This has been a long update with a lot of meat to it, so it may be some time before the next one, but rest assured, the next one is coming and the next chapter will be vital.

Not to spoil anything ahead, but if I haven't done a good job of explaining the revelations in this chapter I'd rather just edit and reupload it so it sticks for future read-throughs, so let me know if anything is really confusing and unclear and I will do my best to add some clarifications if needed. That said, I tried being thorough and detailing some things that hadn't been explained and I'm not going to go back through EVERY hint I dropped in previous chapters.

I hope you enjoy!

Hermione grabbed the other girl and raced down the hallway. She spat out hurried explanations to Elpida as they sped through the Department of Mysteries towards the elevators.

"Severus has been working on something all year. I thought it was Potions applications, but he didn't stop after he got accepted to the Mastery programme," Hermione explained quickly as they ran. "He leaves this coming week for France so what could he possibly be working on now? It's a Death Eater assignment, I'm sure of it and-"

"And you think they'll try to disrupt graduation?!" Ellie interrupted, not as out of breath as her shorter companion. "What makes you so sure?"

"I took all the N.E.W.T. exams! Callie didn't sit for the Astronomy one, so what was she doing last week when she said she was studying Astronomy?!" Hermione gasped, running through the pain in her side. "If I'm right and she's an apprentice Death Eater too, then they're all trying to meet a deadline that isn't N.E.W.T.s and it would have to happen before he leaves for France!"

Hermione rattled on full speed ahead despite Ellie's flabbergasted look. "Plus Karkaroff!" Hermione exclaimed, the whole school year suddenly becoming clearer to her. "He's a future Death Eater too- or maybe he is already, I don't know that part yet. She was probably working on this plan with him, not studying for Defense last week!"

"I… I mean… yes, but…" Ellie still looked confused, but didn't slow her pace. "Even if they're both Death Eaters… Rookwood and Karkaroff… That's still kind of a stretch. It doesn't mean she is."

"I know it's a stretch! That's been my problem this whole time! I haven't wanted to mistrust Callie because it didn't make sense to, it was only a- a gut feeling that something was off."

Hermione was furious with herself because of this. She wrote off the wariness of Callie as jealousy, being overemotional… she had been worried she was acting too much like Harry would and not judging the situation enough on the evidence. Callie had been able to explain away much of her concern, Hermione just never had been able to shake the unsettled feeling.

The feeling that had first come when she saw Severus look at Callie with… admiration… trust… respect.

It was when they had fought Alexander Popov….

"I think Popov was right!" Hermione exclaimed. "I think someone probably did report his dad to the Soviet police, but it wasn't Snape. It was Calliope through her uncle's ministry contacts." Hermione's voice became gruff from being out of breath and angry. "As a way of getting back at Popov. Both because he and his family were anti-Voldemort and because Popov attacked Snape last summer. She helped keep Snape from getting expelled, remember! She helped lie for him and break his arm!"

Ellie looked like she was beginning to agree with Hermione, remembering Callie's insistence on lying about Snape's broken arm and his use of dark spells. "But- but why would she… even if she's a Death Eater, why would she bother with all of that?"

They reached the lift. Thankfully, they were still alone after boarding and riding it up to the lobby.

"Because she's the one in charge at Hogwarts," Hermione said. "She's the one the others all answer to, so she has to clean up their messes. They call her the handler. Snape mentioned they had a handler once and-"

"And you kept that to yourself?!"

"I didn't know who it was! What could I do with that information? I assumed it was just another Slytherin! It makes complete sense now that it's her. She can send information to Rookwood who can use his ministry contacts to hurt people or find them or- or- report them to Voldemort!"

The lift doors opened and the two raced out of the lobby to the apparition point.

Ellie had stopped being confused and was brimming with anger. "If you're right…Callie's been passing information to her uncle this entire time! On all of us!"

"The Potters deaths being faked, even... Ellie!" Hermione gasped in realization. "Callie helped Lily's parents relocate this fall! She knew where they would have been!"

"Maybe it wasn't a car crash!"

Minerva McGonagall had hardly sat down in her large armchair and poured herself an after-lunch cuppa when she heard knocking at her office door.

"Hmph," she mumbled to herself, wishing the summer break had already started. She knew she should have snuck out and roamed the grounds as a cat instead.

The knocking continued and grew more frantic.

McGonagall sighed and waved her wand to open the door. "Come in. Come in, I'm here."

Miss Perri and Miss Dalton fell forward into her office, panting as if they had just run from Hogsmeade.

