What is Sasha planning?" questioned Severus as the two of them continued to walk.
"I don't know. He didn't tell me anything except for the fact that he might have to cut his hair," she explained. "Truly not very informative, but that's how he is. When he doesn't want to worry me, Sasha decides it best to simply not to discuss the matter. I'm not in your two's league regarding brewing so the clues I have been provided are not helpful. Considering that you can't be near the fumes because of your unique condition help narrow it down? Plus, the fact that human sweat interacting with the compound will cause it to go unstable, mean anything to you?"
Severus balanced the known brewing requirements, the possibility of fetal toxicity with his knowledge of the supplies the Dark Wizard had recently procured. His eyes widened and he swallowed once he realized what Sasha was creating. Instinctively, he found that he had placed both his hands over his belly in a futile attempt at protecting his child.
His hair. Sasha was using his long hair as the bloody fuse! Truly, the wizard was extremely unbalanced!
"Liquid essence of Ashwinder. It's a rather potent and extremely volatile explosive, but only a few Potions Grand Masters have even managed to produce the smallest amount. A small vial is enough to destroy most of Manchester," whispered Severus.
"Oh," Oxana said. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and then her Russian Auror training kicked in as she calmly nodded. "He doesn't seem to be planning on more than a few drops because he would have sent us to London rather than Alderley Edge. We'd be less likely to go boom in London if he was brewing a vial's worth."
She briskly strode down the street, pulling a stunned Severus behind her.
"Come along now," she ordered. "Time to go shopping. There are plenty of little shops that might be standing tomorrow or they might not be. Best do our shopping now. I believe that you wanted a green dress for her first Christmas?"
Ishikawa Byakko Floo Called Albus Dumbledore and requested a meeting. Dumbledore quickly assented and before long, Ishikawa, the most loyal servant of Gellert, was in the enemy fortress known as Hogwarts.
"My sincerest apologies for contacting you so late," Byakko said. He kept his tone genuinely contrite so that Dumbledore wouldn't read his true emotions. "We had an unfortunate incident in Tokyo and our Aurors found a sizable cache of weapons left over from the war. Naturally, the Diet of Magical Japan insisted that I be sent to Nurmengard to speak to the prisoner…"
Albus' unexpected visitor paused then, not too much, but slightly. He delayed just long enough that Dumbledore could read into it what he wished, Byakko attempting to contain his jubilance. His Master had been languishing in jail for far too long. Now, thanks to a fortuitous series of events involving a pregnant mage landing in Damyan's back yard, the Brotherhood finally had the chance to rid the world of both Dumbledore and that Upstart who dared to believe that he was Gellert's natural successor.
"He was most… unaccommodating… but he agreed to give me enough information on how to disarm the weapons in the cache if I gave you this."
Ishikawa Byakko handed Albus Dumbledore a sealed, thin envelope.
"While I understand that I am required to give all of his correspondence to his jailers, I swore on my honor that I would slip this to you." Byakko ceased talking for just a moment and nodded his head as he pondered exactly what he had done. "Yes, it is dishonorable what I have done, but to save Tokyo?"
He fixed Albus with a steely gaze, and continued reluctantly, as though weighing the likelihood of being betrayed.
"I understand if you inform the International Confederation of Wizards of my transgression. I dare say that the International Confederation of Wizards would not approve. I don't believe that I'd condone this if our roles were reverse. But… Tokyo… it was such a magical city before… the destruction caused by the war. It would pain me… to see it reduced to rubble once more…I lost my wife during the war…"
Technically, Ishikawa Byakko wasn't lying to Albus Dumbledore. His victims would be surprised that Byakko had a strict code of honor by which he ruled his life. Lying was simply not acceptable to him. In all the long years after the failure of their glorious rebellion, no one had ever asked him if he had ever served Gellert. He took pride in the fact that he had never once had to perjure himself by denying his Lord and Master.
And his first wife had died with great honor in the devoted service of their Lord, Gellert.
The envelope delivered, Ishikawa then Flood away from Hogwarts. After a runabout route, he was at last in Manchester as he had a bomb to build.
"We'll need a pushchair and a pram," Albus announced to his captive audience. "Perhaps, we should go for a buggy that can be used both ways? What do you think, Fawkes?"
