Chapter 34

Skyrah couldn't think of an answer that wouldn't upset Dolores, known for her little patience, as she proved when she said, "Mister Potter has said something not only inappropriate but also untruthful; not to mention he has disrupted the rhythm of the class. Aren't you going to do anything about it, Professor Snape?"

Before Skyrah had a chance to open her mouth, Harry snorted, "What's untruthful, Professor? Voldemort's back. Are you trying to convince us that he and his Death Eaters are alone in his crusade and that he doesn't have the support of other creatures?"

Dolores's neck inflated in annoyance, something that accentuated her resemblance to a particular animal of amphibious class.

"You know those are lies, Professor Snape. Why aren't you taking measures to eradicate liars in your lessons?"

Harry would have hurled a retort if Skyrah hadn't sent him a glare that told him he had messed up enough and he better shut up.

"Well, Headmistress, I was merely trying to follow the curriculum, the norms and the textbook, as you have enjoined me to. Sadly, I don't recall any instructions that tackle this kind of situations in them. I reckon they aren't included. Hence, I'm not sure how to proceed when it comes to liars."

Her sassy tone irritated Dolores to no end. She had a feeling that Skyrah was playing a perilous game, outsmarting her, tracing the border line without crossing it, without actually breaking the rules.

"I'd be more careful if I were you, Professor Snape. I wouldn't like to fire a pregnant woman."

Skyrah folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes. Menacing a pregnant woman? Dolores should know better.

"That would be ironic, considering you wouldn't have entered this school if I wasn't expecting in the first place. I give you a job and you threaten me with losing mine although I was conforming to the regulation. Rude."

The students hadn't expected such a cheeky reaction. They were both amused to the point they found it hard not to snicker and scared of the possibility of losing her as a teacher and having to endure Dolores as their Professor as well as their Headmistress.

"She's officially my favorite teacher," muttered Seamus under his breath.

"Yours and everybody's, mate, yours and everybody's," added Ron, who was sitting next to him. "I still wonder why she married the bat."

Seamus and Dean held back a laugh.

Dolores stared hard at Skyrah, unable to punish her for trying to follow the rules she had imposed.

"From now on, you will have to punish the liars. It is an order."

"Yes, madam."

"I trust you will not disappoint me and follow my instructions. I will not repeat them."

"Of course. I understand English. I heard you the first time around," she said, her words heavy with sarcasm.

"Watch your tongue, Professor Snape. Other staff members have been fired for minor aspects."

"Oh, I apologize. Perhaps my intentions were misunderstood. I didn't mean to be impolite. I merely wanted to reaffirm you may count on me," mumbled Skyrah, playing dumb and pushing the memory of Professor Trelawney's desperate eyes when she was fired out of her mind.

Skyrah had meant to taunt Dolores, indeed she had. Dolores could feel it but couldn't prove it, mainly when she saw Skyrah giving Harry detention for lying. Of course, she didn't know that Harry wouldn't really be punished. It was only a masquerade. He would spend time with the Snapes doing homework or chatting. Hardly a punishment for him.

Dolores left the classroom, but not before warning she would keep an eye on her. Skyrah continued with the lecture for one minute until she was interrupted once again.

"Are you really going to teach us the way that bitch tells you to?"

"Pansy!"

"What?" she asked with a shrug. "She really is a bitch… a pink bitch."

The class exploded with laughter.

Their fun was cut short when Skyrah spoke up, "Do not insult the Headmistress, at least not in front of me."

"Sorry," Pansy said, rolling her eyes, not feeling remorseful at all.

"It will still cost you five points from Slytherin. Respect is important in my lessons, Pansy. This hasn't changed."

Some Slytherins huffed and grunted, but Skyrah disregarded them.

"And to answer your question, yes, I will do as she says. We had a deal. You had to carry the textbook with you. You couldn't tell Professor Umbridge about my classes; you couldn't even discuss them amongst yourselves. Somebody has failed to do that. She came to confirm her suspicions and this is the price."