"Please, professor," Perri panted, her curly hair wildly sticking out at odd angles. "Professor Dumbledore isn't in his office, and I don't know where to find him. It's an emergency!"

"An emergency?" McGonagall rose and placed her cup down. "Alright, what is it? We've only got a bit of time left til the ceremony starts, so out with it." Torn dress robes? Family member can't make it?

"I- um…"

"Where is Professor Dumbledore, Ma'am?" Dalton interjected, looking quickly from Perri back to McGonagall. "We prefer to take it up with him."

"He is meeting with the Minister and preparing for the ceremony," McGonagall said tersely, quickly losing patience. "If this is truly an emergency, I can assist."

The young women hesitated.

"It's… it's hard to explain." Perri said hesitantly.

"Well do try, Miss Perri! I haven't got all day!" McGonagall snapped in a thick Scottish brogue.

"It's…Karkaroff." Perri's eyes widened as if she didn't quite realize what she had been about to say until the words were spoken. "Professor Karkaroff, Ma'am. He's a Death Eater and he's in cahoots with some of the students to disrupt the ceremony!"

McGonagall came forward towards the two girls. "That is a very serious accusation."

"Please professor! Where is he?"

"I saw Professor Karkaroff go into his office not even fifteen minutes ago to work on his closing speech for the commencement. I don't think he has any time to plan a disruption."

Perri perked up completely and gestured to Dalton beside her. "Please, Professor McGonagall! Come with me and you'll see!"

Perri rushed out of the room, followed quickly by Dalton.

McGonagall, curiosity peaked, followed. She rushed down the hallways, past students chatting happily with their visiting families, dashing around corners and heading towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

When McGonagall reached the classroom a few seconds after the two who had rushed ahead, she found the door wide open and heard shrieks coming from the open door of the attached office.

"What is the meaning of- IGOR!" McGonagall gasped as she entered the office, having never experienced this in all her years of teaching.

Could they not have waited a few more hours?!

Igor Karkaroff and a female student were hurriedly covering themselves up and grabbing for their robes, clearly just having been caught in flagrante delicto by the other two students.

McGonagall collected the pair's wands, forcing herself not to hex the man in front of her and completely missing the conversation between Dalton and Perri.

"How did you know, Anna?"

"Sometimes I don't even know until it happens. The words just come out of my mouth. It's something to do with the inalterable property of time…"

Severus was getting nervous at this point.

The graduates had been lined up before the Hogwarts doors and ready to process down to the lake for fifteen minutes and were starting to get impatient. Whispers were becoming loud talking and standing at attention was becoming sitting on the stone floor or leaning against the wall. Snape was with the other S's near the latter half of the line, so he couldn't quite see what was going on up front. Dumbledore and McGonagall were supposed to lead the procession down to their seats, but they had not yet arrived.

"Shh- we're moving!"

There was some shuffling up ahead and the students quickly formed back into a single-file line and began to march forward. His stomach settled. Good, can't have any delays.

Severus' relief was as short-lived as the brief walk down to the lake. Once the graduating class was seated in the reserved chairs ahead of the rows of waiting friends, family members, and lower-year students, he could easily spot the problem.

They had been led down from the castle by the small-statured Professor Flitwick, obscured by the taller seventh-year boys walking near the beginning and middle of the alphabet. Dumbledore and McGonagall were nowhere to be seen. Severus quickly scanned the rows of students, and his heart sank to his stomach.

Hermione.

Her seat next to Pettigrew confirmed to be empty, he looked for more empty chairs. Dalton and… Cohen.

Shit.

"And what about Miss Cohen?" Professor McGonagall said tersely, seething with fury. "Are there to be no consequences for her?"

Professor McGonagall stared down Dumbledore, who was overseeing the disciplinary action from his seat. Minister Minchum, two aurors, Hermione, and Elpida stood against the wall watching as Igor Karkaroff and Calliope Cohen sat with hanging heads before the headmaster's desk.

"Miss Cohen," Dumbledore said, turning to her. "When did this dalliance with Professor Karkaroff begin?"

"Today." Calliope stated it immediately, not pausing to think. She lifted her head to speak but did not meet Dumbledore's eyes.

"Albus, surely you don't believe that!" McGonagall cried. Dumbledore shot her a skeptical look as if to say, of course I don't.

"Miss Perri, Miss Dalton," Dumbledore called across the room. "Did you witness or have any knowledge of anything untoward between Professor Karkaroff and Miss Cohen before you discovered them today?"

Ellie looked at Hermione who frowned in thought. After a long, frustrated pause, Hermione shook her head. "Nothing I can think of." Nothing I can prove, at any rate.