The disinterested Fawkes, in lieu of advice, belched a ring of smoke and Albus sighed. He was an old, bent wizard. Dumbledore would willingly admit to anyone that might listen that Albus Dumbledore was Clueless Charlie when it came to what a baby would need. It was ironic how the mage declared as the Greatest Mage since Merlin was reduced to listening at keyholes to hear baby products rated and defined. Only through copious eavesdropping on Dora Lupin had Albus realized there was a significant difference between a pushchair and a pram. She firmly believed that it was better to get a buggy that that did both, therefore Albus had dutifully wrote down one baby buggy (combination pram/pushchair) on the list of essential purchases.
Sigh.
A list he hoped to tackle in August when Severus returned at last.
As he had promised to do so.
Albus kept repeating Severus' written pledge to return whenever his confidence lagged. He recited it when his conscience jabbed him with a pointed, 'What makes you believe he's coming back?' That simple mantra, "He promised to return" kept Albus sane and encouraged him during his darkest hours.
But it was long past time for Albus to stop wallowing in his dark thoughts. He had a list to finish!
So far, it was a very small and truthfully sad list. Wistfully, he thought how Minerva would have been quite useful in amending his catalog of required necessities, but there was simply no way he could ask her for assistance. This afternoon, he had successfully buggered their strained friendship. First he had kissed her like they were lovers, and then, to make matters impossibly worse, Albus had confessed that he still loved her.
What the bloody hell had he been thinking? He had created a child with someone, and yet he was thoughtlessly confessing to someone else that he loved her!
It wasn't that he didn't care for Severus. That was far from the truth, but he felt more comfortable with Minerva. She was strong enough to honestly express her belief and to tell him to sod off as necessary. It wasn't that Severus wasn't that strong…. In public, he was forthright and opinionated… But he had been… diffident and so self-effacing in their private conservations. Most of their conversations he had said very little, instead, Severus had only gazed at him with the oddest look in his dark eyes. Hopeful yet fearful, doomed and damaged were the sentiments unsuccessfully hidden by his dark hair.
Severus had desired Albus to perceive him as more than merely Albus' weapon. How could Albus have been so damn blind!
In his anger at himself, Albus unwittingly snapped his quill in half. He sighed when he realized that the small list which he had struggled with for hours was now an ink-spotted, illegible mess. Now was the time that he desperately needed to keep his emotions in check, yet he was failing at that miserably also.
It had taken years for Minerva to be comfortable with him after they had broken up. His cursed inability to be suitably warm and affectionate to the woman he loved had destroyed their relationship. And in his weakness, it had taken only a minute for him to bugger everything up.
But back to the list! He found a clean piece of parchment, a new quill, a new ink bottle and a new found resolve. He would vanquish the list tonight! When Severus returned in August, Albus would have thought of everything that Severus and the babe might need!
Or at least have added something new to the list.
The list already had nappies, because that was a given. Bottles had been the second addition, as Albus had shuddered at the very thought of Severus and breast feeding. It had been a foolish thought that had left him horrified at its sheer implausibility. Really, maybe he should be making the purchases now! What if Severus was too physically exhausted in August to handle these details? Yet Severus should be allowed to express his preference on what he wanted. As his brother Aberforth had warned him, Albus needed to immediately cease being such a ruddy, overbearing prat. Whatever Severus wanted, Albus would cheerfully agree and most importantly, pay for it.
Too late for that, boyo, you've already caused him to do a runner. What makes you think he'll come back?
"HE PROMISED TO RETURN!" He reminded himself with all the fake surety he could muster.
Perhaps, he wouldn't like the floppy Phoenix that Albus had knitted. As Fawkes consistently twittered at him, it wasn't a particularly well done Phoenix.
The child would need clothing… but how much? Blankets and beddings were also required, but what color did Severus wish the nursery to be? Did he have a preference for a theme? Dora Lupin had Remus and Sirius painting and repainting her nursery as her desires changed. The child… their daughter… would need a place to sleep, and Albus doubted that they could just place her in a dresser drawer until she was large enough for a proper bed.
He welcomed the distraction when one of the Japanese mages from The International Confederation of Wizards Floo Called him. It was a matter of some importance, the mage claimed, and he needed to Floo into Hogwarts. Albus readily agreed though he wondered why this particular mage was contacting him. Byakko had a reputation for standoffishness among the European mages, but Albus knew enough about Japanese culture to understand the mage's honne and tatemae.