"But you can't do this to us!" protested Dean. "You are the only decent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've had since Professor Lupin!"

Skyrah sighed. "I'm sorry. I am the last one who wants this to happen, but I have no choice. She is going to watch my every step. She is waiting for the slightest excuse to sack me. She would teach you then. For some reason, I don't think you fancy the idea."

All the teenagers had frustrated faces, all bar Draco. Dione didn't miss his regretful expression. As soon as the class finished, she tried to talk to him. Dolores was faster than her though, so Dione had to wait until after dinner to find him on his way to the Slytherin Common Room.

"We need to talk."

"Not interested," he spat.

"It was your fault. You warned Umbridge."

His eyes widened at the accusation. He grabbed her wrist and dragged her along the corridors until he found an empty classroom, out of prying eyes and ears.

"It's not what you think…"

"You wanted to make Skyrah pay for trying to save me and my mother."

"This isn't about vengeance. Believe it or not, I like your sister. She's the only teacher who's ever believed in me."

She frowned. "Then why would you do something like that? It makes no sense…"

Draco stared at the floor, averting her inquiring gaze at all costs. Dione bit her bottom lip.

"I know we really haven't talked much since… well, since we started school. It isn't like we talked much back in Malfoy Manor, but I liked our conversations. I felt comfortable. I am comfortable talking to you. If you feel the same, you can tell me anything. I'll try to understand you."

Even though she couldn't see his face quite well, she could tell his mask dropped. His face didn't appear so angular and the lines on his face softened. It only lasted for a second though.

"Why are you being so nice?" he snapped, meeting her gaze again, his eyes as cold as usual. "It is my fault that Skyrah can't teach as she has always done. I am your enemy."

"You aren't doing a very good job at that. Saving your enemy isn't something usual, you know?" she said sarcastically. He kept quiet and Dione sighed. "Look, I just want to understand why you would tell Umbridge."

Draco and Dione studied each other's features and reactions. He realized she was quite stubborn and, consequently, he wouldn't leave the room if he didn't provide an answer. He finally offered her an explanation.

Dolores had approached him and asked him what class with Professor Skyrah was like, curious to know since she didn't hear anybody commenting on the topic. Draco told her that she followed Slinkhard's book, but that had not been enough for her. She questioned him about vampire bats, and apparently, he provided information that wasn't included in the textbook – the reason she grew suspicious.

"She tested you..."

"Yes."

"Then Pansy was right when she called her a pink bitch."

He actually smirked at that and teased, "Don't let Skyrah hear you if you don't want Hufflepuff to lose five points."

"Oh, don't worry. I've heard her calling Umbridge a loathsome pink toad, but don't tell Pansy or anybody for the matter!" she exclaimed, putting her index finger over her lips as if shushing him.

He chuckled and she couldn't help but smile. It was strange to see him happy. He always jeered, sneered and smirked, but seldom smiled or laughed. Dione thought that he looked even more handsome when he did. Her cheeks flushed. Skyrah was right. She had a crush on Draco, and it was bloody scary.

"You are blushing, Fawley," he said, amused.

"Oh, shut up, Malfoy!" she snapped, although her cheeks turned even rosier. A smile played at the corners of her lips when she noticed he hadn't stopped grinning. "You are not half as bad as you pretend to be."

Draco knew that most people believed he was a bully, and the few who didn't, only respected him, or more accurately, feared him because of his father. Skyrah had proved him wrong, and her sister kept on flabbergasting him with genuine smiles. He backed away, trying to escape from her intense gaze and the warmth those words had awakened in him, but she grabbed his hand, impeding it. She had prepared herself for many reactions, but not for a hiss, not for a painful contortion.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he assured casually, withdrawing his hand.

Dione knew that was an utter lie, so she took his hand again and inspected it. Some letter-shaped wounds were starting to heal in the back of his hand. The red contrasted against the perfectly pale, cool skin.

"I will obey my superiors," she read out loud. "How did you get this?"

The worry etched on her face took Draco aback to the point he wasn't able to convey the right words for a while.