Professor Dumbledore sighed, looking resigned.

"As I said before, fraternization between staff and students is prohibited, but as Miss Cohen is already of age, no laws have been broken." Dumbledore rose from his chair and walked around the desk, looking towards Minchum and the aurors beside him. "Classes ended last week and N.E.W.T.s were administered by independent invigilators. Without indication that this occurred before today, I have no evidence that this affected Miss Cohen's grading or academic record. Do you concur, Minister?"

"I do, Dumbledore," Minchum agreed. "However, there's always veritaserum we could use-"

"Am I being detained?" Calliope interjected. "I have the right to request a wizarding solicitor or guarantor."

"Sounds like she's guilty," grunted the auror to Minchum's left. Hermione had scooted away from him and tried to hide slightly behind her hair when she had first seen him. Despite having both eyes, a complete nose, and all his limbs, she thought she recognized Mad-Eye Moody.

"My representative is Augustus Rookwood. He would object to my questioning under veritaserum when I have done nothing illegal." Although Callie had thus far managed to speak in a near monotone, the last few words held thinly veiled malice.

"Definitely guilty," Moody muttered.

"No need for that, Miss Cohen," Dumbledore's eyes flashed as he glared down at her. "You are not under arrest. We are not currently speaking of Wizarding laws and rights, but of Hogwarts regulations, which fall under my purview."

He turned to McGonagall. "Minerva, she will have consequences. For now, she graduates but she may not walk with the other students. A full review of Miss Cohen's academic record will be opened by the Board of Governors and the diploma may be rescinded if need be." Dumbledore gestured to Minchum, inclining his head in deference. "With your permission, Minister, I'd like to ask your aurors to stay a few minutes and separately escort Miss Cohen and Mr. Karkaroff off the premises. He is no longer a professor at Hogwarts."

Well, something had to happen, Hermione realized. No Defense professor can stay more than a year.

"Please!" Karkaroff blurted out from his seat, finally raising his hanging head. "Please, Dumbledore, I am only safe at Hogwarts! I have lost my protection and I have no other choice! If you will not take me in, where do I go but to him?!" Dumbledore's face unmoved, Karkaroff pointed at Callie beside him. "That is why she was-"

Calliope shouted frantically, "Who even asked if it was consensual?" This seemed to have the intended result, as Karkaroff stopped speaking, dropped his pointed hand, and stared at her, horrified.

Silence engulfed the room.

That's what's been going on, Hermione realized. Karkaroff hadn't wanted to join Voldemort, but Callie was trying to manipulate him into doing so with sexual favors. This is why she didn't want it getting out she was a consort! She didn't want it getting back to Karkaroff that there was anyone else! He had to think he was special so Callie could convince him to join the Death Eaters.

At least I've stopped whatever she was planning with him for today.

"Minister…"

"I agree, Dumbledore. Moody, Harrison. Pick one and escort them out. They might not be under arrest, but you can stop by the ministry. Take statements and file a report."

"My floo is available to you. We must all be going as we are already late."

Professor Slughorn made his way to the podium to speak and after some applause from the crowd, addressed his 'past, current, and perhaps' pointing to the visiting family members 'even future pupils'.

Slughorn was surprisingly good at stalling for time, as he had much practice in regaling others with stories. Not his own stories, of course, but the stories of his favorites. He was able to generalize in this instance however and tie some anecdotes in to the general student experience of going off into the world and making something of oneself, so the stalling was not unsuccessful.

When Dumbledore, McGonagall, and the Minister of Magic Harold Minchum arrived at the ceremony, it almost seemed on cue rather than wildly late- such was the skill of Horace Slughorn's waxing nostalgic. The Professors and the Ministers took their seats on the stage behind the podium as a few students made their way through the aisle.

There she is. Severus was practiced at not showing emotion, but even the sight of her made him clamp down on his teeth to keep from smiling.

Hermione scooted her way to her seat as the graduates clapped at the end of Slughorn's introduction and Minister Minchum began his remarks. Elpida Dalton had similarly taken her seat without causing undue distraction and Minchum began. "Esteemed graduates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Today is the beginning of the journey you take to adulthood and, therefore, efficient professionalism."

What a twat. Severus clenched his fist to keep from impatiently drumming his fingers on his thigh. He drowned out Minchum's ode to Ministry monotony as his mind prepared.

Hermione was sure to be furious with him.

Livid.

He was hoping, however, if everyone could keep a cool head that she could forgive him quickly. If not with time to see him before he left, then at least with enough time to see him in a few weeks on his time off from the apprenticeship.