Tatemae was the mage's public façade. The Japanese mage acted as his position required him to do so. His outward stoic façade was dictated by his role as a special envoy to The International Confederation of Wizards. Regardless of how heated the discussions at the ICW became, Ishikawa Byakko never raised his voice. His reticence was legendary; his celebrated judgment was deemed impartial. The rare times Byakko had become involved in a discussion, his input had heavily weighed in the final outcome. At all times, he kept his true feelings, his honne, to himself as tradition demanded that his role as mediator and envoy far outweighed his personal beliefs.
While Albus understood honne and tatemea, it didn't mean that he felt very comfortable around the mage. There was something in Byakko's eyes that made Albus' blood run cold. The Japanese mage had been the lone survivor of the cadre of valiant yet doomed mages that had struggled against Gellert. So, perhaps Albus saw the remembered horrors in reflected Ishikawa Byakko's eyes. Or perhaps it was Albus' own personal guilt that made him unable to look into Byakko's flat eyes.
Albus was been troubled when Ishikawa handed him a sealed envelope from Gellert Grindelwald. The mage should not have given him the letter because it ran counter to everything that honne and tatemae meant. That comment about the destruction of Tokyo had been far too personal an admittance for the mage Albus Dumbledore believed him to be. His wife? The mage had been married?
Yet, did not every man have his breaking point? Tokyo had been breathtaking, until its defenders had decided to salt the earth so Gellert's victory would be worthless. The loss of his wife? Would that not break even the hardest man's heart?
In spite of his concerns, Albus had accepted the letter and after confirming that it wasn't hexed or bespelled or charmed, he had opened it. Most assuredly, the letter was in Gellert's distinctive scrawl.
Dearest A,
It has come to my attention that the one for whom you search is being relocated. Tomorrow night when Mars is at its apex, the prisoner will arrive at Prague Orloj where the transfer will take place.
I know that you do not trust me in this matter. Let us be blunt, love. This is an exchange. I have been accused of many thing, but altruistic behavior?
Never!
Let me perfectly honest while I assure you that we'll both get something out of this.
I am extremely displeased that Ivanka and Lazar have taken upon themselves to become involved in this matter between you and the latest Dark Lord. They hope to gain favor with him by presenting their prisoner to his representative. Such impudence must not remain unchallenged, my dearest. Alas, I am severely limited by my prison and must depend on you to punish their effrontery. I'm quite sure that you can handle the three of them.
Please accept my heartiest congratulations on this startling news.
I pray that you now possess the maturity and the patience that you sorely lacked in your younger years. My many years here have given me a new perspective on the sad events of our impetuous youth. Truly I hope that you appreciate this unexpected and unwarranted miracle. Is not the universe a most forgiving sort?
Do not make the same mistake again.
All my love,
G
Albus Dumbledore felt like he was punched in the gut and then kicked in the privates.
Severus was a prisoner and he was being held by Lazar Mikhailov and Ivanka Petrova? Gellert… damnable blasted Gellert knew about Severus and the babe… and was deigning to give him personal advice. Gellert had been atypically verbose, delighting in the chance to slowly twist the knife.
How was that possible? Lazar and Ivanka had died in Kiev, fighting until the bitter end, intent on killing as many Aurors as possible before they fell in battle. This most assuredly was a trap, and yet there was a sense of truthfulness in what Gellert had written. He never did anything unless there was something in it for himself. Plus, Gellert was notoriously short-fused when it came to those he believed had thwarted him and his desires.
Sasha rubbed his freshly shorn scalp and hissed with disgust. All these years he had prided himself on his lack of vanity, but it seemed that he was quite mistaken. Next thing he'd know, he'd be wearing bespangled dress robes in various shades of purple because it made his green eyes 'pop'.
"Don't be such a priss. It will grow back. It's a small price if it will assist our Master in being released from his prison," his Brother Basem tersely informed him. The Algerian's hair was at most a stringy, faded memory. He wasn't a member of the Hair Club for Wizards and he most assureldy wasn't the Head Warlock of the Hair Club. With a sigh, Basem added "We needed it to bind the explosives. You were the only one with natural hair long enough for fuses. Bespelled hair would have reacted badly with the compounds."
Basem's mother must have been quite the wit as Basem, or "one who smiles" in Arabic, was even more stone-faced than Byakko. It was highly doubtful that a single smile had ever graced his face. But he was a first-rate, vicious fighter in a magical brawl, and he was quite useful in providing contraband potion ingredients. Now was such a time as once again brother Besem did not disappoint.