"Umbridge has a quill that scars your hand and writes with your own blood. She believes Skyrah followed her orders now that she's come to class, so she's deduced that I spend my free time researching and comparing other books. At least, that's how she thinks I knew the information that wasn't in the textbook she is so obsessed about… I didn't follow her book, I didn't obey my superiors. This was my punishment."

So that was why she had talked to Draco after class, to punish him. Her stomach lurched. She had thought she couldn't dislike Dolores more. How wrong she had been.

"This is heinous! We must tell Professor Snape! He's your Head of the House! He won't tolerate this."

"Fawley," he breathed in a warning tone.

"Perhaps my sister can do something too! Why don't we-"

"Bloody hufflepuff! Always trying to help! Always kind! This is humiliating enough! I don't want you to tell anybody about this!"

"But-"

"Promise me."

The intensity in his grey eyes made her nod.

"Professor Umbridge should feel ashamed about this, not you," she whispered, her fingers tangling with his, careful not to hurt him. "I really think you should tell Professor Snape."

Draco gulped and stared at their hands in awe. He felt a tingling sensation running through him, and he didn't know if he liked it or not.

"Do you think we can be friends?" Dione suddenly asked.

Draco sucked in an intake of breath. "Can enemies be friends?"

Dione shrugged. "I thought we weren't enemies, not really. Enemies don't look after each other and make sure they eat; enemies don't chat and laugh together."

"You have a point there. We are not conventional foes, are we?" he wondered, grinning ruefully. "But this," he tilted his head towards their intertwined fingers. "Is dangerous, Fawley. Avoiding each other is for the best."

"But I meant what I said! Perhaps we could keep it secret! Wouldn't you agree to that? I like talking to you, and I have a feeling you don't hate me as much as you pretend."

Draco bent forward as if he wanted to stay, yet his head was hung as if he wanted to leave. He dared to look her in the eye, and Dione saw a real fight of emotions stretching his face. She knew the battle was over when he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Dione."

He walked out of the classroom, but not before she detected remorse and longing in his grey eyes, not before she realized he had called her by her first name.

An almost perfect silence only disturbed by the scribbling of quills and the sounds of leafing through essays reigned in the Snapes' chambers.

A puff.

A disbelieving giggle.

"Do you mind sharing what the dunderheads have written to make you laugh?" asked Severus, quirking an eyebrow.

Skyrah rolled her eyes.

"I don't laugh and sneer at their essays! That's your specialt-ah!" she gasped again before she could phrase the sentence, placing both hands on her womb.

"Skyrah?"

By then, he wasn't curious or amused. A thousand what-ifs scenarios came to mind. All of them scared him. He left the quill and parchment aside and knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Skyrah bit her bottom lip and placed his hands on her belly, her eyes twinkling with something he couldn't quite tell. Nothing happened. And then he felt it: a little yet powerful jab against his palm. A small pucker appeared below his eyes and his lips curved up enough to show his teeth. Bliss. That was what Skyrah could read in his half squinting eyes that shone so bright despite their obscure color. Warmth jolted through her at the sight. A smile of her own grew across her face, eyes misty.

"Is this the first time you feel him kick?"

Skyrah nodded elatedly, making him chuckle.

"This is the most graceful thing I have ever felt," he murmured swept away with emotion as he caressed the visible baby bump in adoration.

The unborn baby moved again. His grin widened.

"Hello there, lad. I am your," he trailed off, still assimilating he had just felt his son. He gulped and managed to utter, "your dad. Your mother calls me her snarky Potions Master, and just so you know, she is convinced that you are a little snarky Potions Master in process. She even bought us a kit so that we can practice together, father and son." The lines on his face hardened ever so slightly. "I never had that… My father wasn't by my side. He wasn't a good man, but I promise you I will fight for you, I will give my all to you. Even if I make mistakes, know that I don't want to hurt you, ever. I want to make you proud, Son, and I will protect you, always. Although I won't lie to you, your grandfather will complicate matters. He's a sick bastard."

"Severus, language!" scolded Skyrah, although she ended up laughing fondly and shaking her head.