Calliope had not taken her seat yet.

Severus did actually drum his fingers on his thigh now. Without Calliope, it would be that much harder to reign everyone in and restore order. Now, he was not foolish enough to imagine that the demonstration would be entirely peaceful (the majority of the demonstrators young, disaffected men) but with himself, Rosier, and Calliope he was hoping it would stay mostly non-violent once the others arrived. There would be an airing of grievances, of course, and certainly a few skirmishes, but that was a small price to pay for revolutionary action.

Bruises, curses, hexes, even a broken bone or so… only minor injuries. Nothing more than I've received myself simply for attending school.

He caught sight of Potter's dark, tousled mop and glowered.

Severus had many reasons to despise Potter and his friends. Potter was currently seated next to Selena Pinker, Hufflepuff. Anna Hermione Perri was on her other side.

Before this school year, Potter's relationship with Lily Evans would have utterly destroyed Severus, but now it was Potter's relationship with Hermione that was doing it. Despite his efforts to pursue Hermione fervently while ignoring the specter of James Potter, the doubts and insecurities that had surfaced in March remained. Hermione's patronus had been revealed as the stag, she had asked Severus to protect James Potter, she had stayed close to the Marauders despite admitting discomfort with doing so, and she admittedly had fallen for someone before she had come to Hogwarts.

It all fit. It all condemned James Potter, and if Severus would be lying if he wasn't taking some sick pleasure in becoming a Death Eater simply because it would rankle him.

Severus' musings succeeded in distracting him. As applause for the fool running the government died down, the first row of students stood to walk the stage as their names were called by Professor McGonagall.

First the A's, then the B's. Black strutted across the stage to Gryffindor cheers, grinning cheekily and lapping up the attention. Then, the C's. Severus realized something had gone utterly, utterly wrong.

"Calliope Malkina Cohen. In Absentia."

Applause, but some confused looks and glances back and forth. Professor McGonagall looked unsurprised and merely paused for approximately the same amount of time she had for the other students before continuing. Rosier, sitting in the row in front of Severus, turned his head to the side so he could shoot him back a worried look as McGonagall moved her way through the alphabet. Severus heard Dalton and Evans being called but could hardly pay attention after he realized the other problem.

Karkaroff was missing.

Severus gritted his teeth. Karkaroff was supposed to give the closing speech! He was supposed to rally the crowd by exposing Minchum's lies! Only then were the Death Eaters supposed to swoop in and offer an alternative to a muggle-dictated Wizarding society.

There was still time. Perhaps Karkaroff was similarly delayed, as the other professors had been. It was wishful thinking, but that was all Severus had to go on at this point.

Lupin and both McKinnons walked, followed by "Milton Terrance Mulciber."

Severus watched Mulciber leave the stage and nod to Avery who had already returned to his seat. As the next row of students stood to line up, they made their way to the back of the rows, presumably to get Wilkes and head quickly back to the castle. The students in the row in front of Severus stood and made an orderly line to walk across the stage as the previous row began walking.

"Anna Helene Perri." Severus watched her smile and walk across the stage, a bouncy quality to her walk. It was not lost on him that Hermione was not announced as her middle name, though perhaps she was being overly cautious. They had the ability to request another name if asked. He would walk as "Severus Prince Snape" to drive home to the pureblood Slytherins that he belonged with them.

After Potter pranced across the stage to receive his diploma, though not nearly as obnoxiously as Black, the other row containing "Mateo Ignacio Reinero" began walking, allowing Severus' own row to stand and get into line.

The Fates gave him some fortune that day, despite how it all ended. He was able to walk the stage, McGonagall called his preferred name correctly and the Slytherins clapped. He saw Hermione clap as well while Potter shot her a stern look, which made him smirk as he accepted his diploma from Dumbledore.

He had just returned to his seat when he heard a shout from the row behind him.

"Down with Minchum! Down with muggles! Magic in the Ministry!"

Severus jumped to his feet, drawing his wand and turning to see Paul Wilkes rushing down the center aisle to the stage towards the now-seated Minister of Magic.

"Stupefy!" The troll-like Wilkes pressed on, not immediately stunned by just one auror, giving enough time for Avery and Mulciber to emerge from the tree line with masked backup, shouting and brandishing their wands. Wilkes pulled himself onto the stage, crashing into the podium as he finally succumbed to the stunning spell.

It was instantaneous, the shift in tone at the sight of the Death Eater masks running towards the graduates. Students and watching family members screamed and scattered, some running away from the castle towards the pitch, some trying to run for the castle and realizing the Death Eaters were blocking their path.

