Compared to her last time here, though she definitely was not comfortable, now was at least able to appreciate the Headmasters office for the feast-for-the-eyes that it was. Dumbledore's office was a large and interesting room, with eye-catching and obscure objects dotted around it that kept her to giving double glances back. She could have spent hours properly examining the random artifacts if given the chance. She was sitting in a real piece of history, that much was sure. Even under the circumstances, she could appreciate what it was, and that it was oddly reassuring, being buried so deeply in things she considered her speciality. She'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be in a place she recognised as a comfort zone.

The last time she'd been in this room had been an emotional mess. Now, although her breathing was fast and shallow and her heart was doing all kinds of somersaults, she was okay. She was confident in both herself and her situation.

Professor Dumbledore was looking unusually grave at her. Maybe it was just because this was her first time up close with him that she could remember, but nothing about the man before her resembled the upbeat wizard that gave the start of term speeches.

It was easier this time around to explain her side of things. Between her breakdown to Harry and having it forced out of her with veritaserum, she felt her voice beginning to sound like a broken record. Despite this, she was unable to meet the Headmasters eye as she spoke and instead spent most of the time staring at her knees. When she finished her story, he merely continued to stare at her in silence. There was a long stillness before he eventually broke the silence.

"Your tale is a tough one to believe, Miss Greengrass."

She looked quickly up at him.

"It's the truth, Headmaster. My father is unaware of my change of heart - so to speak - so I still have access to my Gringotts account. I could easily pay for the protection that I am requesting."

He cleared his throat suddenly.

"That shouldn't be necessary, my dear. Hogwarts will always open its doors to those in need, regardless of circumstance. And you wish for your new stance to remain secret, I take it?"

She pushed out a long breath.

"If my father or the other Death Eaters know what I've done then they will most definitely kill me. They'd find a way, even inside the castle. And if my father can't get to me then he'll just use my sister… On the topic, I was going to ask about the possibility of removing her from his custardy, as well?"

"Now, that's quite a different matter… " Professor Dumbledore shook his head, "I'm afraid that unless young Astoria came to us herself with similar claims, we can't remove her from her family based on no evidence."

"She would never speak against him. Is there nothing that can be done?"

"Well, I do imagine that if you could provide solid evidence of your father's actions against the Ministry, and of his involvement with the Death Eaters, then we would have no choice but to take her in. But - I'm sure you are aware of what that would mean for him, also?"

Daphne breathed.

"Then you will protect her?"

He nodded.

"Of course."

Her expression did not falter.

"My father's comeuppance has been a long time coming. I will think of your words, Headmaster."

It was subtle, but she could tell he was taken back by her words. If she hadn't mentally prepared herself for this moment, she probably would have been as well. Such a dangerous statement was a rare thing for her to manage.

"Very well," he nodded again, slowly. "The staff and Aurors will support you as much as we can. Your dormitory is available to you as a permanent residence, should you wish it. But depending on the longevity of your stay, it might seem more suitable to find you a larger room amongst the staff quarters?"

She thought about it for a moment. It was difficult to think only about where she was sleeping, with all the other things running through her head. While a larger, nicer bedroom certainly sounded nice, it was in the opposite direction of the life she wanted.

"I would like to continue my school life as uninterrupted as I can, thank you, Headmaster. Maybe once I've graduated, that would then be appropriate."

The Headmaster seemed suddenly amused by her words, and proceeded to pull her on it.

"You believe the war will still be going on by the end of your seventh year?"

She did not share his enthusiasm.

"I know these people. They'll never stop. Not until you and everyone who opposes them is dead."

Her words came with an air of finality about them that seemed to signal the end of their conversation. Professor Dumbledore leaned back in his seat and gestured for her to rise up. She did, and found her knees a lot weaker than she was expecting. Taking a second to stabilize herself against his desk, she angled her way out and bowed to him appreciatively.

"Thank you for your time, Headmaster Dumbledore."

He met her with a nod, but it was not the grandfatherly one that she was used to seeing him with.

"Quite. Have a good Christmas, Miss Greengrass. Do pull the door to on your way out."

She nodded again, apprehensive, and took her leave of the room. Even with the majority of the portraits asleep, she couldn't shake the feeling this entire time she was being examined under a microscope, and by much more than just the Headmaster himself.

She crossed through the corridor and down the Golden Eagle staircase. Harry was waiting for her outside. He rushed to meet her, looking on edge,

"How'd it go?"

A moment later, she was able to tell him.

"He's a lot older in person."

His face scrunched up as he tried to decipher if she was joking or not. She threw him to the back of her mind.

"It went well. He offered me and Astoria protection in exchange for outing our father."