He sent her an amused look and returned his attention to the baby.

"To put it mildly, your grandfather isn't particularly nice. He'll try to make your life hard, but you don't have to worry. Your mother's a fighter, you know? The most compassionate, determined, strong person in the world. She and I will make sure you grow up safe and loved." He kissed the baby bump. "You don't know how happy you have made me, how happy you have made your mother… You have blessed us, Son." Severus glanced up at his wife and noted she was overcome with emotion. Truth be told, so was he. In an attempt to discharge the dazing feelings that were flying in the air, he ribbed, "You know, Son? I envy you. You get to be inside your mother all day long. I bet it feels good..."

"You're an arse!"

"Who should watch their language now?" he teased.

"Ugh! Shut up and kiss me, you, idiot!"

Severus smirked in victory and obliged. Their kisses were starting to heat up when knocks interrupted them.

"Bloody hell!" she cursed, freeing herself from his embrace.

Severus took her by the wrist and pulled her into his chest, hugging her from behind.

"Don't open the door. If it isn't important, they will leave," he husked, the tip of his nose tickling her neck while he pressed his erection onto her butt.

Skyrah gasped and tilted her head to give him a better access when he began to kiss her neck. The bangs became insistent.

"Severus..."

"Mm?" he asked, skimming her arm with his fingertips, moving his fingers like spider legs.

"We must stop."

"Neither of us wants to stop," he whispered hotly in her ear, now palming her breast with one hand.

She moaned, arching her back towards his palm unwittingly.

"But we have to. I promise we will continue this later."

Severus let go of his wife reluctantly and opened the door with his famous sneer on so that whoever was there would get the hint and leave them alone, thankful his robes hid his bulge. He nearly cursed out loud when he saw that Dione, Harry, Hermione and Ron were there. They wouldn't leave them alone. His arousal vanished right then.

"Good evening, sir. I hope we didn't interrupt anything. May we come in?" wondered Harry, choosing to play it safe and polite when he noted the big frown on Severus's face and Skyrah's rosy cheeks. "We may come later if not."

Severus stepped aside and let them in. He was about to summon a few chairs, but Harry stopped him and told him they would stand.

"As you wish," he mumbled, sitting next to his wife on the sofa.

The couple was slightly nervous. They couldn't imagine why they had come. Dione and Harry sometimes came on their own, but their chambers had never been so full of the rebellious creatures humanity defined as teenagers.

"Do you want to teach us again? Like, really teach us," started Harry.

Severus groaned. Skyrah had told him about Dolores's unexpected visit. Of all the things, they had to halt their passionate session to discuss that topic.

"Not again, Harry," said Skyrah with a sigh, tired of hearing her students' whines. "What either of us wants doesn't matter. We have no choice."

"But what if we had a choice?" asked Hermione.

The Snapes stayed silent, skeptical.

Harry took that as a good sign and said, looking at Skyrah, "We decided to create a secret organization to rebel against Professor Umbridge and practice Defense Against the Dark Arts behind her back. We would like you to lead us."

Skyrah felt that Severus was about to snap, so she trampled on his foot subtly and spoke up before he could open his mouth, "I'm flattered that you asked for my assistance, but I need more information before agreeing. Who would be part of that secret organization? When and where would we meet?"

"Everybody who feels like it, I suppose," Harry said with a shrug. "We could make three shifts by levels and arrange a schedule. One hour a week would be enough. The Room of Requirement is the perfect location. I just… Voldemort's back and I hate it that you cannot teach us, you know, like you want. What Dean said the other day was true. You're the only decent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've had since Remus."

"Don't forget he is a werewolf, Harry," intervened Severus.

Harry rolled his eyes. Ron and Hermione gaped when Severus called their friend by his first name but chose to make no comment. Not even Dione had that privilege. He addressed her as Miss Fawley in spite of being family.

Skyrah was about to remark it was sad that the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers they had ever had happened to be a werewolf and Voldemort's daughter, but kept quiet when she remembered that Hermione and Ron didn't know the truth about her.