Though masked, Severus recognized Bellatrix among the Death Eaters. It was hard to miss her as the only female there.

Plus, she identified herself by cackling loudly and casting a Dark Mark in the sky over the lake.

Hermione quickly crouched down behind a chair to avoid a blast, sending out a shield charm over herself. Spells were raining down from all directions- it was difficult to distinguish between friend and foe in the haze of smoke and lights.

Severus- no. No, I need to find Lily.

From her position, she was safe, but she couldn't see where anyone else was. If she could make her way toward the stage, or even to a tree, she could get some height in order to spot Lily and make sure she was safe.

"Annie!" Marina was beside her, crouching. "What's the plan?"

"Find Lily!" Hermione shouted back at her through the yelling around them. "She and James are targets!"

"Right! Come on, Peter!" Pettigrew had been crouching behind Marina and he followed her obediently. Hermione gave a very Snape-like sneer at the sight of him scurrying away in Marina's skirts, before dashing in the opposite direction.

The bright afternoon sunshine and the still, shimmering lake water made a stark contrast to the chaotic scene. Overturned chairs and podium, screams coming in all directions, people casting spells and dodging between seats, the stage, and the tree line. Hermione was able to parry and dodge a few hexes aimed in her direction as she made her way back to the stage.

"Expulso!" Remus Lupin jumped forward to join her. Arabella was not far behind him, though James and Sirius were nowhere in sight.

"I'm going to the stage!" Hermione cried. "Cover me!"

Arabella quickly shouted out a spell and waved Hermione forward.

Hermione heard spells whizzing over her head as she ducked and ran, blindly shooting jinxes to the side of her before she leapt and scrambled up the stage. She dove behind the podium, which a few teachers were currently using as cover.

"Perri!" McGonagall was among the group hiding behind the podium and trading off shooting spells. "You told me Karkaroff was a Death Eater! Was he behind this?"

A blast to the side of them prevented Hermione from answering immediately. McGonagall cursed and shoved Slughorn over to allow her to send something back. As McGonagall stood, Hermione stood behind her, scanning the surrounding battle quickly. She spotted a flash of red hair running towards the edge of the tree line, in the direction of the castle.

"I think so! I'm heading to the castle!" Hermione shouted, throwing a jelly-legs jinx at a stout Death Eater.

McGonagall shielded them both from a hex. "Go Karkaroff's office and ward the floo- that may be their way in! I trust you know how to do it?" She shouted.

"Got it!" Hermione ducked and covered her head as she jumped off the rear of the stage.

Severus was running for the tree line. He had been reevaluating as he went, but his gut instinct was to defend everything sent his way until he could find Rosier. No attacks.

He had not been so naïve to think there would be no tussle in the protest, but if all had gone to plan, at least some of the crowd and some of the students might have been convinced by the anti-government argument.

For now, he could just hope to stay neutral enough to avoid getting arrested. He couldn't afford to piss anyone off any further.

Although, he thought wryly, political prisoners make for a good rallying cry.

Once he made it to the trees, he could get cover long enough to make it back to the castle.

He reached the nearest tree and darted behind it, glancing back at the graduation stage and seating. Most of the participants had scattered, choosing to go for cover rather than enter the fray, but there were a few people left fighting.

"Expelliarmus!" Suddenly, hands grabbed him from behind and shoved him to the ground on his back. A sharp pain in the groin and wands pointed at his face.

"Potter," he spat.

James Potter and Sirius Black were standing over him, Sirius had his foot pressed just below his abdomen. Severus felt the presence of a third person who was out of his direct line of sight.

"Snivellus," Sirius said in a singsong voice. "Where are you headed?"

Severus said nothing and the pressure on his groin increased as Sirius pressed his foot further down. Severus hissed.

"Hurry James! We don't have much time." The third person was Lily, apparently standing watch.

"You owe me, Snape," James said.

"Who's the head of the snake? Who started this?" Sirius snapped. "I know it isn't you, and Wilkes is too stupid!"

Shouts and blasts from the stage area.

"Pay your debt! Give me a name!" James yelled, leaning over and pointing his wand directly at Severus' nose.

Sirius pressed his foot further down, the pressure on his groin becoming nearly unbearable. Severus gritted his teeth, determined not to show them how much it hurt.

The irony was not lost on Severus that Potter had pulled him from the lake and brought him from the water to these very trees where he was revived by Hermione. He had not forgotten the debt he owed to Potter, nor that Potter was holding this back for the opportune moment.