"Seriously?"

She nodded silently.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I told him that I would think about the matter. He doesn't trust me very much. Which is smart of him, really. Wasn't expecting that. But it's a caution that I can respect."

Daphne then took the lead and together they glided down the dark corridor impossibly quietly. Harry said something after that, but she wasn't listening. Her mind was retreating into it's peaceful seclusion.

What was this heavy heart and an aura of sadness that still refused to budge inside her? She had done the difficult thing and now was in the clear, but as they moved deeper into the castle she could feel her mood turning with it. It wasn't supposed to be like that. Things were supposed to be easier now. What if this wasn't the way to improvement? She had sacrificed so much over the past few days, but currently she barely felt any different.

She couldn't afford to start doubting herself now. Her indecision had done nothing but ruin things for her. She was past that stage of her life.

As they walked, they were careful not to disturb the mood. The few students that remained in the castle would be down in the Great Hall at this time, so this was one of the fleeting occasions they could walk together without issue. She had never seen the castle quite so empty. She'd been out at night, of course, fulfilling her Inquisitorial and Prefect duties, but seeing it like this was different. The castle had never looked so dead before. The corridors were particularly dark; the torches had long having been extinguished by the still strong, icy winds outside.

They still had a little bit of time before the new term started. The path ahead wasn't easy but she had finally taken the leap. Things would start to improve now. They were still in the holidays and for while they lasted, she and Harry wouldn't have to fret as much about having to see each other.

She edged her way closer to him, sealing them together as she brought her hand to his elbow. He noticed her arm and gave a light chuckle.

A lot had happened to interfere with the mood, but it was still Christmas. She owed it to herself to enjoy this time while she had it.

"It's bloody fre-"

"Would you like to get some food together?"


"It appears the odds have shifted infinitely to our favour."

Dumbledore's head jerked suddenly and unnaturally, swapping it's attention to the source of the voice meters behind him. His face collapsed with a jaded manner.

"I take it you heard all of that, then… ?" he uttered with a tired sigh.

Severus brought himself confidentiality from the darkness.

"Miss Greengrass making the decision to act against her father is nothing short of a monumental victory. Others with her similar mindset will now surely follow. She shall prove to be a valuable ally."

"I'm not sure I share your levels of enthusiasm," he said simply after a moment, confirming his suspicions.

The air that surrounded the Headmaster was very different. Without him saying anything, Severus could already sense they were operating on completely different wavelengths. Despite sitting opposite him, Albus Dumbledore never looked further away.

If his countenance hadn't caught him off guard, then his words were certainly enough to do it. In fact, the whole aura the Headmaster was giving off was precisely the opposite of what he had been expecting. Disappointed, and more than a little confused, Severus brought his hands through the air in a gesture around them.

"Need I remind you that this whole operation was your idea, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore shook his head simply.

"The girl is on her own side and no one else's. She doesn't care about the politics or ethics. She cares about which side gives her and Harry the best deal. She'll turn to whoever offers her a better life."

The casual nature of his words didn't match the harshness of the implications that came with them. Severus frowned, and gave a useless attempt to translate his statement into something he agreed with. He couldn't come up with anything.

"Then, I think we should make sure ours is the most appealing to her, don't you?"

The Headmaster rose his head sharply, causing him to fall silent. Dumbledore's expression was determined and without compromise. It made the next words that left his mouth next all the more condemning.

"Given the opportunity, she would stab us in the back if she believed it could guarantee her safety. She's in it for herself. She cannot be trusted."

He felt his stomach begin to plummet. As he searched for the right retort, his words came out slowly and with the same sort of care he would use if talking to a dangerous creature.

"Not if we give her everything she wants... Then she won't go looking for it elsewhere. She could be the bridge we need to end this war, Headmaster."

"No, she can't be," he sounded for the first time as though he was equally as disappointed by his words as Severus was, "She's self-important and emotional. Daphne Greengrass is by no means the first Death Eater to switch their allegiances and act as a double agent, nor shall she be the last. I'm sorry, Severus. I know how much you were relying on this, but she is too much of a liability. We should make efforts to terminate her and Harry's involvement immediately."

He stared deeply at the man before him

"That's because she's a child, not a soldier. Children take time. If she could be turned, she could do things that I am not capable of. The advantages she would provide us with..."

Dumbledore turned away, painfully, looking as though each word he was saying was dealing a physical blow to him.

"Yes, well... I'm wondering if that is the time that we have..."

There was an unmistakable air of fear in his tone.

At this cue, Severus took the opportunity to reach into his mind, but what he felt there was enough to turn his blood cold. They were indeed of differing opinions on the subject but quite to that extent, he had not been prepared for. He knew instantly this would be an impossible fight to win.