"The Erumpet horn?" Sasha tersely questioned.
"Quite fresh, I didn't spill a single drop when I harvested it," Basem assured him. "I have fresh Ashwinder blood, properly chilled so it's dormant. I have a multitude of Kappa shells and fresh manticore spines simply loaded with venom. I also have a goodly number of frozen Ashwinder eggs."
He said pedantically, "Properly thawed, they would be a happy addition to your merry mayhem."
Normally, Sasha was not one for improvising, especially once the senior members of the Brotherhood had decided upon a course of action. Unfortunately, he had decided to keep an eye on the boy's mother. The supervision was necessary as the maternal link between mother and son could be exploited and traced. If Dumbledore possessed half the brains for which he was widely credited, he should have been able to trail her blood to a certain New Age Shop in Manchester.
His foremost concern was to protect Oxana, Severus and his goddaughter. That was the only reason why he had gotten involved with Eileen Prince.
For no other reason! It certainly wasn't because he gotten fond of his ragamuffin. As if that were possible! Damyan Draganov had no heart! Fondness was a sign of emotional weakness, which could be exploited. The only reason he had involved himself in Oxana's fight with those thirteen idiot mages was because she was HIS personal Russian Auror. He knew how she thought, how she operated and he hadn't desired to learn another Auror's personality quirks. Besides, thirteen verses one was not a fair fight, even with Grisha's assistance.
Being a Healer, a professional Healer with ethics, it had been a moral obligation to resolve Eileen's seeping bed sores. It would have been easier if he could have actually visited Eileen in the bloody hospice to treat her, but no, Dumbledore had warded Eileen Prince's quarters. But fixing Eileen's bedsores and severing her connection to Severus had been relatively easy to accomplish, even at a fair distance. Perhaps, it had been too easy?
The witch's bed sores were not the Gordian knot causing Sasha's temples to throb.
The witch was dying. In his professional opinion, Sasha believed that she had had only a week or so.
He had confided his dark concerns to Byakko on how Adrik might come completely undone at the death of his mother. There was a torment in the boy's dark eyes that seemed to link the intense devotion he had for his unborn child with the neglected and abused child he had once been. His crippling fixation on Albus Dumbledore further confirmed Sasha's diagnosis on why Severus wasn't healing from his trauma. During his training, Sasha had been forced to read all the various Muggle theories of one Sigismund Schlomo Freud, whom he nicknamed Fraud. Sometimes a wand was just a wand, even if it was thirteen inches, ribbed and rather rigid.
Yet, if one modified Fraud… Freud's theory on sex being behind everyone's woes, Severus Snape might make sense. He hadn't formed any sort of attachment to his father and his relationship with his mother had been less than supportive. Though from Severus' feverous ramblings, it seemed that she had attempted to assuage Severus' father's abuse. She hadn't been very adept at protecting her son, but it seemed that Eileen had endeavored until Tobias had at last, utterly defeated her.
Since he had been emotionally adrift, the school age Severus had latched onto Headmaster Albus as a father figure. Yes, the Headmaster was a distant, remote figure of authority who might take an interest in Severus, if he proved particularly adept or intelligent. All his goals in school had been toward that end, that someone might see some sort of potential in the boy in the raggedy clothes. The werewolf incident had proven what Albus had deemed more important and Severus's fantasies had shattered. That's when he had become easy prey for Lucius and his cronies. Even as he had become Albus' secret weapon, the roles of his childhood had continued. Albus was the enigmatic, unapproachable, unappeasable Tobias Snape while Mother Minerva unsuccessfully attempted to mediate the two men. Physical affection had been grudgingly granted by Albus and then he had quickly shown his true colors when a damaged Severus had returned back to Hogwarts.
Merlin's bloody scrote, how Damyan hated Fraud. Not every witch desired a wand. He'd like to introduce Oxana to Fraud and have him explain to her how she coveted a wand of her own. She'd kick him down a flight of steps and then declare his mangled corpse a victory for the Sisterhood of Self-Assertive Witches.
But enough of Oxana's fiery nature, he had to continue contemplate his patient. The emotionally shattered physical shell of Severus Snape was walking, talking, and brewing. There was even a left arm that worked more or less. The man's body had done well, progressed and adapted to his current limitations. A lesser Healer might be happy with that and declare it a job well done.