All told, the debt to Potter could be a lot worse. The plan was already spoiled anyway. Plus, this way Potter would think he got a better victory than he did.

And the debt would have nothing to do with Hermione.

"Cohen." Severus spat. "We answer to Calliope Cohen."

A surprised guttural "what?!" from over his shoulder came from Lily and the young men atop him recoiled instinctively in surprise. The pressure released, Severus grabbed James' arm and pulled, toppling him and pulling his wand arm awkwardly to the side. James yelled and Sirius stepped back, not wanting to hurt James.

With his wand twisted away from Severus, James was quickly overpowered. Severus' morning workouts over the past year had not been for nothing and brawling came in handy. He locked James in his grip using his long frame, grabbed James' wand hand, directing him and pointing. "Expelliarmus!"

Sirius', Lily's, and Severus' wands flew towards Severus, and he turned and sat on James to maneuver and grab them, taking James' wand as well. Scrambling up, he held their wands in his left hand as he moved a few paces backward and pointed his wand at James.

"My debt is paid," he hissed. "Now you will-"

"Severus!"

He clenched, having been caught unawares yet again. He hated being snuck up on, even by her.

"Severus," Hermione repeated, walking quickly from behind him and putting a hand on his arm. "Give the wands back."

"They-"

"Anna, he said Callie is one of them!" Lily yelled. Severus couldn't tell if she was warning Hermione or slandering him for telling a falsehood.

"It's true," Hermione said quickly, causing Severus to turn his head to her questioningly. "I told Dumbledore. She was escorted off the grounds by the aurors." Hermione turned to Severus, holding out her hand for the wands.

Grudgingly, he handed them to her. She quickly tossed the wands to the other three, extending her own wand in case they tried anything, but not pointing it menacingly or threateningly like Severus.

A bang coming from the battlefield urged her on. "We need to go! McGonagall thinks they're coming through Karkaroff's office. You all head there and ward the floo." Hermione instructed them.

"What about him?" James said angrily. "Snape's still involved!"

Hermione inhaled deeply and looked over at Severus.

Oh yes, she was livid.

"He's pussy whipped, James," Sirius grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the castle. "He won't try anything else. Let's go."

The three ran towards the castle, Lily pausing a moment to look back and forth at the two of them before dashing after James and Sirius.

"You're going to help me fix this," Hermione said quickly, glaring intently at him. "We'll talk more later, but for now this needs to end."

"Agreed. It got out of hand." Screams reverberated off the lake in confirmation. Severus grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her behind a tree, covering her with his body so no one could see her if they were looking. "I can't do anything overtly. I can't be seen undoing it."

"Tell me then. Quickly!" She looked up at him fearlessly, sending his heart racing even faster.

"The room. They're not coming through the Defense office; they're coming through the room."

"Our room? On the seventh floor?" That's how he thought of it too- as theirs.

"Yes. Think of a place to be secretive or to hide something." Severus raised his head up and glanced around, ensuring their safety. "I conjoined a wardrobe to a matching one at the Rosier estate. They're coming through that way. Blast the wardrobe and there will be no exit." He looked back down at her. "Even for me, so you know I'm sincere."

Hermione didn't answer, but grabbed his head, pulled him down and kissed him. Her kiss was teeming with anger and fear, not desire, though she threw such passion into it that Severus was breathless after only a few seconds. She broke the kiss and slipped under his arm and away, running towards the castle.

Severus turned in the opposite direction, needing now to find a Death Eater who could vouch for his loyalty.

Hermione had made easily to the castle and up the stairs without encountering any hinderances. Once inside, however, she had to twice turn around and find another way up to the seventh-floor corridor as one of the staircases had moved and another had been blocked off by a rebounding hex.

Finally reaching the seventh floor, she stood in front of the room of requirement, hesitating before pacing back and forth a few times quickly. She hadn't seen anyone on the way up, but there might still be a guard in the room.

Give me somewhere to hide something. Somewhere to keep a secret, she repeated.

The door created, she reached for it and pulled the handle, leaning all her weight into it.

She entered a room filled to the ceiling with artifacts. Dust and cobwebs caked the floor, stacked in a maze of baubles, knick-knacks, and magical trinkets. There were probably priceless treasures in there if anyone dared to look, but it would take an archeological team.

It looks like an Egyptian pharaoh's hoard.

A crash to her right jolted Hermione out of the trance she had been in. She ran in the direction of the noise, darting through a path of trunks, glass jars, and rusted cauldrons.

She spotted the cabinet Severus told her about. She immediately knew it was the doorway into Hogwarts as she saw a figure exiting, tripping over a pile of discarded uniforms.