"What's your answer?" asked Ron.

Skyrah beamed. "I'd love to lead you."

"You can nowise accept, Skyrah," warned Severus.

Her brown eyes bored into him. "Why the hell not?"

"Because you are pregnant and accepted to reduce your shift, that's why! Not to mention it's unlawful!"

"Having an annoying pink toad as the Headmistress should be unlawful, not this!" she muttered to herself like a pouting child, but everybody heard her.

The teenagers tried not to snicker, although Ron didn't succeed and ended up making a weird noise. Severus groaned.

"For Merlin's sake, Skyrah! Practical lessons are prone to end in accidents. This is a fact. I trust the oldest students, but not the youngest." He swallowed hard then, struggling to say the sentence in front of an audience. Finally, he conveyed, "What if you got hurt? What if the baby got hurt?"

Her expression softened. Everything he did, he did it because he cared. She knew it. She sighed and took his hand in between hers.

"Severus, I really appreciate your concern, but the baby and I will be fine. I really want to give it a shot. I cannot sit around and do nothing when I know that my students are organizing themselves to learn. I'm not only a Slytherin but a Horned Serpent, a scholar. It goes against my nature."

Severus kept staring at their hands but didn't open his mouth.

Harry knew him well enough to grasp he still worried, so he tugged his ear and proposed, "Sir, would you feel better if I taught the youngest? I mean, I did advanced magic with you and I sometimes help my classmates… I'm willing to be in charge of the youngest and I promise I will watch out for Skyrah and the baby."

"I will watch out for them too," swore Dione.

"And Ron and I, sir," Hermione pledged while Ron nodded.

Skyrah smiled broadly at them, touched by the gesture, and jerked her head towards her husband.

"See? I'll have assistance. You don't need to worry about us. I can do this, Severus. I will do this."

Severus stared at her while the students held their breaths in expectation. He could see she would end up doing this with or without his blessing. Stubborn witch.

"If you really want to be part of this crazy and illegal organization, I will not let you do this alone, no matter they promised to keep an eye on you." Skyrah was about to protest but was silenced when he added, "Harry will be in charge of first and second years. I will supervise third and fourth years and you will take care of the fifth, sixth and seventh year students, as you have done of late. This way you will only work one or two extra hours. In addition, I would like you to allow me and Harry to assist you in your turn. The baby will keep growing and you will become more tired… Please don't try to do this on your own."

Ron thanked Merlin he wasn't in Ginny's place, a fourth-year. He was surprised at the way Severus cared for Skyrah and the unborn baby. They actually looked… human, like a normal married couple who fought over little things but still loved each other. He was beginning to see why Harry told them Professor Snape wasn't the git they had originally thought.

Skyrah smirked. "Severus Snape, have you just not only approved of me taking part in this crazy and illegal organization but also agreed to teach in it?"

"It isn't nice to rub it in my face, even less in front of our students," he whispered so low that only Skyrah heard him.

She giggled and pecked his cheek. Severus nearly cursed her and her habit of kissing his cheek out of gratefulness. He was flustered, mainly because he noticed the faces of the adolescents. Dione and Harry were used to catching them kissing, but Ron definitively wasn't, if his wide eyes were of any indication. Hermione was smiling softly at the couple though, as if she was watching a romantic muggle film. Severus didn't know which reaction he despised the most.

"Do we have a name, or should I stick to crazy and illegal organization?" asked Severus, diverting the attention elsewhere.

"Dumbledore's Army," revealed Harry with a sly grin.

Fitting, Severus thought, but he wasn't about to voice it. He had risked his reputation too much that day. Thankfully, they all left then, all bar Dione.

"I'd like to talk to you from sister to sister."

Severus raised his hands and announced he'd go and correct essays to give them some space.

"It's about Draco... I have feelings for him."

"What else is new?" Skyrah quipped with a lopsided grin. "You don't stop making goo-goo eyes at him in my class!"

Dione wanted to disappear right then. Her cheeks turned as red as her hair.

"Skyrah!"