But not so Sasha.
He was a professional.
He took pride in his work. At one time, Damyan Draganov had graduated with Top Marks from his various schools. And while he had walked a long twisted road since he had first been granted use the title of Doctorate of Magical Healing, in spite of everything, Sasha hated to lose a patient. And lose Severus, he would. Perhaps, even before the child was able to be born.
Spiritually? Mentally? Emotionally? Severus Snape's wounds were continually to fester and scar.
His soul fluttered, torn and ungrounded. It was as if it had taken shelter away from him when the boy's body succumbed to the abuse years ago. To heal, he would need a home, a physical plane where he could take root and grow, but Hogwarts had been ripped from him by Dumbledore. And what soul can return when the man is lost? Certainly not to a man exiled from even his own understanding?
Severus Snape had defined his self worth on solely on his significance to Dumbledore's little rebellion. Desperately, he had wanted the approval of the Father-figure Dumbledore and had been instead soundly rejected time and time again.
This new Dark Lord certainly knew how to shatter Severus Snape. Torturing him using his idol's body was a perfect undoing. No other person could have so completely dismantled Severus' psyche. Each hex Sasha managed to remove from Severus' soul revealed two more twisted and festering curses layered underneath the first. A careful nudging and shifting of the various hexes had revealed two heavily warded Compulsions. Because of Severus' precarious health, Sasha hadn't Delved too deeply but he'd bet his last galleons on what the compulsions were. One was an urge to love and protect the child. This would be necessary as Severus was the unlikeliest candidate for a parent he had ever met and far more likely to completely self-destruct than face his present situation head on. The other? Under duress, he'd willingly return back to Albus Dumbledore.
In Sasha's biased opinion, the best way to help Severus?
Get rid of this self-styled Dark Lord and Albus Dumbledore so the Curses and Compulsions would be broken, and then take Severus far away from the United Kingdom. Distance would help him heal. On a personal level, Toma had a pretty grandson that was fey also. Naum was a jolly lad with a good sense of humor and Sasha heartedly approved of him. After Severus had the baby and was in better shape mentally, he'd introduce the two; see if there was any sparks between them. Maybe he better do that sooner rather than later, as Severus might start looking towards him as a possible Dumbledore replacement. As it was, sometimes he feared that Severus leaned a little too heavily on him for his mental stability. The boy's dependency on him wasn't a particularly smart idea. After all, Damyan Draganov was an utter nutter.
And if by helping Severus Snape, he might be able to assist the Brotherhood with their plans on releasing Gellert from his prison, then so much the better. It was a win-win situation.
After a lifetime of profound losses, Damyan liked it when he could chalk up a win on his mental scoreboard.
"Byakko's arrived," Toma announced. "I'll start working on the Kappa shells' shrapnel. Byakko's touch is a far defter than mine. Let him put the opening in the Ashwinder eggs."
"I'll begin pipetting the Ashwinder blood," Sasha said with a quiet nod. "Sort the manticore spikes by size, Basem."
Once the Ashwinder Egg bombs were made, they would be gently Translocated to the area surrounding the Prague Astronomical Clock. They'd be deliberately positioned in the vast underground tunnels and catacombs that permeated the city. By the time, the great and ignoble Dumbledore and the snake-faced would-be-Gellert arrived, the thawing eggs would be highly unstable and ripe for detonation. It would be a true loss for the Prague Orloj to be destroyed, but it was a small sacrifice when offered the chance to rid the world of both Dumbledore and Snake-Faced. The Greater Good was a harsh mistress and demanded much from her loyal devotees.
He pondered a stray thought and he couldn't help but laugh. His amusement earned him a grin from the jovial Toma and a frown from Basem.
"I was just wondering if Al and Snake Face were lovers," he explained.
Toma dramatically shuddered at the very thought of the scaly Dark Lord wannabe wrapped in a conjugal embrace with an all too hairy Albus, clad only in lavender pants.
"Well, we all remember how bad Gellert's break up from Albus was," Sasha reminded his fellow demolition mages. "And there are certain similarities."
Asen Peychinovich, a guard at the Wizard's Prison at Nurmengard who was a Death Eater in his spare time, held the sealed note in his hands. A quick motion advised him that he had permission to approach his Lord. He nodded his head in silent acknowledgement.