Finally, after what felt like far longer than necessary, he was able to fumble a response.

"What do you mean?"

Dumbledore moved suddenly, sitting forward in his seat and bringing his fingers to interlock themselves. His tone remained unchanged.

"We're reaching the end of the line. The world around us is nearing a drastic rebirth and we may not be here long enough to prevent it. Dark times lay ahead, that much is certain."

There was another long silence, only ever interrupted by light noises coming from the phoenix in the corner.

"We both know that Lord Voldemort has ordered the Malfoy boy to murder me."

"Headmaster…" Severus began with a tone that brought heavy irony with it, "The Dark Lord does not expect Draco to actually succeed. This task is merely punishment for his father's failings. Slow torture for him and Narcsissa while they watch him tear apart and pay the price of failure."

"Correct. And the price of such will surely be his death. The same goes for when Miss Greengrass fails to deliver Harry Potter to him."

"I will protect her when that time comes," he answered roughly.

"Oh, shall so will I - I assure you that."

Again, he spoke with a tone so casual he might as well have been discussing bad weather. But his eyes managed to pierce his soul in a way that they often did. It was the only indication that he was truly taking the conversation as seriously as he were.

There was a short pause, but it was evident the older man had no intention of following up his cryptic proclamation.

"Only the two of them succeeding their missions will spare them," he tried, "Draco is as good as dead and Grayback has his sights on Daphne, he told me such himself. It's imperative we get her away. Draco is too far gone, but she can still turn."

Dumbledore's cursed hand, blackened and burned, was raised in polite denial.

"It is Tom's will for me to die and for young Harry to fall into his possession. Then the school will fall entirely under his control. That much cannot be changed. Whether Draco and Daphne are responsible for it or not is irrelevant, but they will both certainly die if the deed is not done. That leaves only one option…"

Severus squinted in harsh disbelief of the old man.

"You're not suggesting letting them succeed, are you?"

He seemed to muse the idea in good spirits.

"In a way... From a certain point of view, actually, yes. I shall not be dying by Draco's hand, but I shall still die. Voldemort, in turn, will praise him for it. Harry will avoid his grasp as he ever does, but not without Daphne giving her earnestly to stop him."

Again, Severus struggled in following his words.

"You want her to act against us?"

When he did not answer immediately, it was an answer in itself.

"The reason Tom Riddle was able to rise to power all those years ago was his cunning silver tongue. Violence may be his favoured way of getting what he wants, but I assure you he has plenty more weapons at his disposal. It is in our best interest if she does. She will survive, and by doing so she will bridge us a path straight to Voldemort."

Severus struggled, on the verge of speech but unable to find the right articulation of his feelings. Instead, he twisted his neck around to check the door, then remained silent for a while.

"You aren't suggesting we double cross her? Use her as an unwilling pawn?"

This time when he was silent, it plunged the room into an unforgiving and formidable mood.

"There is another way," he tried quickly, "We can work with her, she has the heart for it! Why are you so determined that she cannot be trusted? I have seen in her head, I've been there for her, I know her intentions!"

For the first time tonight, he heard the Headmaster's voice turn truly bitter.

"Miss Greengrass's loyalty depends on her relationship with Harry, and that is the problem. She is not going to have a relationship with Harry. When that time comes she will turn against us with the ferocity that Slytherin house has become known for."

He was beginning to become sick of his cryptic tongue. Uselessly, he waved his head in a plea motion.

"What does that mean…? "

Dumbledore took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Severus didn't have to read his mind - the conflict he was experiencing was evident enough in his words.

"There will come a time... when Harry Potter must be told something. A secret - one that will change the tide of the entire war. I will share it with you now, but you must wait until Lord Voldemort is at his most vulnerable before you repeat it."

When he did decide to peek behind the Headmaster's eyes, he found his soul rolling and crashing in conflict. Discord between his heart and mind boiling it to the brink. He could feel the darker turn they were racing towards.

His breaths became shallow. As they began this conversation, there was a daunting feeling that tonight would be quite unlike the other meetings they had. Now he was about to find out why. What could be bad enough to make the great Albus Dumbledore conflicted? What news could be so world-shattered that it made the world's greatest and most mysterious wizard look like hell hath frozen over?

"Must be told what?"

Then, in a hushed whisper, he was told.

But he didn't even hear the words. Their true meaning was too large for his mind to gather all at once. The truth that all he had done, all that had been done to him, all the Order had accomplished, all it had suffered, all the world had suffered, all the innocence that had died, the reason that Lily had died was all for nothing. The cause he had given his life for, all the lives he had taken and saved, all was in line of the promise he had to himself. And to her.