"Confringo!" Not one to miss her chance, Hermione had aimed and blasted a hole straight through the cabinet door. The figure dove out of the way, but Hermione followed with a disarming spell and ran up, pointing her wand straight at them.

"You've had an interesting day, haven't you?" Hermione said dryly, in a very Severus manner.

Calliope glared daggers at her. "Snape is out of his mind if he thinks I'll support your union to the Dark Lord now."

"Oh?" Hermione couldn't help but feel a thrill run through her at the thought Severus would ask for that. "Tell me the truth- what's your relationship with Severus?"

Calliope eyed Hermione's wand cautiously.

"Nothing! Besides him being a complete pain in the arse and undermining me at every turn!" The girl spat furiously, glasses nearly fogging up. "He was insistent on telling you all sorts of things he shouldn't have, claiming he was trying to recruit you…" Callie pushed her glasses up on her nose. "First I relented because you were occasionally helpful and you let me know what he was getting up to, but then you and he just kept causing more problems-"

"With Karkaroff," Hermione said, something clicking finally.

"Yes," Callie growled. "I had Igor right where I wanted him, and all the transfer students following him too and then he lost that damn feather, and he couldn't get over it!"

"Severus took it from him."

"Yes!" Calliope waved a hand in frustration. "So, Igor got cold feet. He wanted his 'blessed protection' back before he'd agree to join our cause, but Snape wouldn't give it back! Igor tried taking matters into his own hands and forcing Snape to return it."

She had figured part of it out. "But why would Karkaroff attack Arabella?" Hermione asked. "Why would that put any pressure on Severus to give back the feather-"

"Because Slughorn told him she was with Snape! Slughorn must have confused you two, the idiot, and Igor took his word for it! Igor did it to get back at Snape!"

Hermione remembered laughing with Arabella at the Valentine's Dance about Slughorn's mistaking them for each other. That's what happened. Amoralato was meant to separate Severus from his lover, but it went wrong because Arabella wasn't his lover. I am.

"Severus figured out that Karkaroff was behind it and the reason." Hermione said, her pride for him seeping through. No wonder he had been so furious at figuring out what happened to Arabella. "He sent Lucius Malfoy to St. Mungo's to tell them the cure."

"And he and Malfoy both backed Igor even further into a corner with more threats against him- against us! That's the only reason I was caught today! I had to go reassure him and convince him to give his speech at graduation when you had to ruin everything!" Callie was seething, uncaring that she was telling Hermione all of this. Now that their whole plan had gone to ruins it was bound to come out at any rate.

"But it's more than that- more than just today even." Hermione squeezed her pointed wand tightly, holding herself back from using it. "Not only have you snuck these Death Eaters into the castle, but you've betrayed your friends. Or is it just a coincidence that Lily's parents were in hiding and still ended up dead?"

Calliope's anger was winding down, having gotten a lot off her chest. This new accusation threw her for a loop, and she dropped her scowl. "Wh- what?"

"You heard me. You knew where they were. So did your uncle."

"It- it was a car crash. Lily's parents died in a car crash."

"But you can't be sure, can you? You pass the information along, but you can't be sure what will happen once you do." Hermione said icily, watching Callie's face pale. "You think you're in charge- I know you're supposed to be the handler- but you don't really have any control. It's all up to Voldemort and who he decides is in the way of his agenda. You're just a pawn, even if you're the best pawn."

A wave of emotion overflowed throughout Hermione's body, beginning in her chest and tightening her throat.

This was Severus. A pawn who believed he had any control. Someone who passed along information with no ability to stop the one who heard it from committing an atrocity. Hermione herself was a hypocrite to pass judgment on Callie and not condemn Severus.

She couldn't make excuses for him any longer.

Calliope looked down, shame finally coloring her features. She looked on the verge of tears. Hermione almost felt pity for her.

Almost.

"What about now? Why aren't you with the rest of the Death Eaters?" Hermione said coldly.

"Because I had to go to the ministry and give a report about my dalliance," Callie said bitterly. "Plus, I couldn't come the normal way back to Hogwarts as I'm banned, so I had to come through this way like everybody else."

"Well, I can't send you back that way now, so start walking. Go on." Hermione gestured her wand forward to indicate Callie should move. The young women marched through the rows of artifacts and out the large iron door, Hermione's wand digging into Calliope's back.

"Aurors!" A masked figure roared, pointing toward the distance. Backup had come from the ministry, and the brigade of aurors was running from the gates of Hogwarts towards the battle by the lake.