"Hold out the note," the Dark Lord ordered. The Dark Lord muttered a few Charms and then he shook his head. "Yes, Gellert has Charmed the parchment so no one can open it except for whom it is addressed. Hand the parchment to me, Asen."
He came still closer to his Master, attempting to appear calm and collected. His hands shaking, he handed over the sealed parchment. With a careless grace, the Dark Lord opened the letter. Instinctively, Asen sharply inhaled as his cover as a Nurmengard guard was now blown. How would he be able to deliver the letter now?
"Do not worry," the Dark Lord patronizingly purred. "My skill allowed me to open the letter easily. I can reseal it with no one being the wiser. At one time, Gellert may have been a formidable wizard, but it appears that decades of solitary confinement have greatly weakened his legendary skills."
The Dark Lord closely examined the note and then he Charmed the parchment into appearing in pristine opinion. "Take it to Minerva McGonagall. Assure her that you went directly to her as per your instructions. Go!"
Asen quickly departed for Hogwarts, eager to complete his mission. Meanwhile the Dark Lord called for thirteen of his highest ranking Death Eaters.
"It appears that our dear comrade in arms, Severus Snape, has managed to become friendly with
Lazar Mikhailov and Ivanka Petrova," Voldemort explained. Noting the blank, empty-headed stares of the majority of his brutish followers, he once again briefly regretted the loss of Severus to the cause. Severus Snape would have known who the mages were, unlike these mindless fools. The Dark Lord turned towards Bellatrix LeStrange, deliberately ignoring her adoring expression. "Please enlighten them."
"They were followers of Gellert Grindelwald," she explained. At the Dark Lord's approving node, Bellatrix began to further expand on Lazar and Ivanka's pasts, including their alleged magical specialties. Conveniently, she forgot to mention the inconsequential detail that they were both supposedly long dead. If her Dark Lord believed that they were alive, she would not dare disagree in public.
"Enough, Bellatrix. You are not at Hogwarts attempting to impress the Goblin Charms Master with your diligence," snapped the Dark Lord. "The issue is not that Ivanka likes to play with fire. Severus Snape has betrayed me."
His followers made appropriate sounds of righteous rage. A few of the bolder ones made disparaging comments regarding Severus and how they had always known he wasn't as loyal as he claimed. Only Lucius Malfoy seemed startled into speechlessness by Severus' duplicity.
"Foolishly, Severus has attempted to find powerful allies to shelter him. He is being sent on to another mage tomorrow night. I have the times and the coordinates. You will interrupt that transfer and bring him to me. ALIVE and UNHARMED. Albus Dumbledore will also be there," Voldemort paused, judging his followers' reaction to that news. A few seemed happy; delighted to prove themselves against Albus, a few seemed fearful of the great purple poof known as Albus Dumbledore but once more, Lucius Malfoy remained silent. That was odd, as he normally was a great clanging gong. "With the advantage of surprise, I believe that you can easily handle this situation. Do NOT disappoint me. You will NOT long survive my displeasure."
"Can we trust this information?" Yaxely unwisely questioned. "Why would Gellert inform Minerva McGonagall of all people?"
"IDIOT!" The Dark Lord hissed while his temper flared a new. "Question my judgment again… and die." First, Severus Snape had managed to escape from Hogwarts and ruin his plans, and now the ox-brained Yaxely was questioning his judgment.
Yaxley's fellow Death Eaters quietly shuffled away from him, leaving a noticeable empty space surrounding him. It seemed that his … friends… feared that Yaxley might … spontaneously… combust.
"Get OUT!" The Dark Lord seethed. "And be glad that I value the return of Severus the traitor so highly that I am willing to spare you in spite of your impudence and stupidity!"
His Death Eaters left the room but Bella remained behind.
"My Lord, forgive me my impudence, but I fear this could be trap," Bellatrix softly confessed. "Asen is not particularly adept and he could have easily been Compelled."
"No, there is the sound of truth in Gellert's missive. Disloyal followers must be reprimanded," Voldemort reminded Bella. "Gellert did not wish his followers to become involved in the current struggle between Albus and myself. No doubt he hopes that we will destroy each other, allowing him to reign victorious in our absence. Lazar and Ivanka are deliberately going against Gellert's expressed desires in this matter. As a result, Gellert believes that a suitable punishment for their misbehavior would be to inform Albus of the situation."