"Okay, okay... Keep talking," she urged, biting her lip to keep from giggling.

Dione sighed. "I know I told you I would keep my distance from him, but I talked to him after Professor Umbridge's incident. He looked remorseful and I knew that he was the reason why she interrupted the class."

Skyrah's expression darkened. "Was he trying to get back at me for telling the Order about your location?"

"I thought so, but I was wrong. You see, Professor Umbridge asked him about vampire bats and he provided more information than the textbook exposes. That's why she suspected you weren't following it."

Skyrah felt like slapping Dolores, her fists clenched. "Bloody foul bitchy evil pink toad! Who the hell does she think she is?"

"I will deduct points from Slytherin, Skyrah," teased Dione, mimicking the way she had acted with Pansy.

Indignant as she still felt, Skyrah nudged Dione playfully and ended up chuckling alongside her.

"I just wanted you to know that Draco had no choice," said Dione, growing serious. "He actually told me he liked you as a teacher."

"He did?" she asked, the lines of her face softening.

"Yes. I also wanted you to know that you don't have to worry about us." Bitterly, Dione added, "He wants nothing to do with me."

"That's not my perception. He stares at you so much in class that I don't even know how he manages to get the spells right. He's into you."

Dione blushed. "Don't play with me, okay? It isn't nice to lie about that."

Skyrah rolled her eyes. "I've taught teenagers for nearly a decade. I know when a guy is whipped! Draco has a crush on you. It makes sense now. I didn't understand why he wished to help you, why he was willing to risk his safety and his family for you… Now I see it. Draco's had a crush on you since he first laid eyes on you!"

Dione fell silent, musing on it. It certainly made sense, but she wasn't sure how to take that in. "I'm scared. Why do I have to have feelings for him?"

"Sentiments aren't something we can control, little one."

Skyrah put her arms around her sister and kissed the top of her head. Dione hugged her back, relishing in the comfort and safety she felt.

"Feelings don't matter. We cannot even be friends."

Skyrah kept playing with her auburn curls. For once, she found no consolation words. She'd rather have it this way, anyway. The distance between Dione and Draco meant one less problem.

"Doesn't Professor Snape's attitude bother you?"

"What do you mean?" Skyrah asked almost defensively, breaking the embrace.

"He's too overprotective. He almost got hysterical when you agreed to join Dumbledore's Army."

Skyrah sighed. "Severus isn't perfect, but neither am I. He can be overprotective, and that sometimes makes me angry, but I understand him. He has a good reason to act like this."

"What is the reason?"

Skyrah paled. They had lost a daughter not so long ago. That plus the fact he had never had a family explained his overprotectiveness, his willingness to do anything to ensure he finally had what he had always craved. She couldn't voice that though, not without his consent.

"It's too personal. Don't worry about me, okay? I'm fine and I love Severus with all my heart. Being overprotective is his way of showing he cares for me."

Dione grinned ruefully. "He doesn't say he loves you much, does he?"

He has never said it, she thought, but she said, "He shows it everyday."

Dione nodded in understanding and kissed Skyrah on the cheek before leaving.

Severus shot his head up from Blaise Zabini's essay as soon as he heard Skyrah's footsteps.

"Is your sister fine?"

"As fine as she can be. Teenage drama."

Severus nodded, glad that life stage was over for him, and scribbled down some aspects Blaise had to improve.

"Aren't you going to say anything about Dumbledore's Army? You were opposed to the idea at first."

Severus quirked an eyebrow. "I was opposed to the idea of you taking part in it, not to the organization itself. Granted, it is crazy and illegal, but I approve of it as long as you don't overload yourself and welcome my and Harry's assistance." He grinned slyly. "Deceiving the pink toad is a plus."

He expected her to laugh or smirk at the last comment, but she was serious, staring at his eyes deeply.

"You trust him a lot," she said softly. "You don't call him Potter anymore."

Vulnerability physically shrank Severus. His gaze fell on the half-corrected essay.