"Death Eaters retreat!" Lucius yelled. He pulled up his left sleeve and pressed the tip of his wand to his mark, hissing. Removing his wand with a shudder, he added. "And grab a recruit!"

Severus felt Lucius grab him by the back of his robe and they surged upward, smoke engulfing them. Instead of the normal pop of apparition, they fizzled away like the sound of crackling flame, reappearing in Lucius' grandroom.

In the armchair by the fireplace, face highlighted by streaks of sunlight coming through the tall windows, was not Abraxas Malfoy, but Lord Voldemort.

"A successful day, Lucius?"

The dark-haired man with bright eyes and a chiseled jawline looked inquisitively at Malfoy, as if the information was mildly important. His handsome features, attractive by all conventional standards, only amplified his eeriness. He was too good-looking, in an awe-inducing, uncomfortable way. The way one imagines angels to look in their inhuman perfection.

Or demons.

"In some ways, My Lord," Lucius bowed his head. "There were a few mishaps." They originally addressed him as milord, a way of bringing back an aristocratic manner and tradition to wizarding society. Somehow it morphed into My Lord, and he was the only one addressed as such. He seemed worthy of it anyway, as perfect and brilliant as he seemed to them. He was the new savior, after all, ushering in the better way of life through revolution. Why should he not be their Lord? Their Master?

"Oh? Do tell." Again, Voldemort's manner appeared casual, but those bright and brilliant eyes flashed with something frightening.

"Karkaroff… was not present. Things unraveled from there."

"Let me see. Legilimens." The spell came in a barely audible hiss. Within an instant, Lucius had bared his mind, showing what had happened from his perspective, watching Wilkes rush the stage from his spot hiding behind the tree line. Calliope and Karkaroff's mistakes were highlighted and Severus' success in smuggling everyone onto the grounds was made clear.

Severus heard gasps and waves of smoke from behind him as more from the battlefield apparated in. The Dark Lord was able to summon those with marks who grabbed one or two of those without in order to get them off the school grounds safely. The Death Eaters along with recruits began to fill the grandroom, an army amassing after a battle to debrief.

Death Eaters were called Death Beaters first, as they would conquer death with their power. Defeating mortality in a way muggles could not. Somehow it became Eaters, Severus had been told, but it meant about the same thing. Apart from the consumption, that is. Apart from inner corruption. If they ate death, they would beat it, but take it upon themselves as well.

"Thank you, Lucius," the Dark Lord said quietly as he exited his mind. Lucius nodded jerkily, still recovering from the onslaught. "Severus, you have done well. The handler's failure need not be your own. You have been good and faithful to the cause." The dark-haired beautiful man pointed his wand confidently at Severus.

"Show me your forearm."

Severus heard whoops and cheers around him as the Dark Lord used a curse of his own devising to bind Severus to him, to them. His new dark mark seared on his flesh, and he grit his teeth as he bowed deeply before joining the others, receiving a mask for his efforts.

Hermione had so far managed to keep Callie subdued as they made their way through the castle. She led her in the direction of Karkaroff's office to check on Lily and James.

"You!" Elpida Dalton was standing in front of the door to the Defense classroom. She pointed her wand at Callie, having seen her immediately before spotting Hermione walking behind her.

"I've got it, Ellie." Hermione said calmly as Callie continued to glower, not meeting Ellie's eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you running towards the castle, and I came too. Couldn't find you but ran into Sirius who told me to guard the office and make sure no one came back this way."

"Why didn't he stay?"

"I don't know. Lupin, James, and Lily were running with him back to the lake. Sounded urgent."

Hermione's heartrate involuntarily sped up, realizing this left Lily, James, and even Severus in potential danger. "Ellie do you-"

"Go on," the tall blonde nodded, cocking her head to the side with a devious smile. "I'd love to interrogate her."

"Fine, but I'll keep her wand, so it's far away from here," Hermione responded, shoving Calliope forward and pocketing her wand. Once Ellie's wand was pointed at Callie's face, Hermione broke out in a run back out of the castle.

When she reached the lake, she was relieved at first to see that the Death Eaters had gone and a hoard of Aurors were searching the woods and lining people up for a headcount. The relief dissipated quickly when she caught a few faces.

No.

Her worst fears were only confirmed when she heard screaming and sobbing coming from the lakeshore and a small crowd of people huddled together.

Gryffindors.

She raced forward, scarcely able to breathe.

The limp body of Marina McKinnon lay on the ground, eyes open and facing upward. One hand clutched her wand, the other was being held by Peter Pettigrew as he knelt sobbing beside her.