"But… why Minerva?" Bella questioned.
"He informed Minerva McGonagall to ensure that Albus has sufficient resources to punish Mikhailov and Petrova. Remember this; I do not want Albus to get Severus. Severus is to be returned to me."
Bella confirmed her understanding of his reasoning, and then scrambled to make ready for the upcoming confrontation. Left alone with pleasant thoughts of further torturing Severus Snape for his noncompliance, he ignored that quiet, still voice that warned him that everything was a bit too pat. Yes, Hubris had been the downfall of many a Dark Wizard, including Gellert Grindelwald, he decided, but he was not Gellert.
Minerva McGonagall took the letter from the Nurmengard guard and thanked him.
"He requested that you deliver this to me personally?" She carefully repeated. Oh bloody hell, this better be important! Filius would take the mickey out of her if this turned out to be a love note.
"It was Ishikawa Byakko from the International Confederation of Wizards. He did not want to allow this, but he needed vital information to defuse a weapons cache and this was the only way Gellert would cooperate." The guard looked ill at ease.
And well he should as this was a major violation of the Nurmengard Treaty.
She felt very perturbed by the absolutely insanity of it all. The guard's odd speech cadence wasn't easing her concerns. If Aspen…no… Asen was a native English speaker; she would have sworn that he was double-dealing.
"May I leave? I must return back to my station," he expectantly requested.
"Yes, you can go. Thank you," Minerva automatically responded. Good manners were a dying art and she promoted their use. Carefully, the witch examined the sealed missive. It was Warded so only the addressee could read it and seemed clear of hexes. Its seal was still intact but yet… something was wrong.
"In for a knut, in for a galleon," she misquoted the old proverb and she opened it.
My dearest Minerva,
I find myself deeply concerned about our mutual acquaintance. Recently, I came into information regarding your Severus Snape and his rather unique circumstances. It seems that he has managed to locate Lazar Mikhailov and Ivanka Petrova. They have aided him and have made arrangements for him to be transferred into the care of Nevana Stambolieva, whose loyalty, it now wounds me to admit, now totally belongs to this latest Dark Lord. Tomorrow night when Mars is at its apex, he will arrive at Prague Orloj where the transfer will take place.
I've relayed this information to Albus, out of my, no doubt, misguided sense of noblesse oblige. I know you will doubt my sincerity when I assure that I have always held a special fondness for my dear sweet Albus, irregardless of what transpired between us.
I write to you because I fear that Albus might be walking into a trap. Nevana has consolidated her power base in recent years and Albus is quite blinkered regarding Severus and his situation. You well know our shared friend's weakness. His obsessions can blind him to the dangers inherent in a situation.
Do not let him go into this alone, I beg of you. I attached the location and time for the transfer so you can provide him with an additional wand and the logical demeanor that he will need. Do not let his passion overwhelm his good sense, Minerva!
Naturally, I understand that you doubt my earnestness. I hope my confession will ease your concerns. My hopes are that by helping Albus in this situation, some of the guilt I feel for a shared tragedy will at last be assuaged.
Warmest regards,
G
"Morgana Le Fay's black bloody bra! I'm not supposed to realize that you're selling me a used broom? All those Brotherhood members are quite dead!" snorted a disbelieving Minerva. "If Albus was traipsing off to Prague to find Severus, he'd let me know! He'd takethe Order as support!"
Then she remembered a kiss and how a passion, long dormant, had once again flared. She witnessed Albus' slumped shoulders as he realized that the majority of the Order believed that Severus had willingly done a runner back to Who Deserved to be Slowly Castrated with a Dull, Rusty Butter Knife.
He wouldn't ask for help from the reluctant, disinclined Order. Nor would Albus request her assistance. This disaster was completely of his making and therefore, he'd resolve it.
Completely on his own.
As a solitary mage, he once stood against Gellert. Now events had come full circle, and he'd walk alone into this trap.
"I pushed him out of my quarters. No doubt he believes that I'm angry about the kiss. Oh bloody hell; he'll go off to this meeting by himself. Underwanded and mentally distracted! That damn prat will be the bloody death of me!"
Before or after he got himself killed was the only question.
A/N – yes, a few new names. Two more chapters or so and most of the OCs will be gone.
A/N # 2 edited Minerva's letter from Gellert. :)