He had seen so many that he had grown to care for maimed, killed or worse for it. That was why the words that Dumbledore delivered to him were enough to shred his heart, burn the pieces and feed him back their smoking ashes.

"That's…. That's… There has to be another way? You're telling me that…"

Severus Snape's entire existence had just become so crystal clear in that instant. His role as a pawn in the grand game of chess. Dumbledore's position as the puppet master above it all. He felt burning betrayal in his veins, but was too stunned to do anything about it.

Now that he knew the truth of everything, he realised how pointless every sacrifice he had ever made was. His life was shattered.

"Yes. I am sorry, Severus."

But Dumbledore's voice sounded distant and blurred. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. Maybe he was in shock, but the Headmasters office seemed to be fading in and out of existence around him.

"That's not fair. That is not fair! You've kept him alive this long just so that…?" he said desperately, now taking harsh and deep breaths. "I thought… I thought this whole time that you were doing it for her… all these years… that you were protecting him for Lily. For your failure! You've been raising him like a pig for slaughter!"

He couldn't see what face Dumbledore was wearing, but his tone did nothing but fuel his rising anger.

"Oh, Severus. How many men, women and children have you watched die in this war? How many have you been responsible for?"

Rage flooded through his aching body. He brought himself violently to his feet.

"I have done my best to atone for my sins! While you've been up here scheming all new ones! You're using him just like you used me!" his voice left his throat like thunder.

Dumbledore made no effort to defend himself or shrink back from him, and instead remained very still in his seat. He brought his hands down to the desk, musing him.

"This is touching Severus… Don't tell me now that you've grown to care for the boy?"

His eyes glowed with his anger, casting a glare out at the Headmaster that he usually reserved for his students.

"FOR HIM!?" he bellowed "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

He brought his wand around dramatically and from the tip of it burst the silver silhouette of a doe. It landed merrily on the officer floor and bounded across the office, disappearing out the office window. Dumbledore watched the summoning, and as the figure began to fade away, he returned to him with a new expression.

But he was denied the chance to speak.

"He is the last living remains of Lily Evans! She is the one that's bringing the two of them together! Do you not see that!? They are from separate worlds but they're fighting - against all the odds! - to be together. She is pushing them together! Greengrass is making the decisions that I were too cowardly to do, I'm not letting my mistakes - my stupid mistakes - be repeated! Not this time, I will have no part of it! I have remained your loyal servant for years, but this is one path I refuse to follow you on!"

His chest was heaving hard as he finished. Dumbledore looked down at him pathetically. When he looked to have finally found his words, it was with tears in his eyes.

"Really, Severus? After all this time?"

He took the answer without a change of expression.

"Always."

A long stillness passed in which the power dynamic never changed. For the first time in a long time, Albus Dumbledore looked to be experiencing fear.

"Very well. Is that all?" he said after a while.

"They are the end of the war. They are the closure. They are the peace that we need. Gryffindor and Slytherin not at odds, but together, the way it was meant to be. Their balance is what the world needs to learn from."

"And?"

He deflated pathetically. Whatever anger had boiled inside him had passed its peak. He suddenly felt more tired than he had done in a long time - and that exhausting was not physical.

His hands fell uselessly to his side.

"The Spear of Longinus avoided the Dark Lord's possession again. Merula Snyde acted as you predicted she would. I've tracked her to neighbourhood in Diagon Alley, where she is living in hiding. Who she's hidding from... I don't know yet."

"Bring her back to us, please."

He watched the old man bitterly. This whole conversation had played out for the Headmaster as though they were simply discussing a disappointing Quidditch match.

"I'll do only my best."

His heart was too conflicted right now to realize it, but tonight had seriously changed his mental image of the Headmaster. Severus turned darkly to the exit. He hadn't reached the door before Dumbledore called out to him again.

"Severus?"

He stopped, but made no efforts to look at the older man. He didn't know what he would do if he did.

"We all must pay the price for the greater good, you realise?"

He pushed the breath out of his lungs in the most aggressive sigh of his life.

"If the cost is our humanity, then that is not a future I intend to live."


A/N I'm back. Sorry this took so long, in case anyone missed it, it was because I was working on rewriting and retconning Living Dangerously. This story can still be enjoyed without reading the rewrite, but it is recommended, for nothing more than the fact it's now a far superior story to what it was originally. The only retcons you need to know is Tracey is now an Animagus, Moira (Daphne and Tracey's mum) was a member of the original Order of the Phoenix and Harry and Daphne had a lot more scenes together before that infamous potions detention. I realise it's unprofessional to be changing the canon this late into the series, but hell if JK can do it then so will I.