Aware that talking about emotions wasn't something he was good at or felt comfortable with, Skyrah smiled gently and said, "Harry cares for you a lot too, you know? He looks up to you."

Skyrah sat on his desk, right in front of him. She put the pile of essays aside. He was now looking at his hands on his lap.

"Are you proud of him? I don't mean proud as in seeing your students succeed, I mean proud in..." he trailed off, his hair covering his face, too ashamed to actually phrase the question.

"A deeper sense? Parental sense, even?" she finished for him. "Yes, and I know you are, too." Skyrah cupped his chin and forced him to meet her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with having those feelings. They complicate matters, but they aren't wrong."

He sighed, still perturbed. "A year ago, I would have deducted all Gryffindor points, not joined Harry and the cause."

"A year ago, the pink toad wasn't here and you didn't have the bond you have with Harry now. Things change. I bet you never imagined you'd be married to Voldemort's daughter and get her pregnant."

"I thought I'd die a virgin, to be honest," he said with a chuckle.

Skyrah giggled and replied in a sultry voice, "Well, you certainly won't."

Harry and any feelings that weren't directed to Skyrah evaporated from his mind the moment she lifted him up from his seat and hugged his waist with her legs while she unfastened his buttons and nibbled his earlobe as an anticipation of what was about to come.

One month later, Severus could say that Dumbledore's Army proved to work efficiently. Harry was a good teacher and the Snapes felt proud of him. The members of the association were surprisingly grateful that Severus taught them. They would take his snarky remarks everyday rather than another lesson with Professor Umbridge. At least, they learnt how to defend themselves. Besides, his mood had improved lately; his comments weren't so mean. They bet the pregnancy played an important role in that.

One evening, Eileen saw a herd of third and fourth year students coming from the seventh floor. There was something odd about the situation; she could smell it. Her curiosity increased when she locked eyes with her son. He turned on his heels and headed towards the opposite direction, his black robes billowing. Eileen wasn't about to let him go though. She followed him and called him out.

"What do you want?" he spat, swinging about.

"I want to know what's going on."

"Nothing is going on."

"Then you won't mind explaining to me why such a big group of students came from the seventh floor? I know what is in there, Severus. I told you about the Room of Requirement when you were just a child. What were you doing there?"

Severus stayed silent, holding her gaze.

It didn't look like he was about to speak, so Eileen took the hint and made to leave, but not before she heard, "Don't tell anybody about it."

When she turned around to question him, he was already far off. Eileen sighed and returned to the library, trying to forget the incident and hoping to relax in her little heaven of books. Of course, her paradise was intruded by odious teenagers. The first thing she heard was the annoying laughter of some hufflepuff girls and one gryffindor boy. She ordered them to shut up, her prominent sneer planted on her features.

"Sorry," babbled Dione, blushing.

The girl pretended to read, but remained alert when Dolores came into the library. Dione had a bad feeling about it. After all, Dolores always found a way to aggravate the situation.

"Madam Pince! I wanted to talk to you. Do you come from the seventh floor?"

"Yes," replied Eileen curtly, looking at Dolores suspiciously.

"Did you see something out of the ordinary?"

"Like what?"

Dolores leaned towards Eileen.

"Between you and me, I've seen some odd things. Most students of the same age disappear at the same time every week, like a schedule. They come from the seventh floor, but there's nothing in there. They're hiding something..."

Eileen wasn't about to reveal the little she knew about the matter, not when her son had asked not to, not when she was trying to be a good mother, and certainly not when she wanted to prove she had changed. She wouldn't disappoint Severus again if she could help it. The fact Dolores wasn't familiar with the Room of Requirement was a fortunate coincidence.

"I am sorry, Professor Umbridge. I have seen nothing. I will inform you if I see anything odd."

"Thank you, Madam Pince."

Dione suppressed a surprised gasp. "Have you heard them?"

Neville Longbottom, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, all members of Dumbledore's Army, nodded worriedly.

"Go and tell Harry. I'll warn the Snapes."

…

A/N: I wanted to thank MarchionessBlueViolet for giving me some ideas about DA