A/N: Thanks for the new favorites and follows and for those still reading. As always, special thanks to poka for reading and reviewing. We're a couple chapters away from revealing many of the mysteries and I can't wait to publish those pieces and see what you think. Happy holidays, I hope the season is filled with family and friends.

Chapter 17: Fated

Thursday, July 31, 1980 | Godric's Hollow

The unmistakable cries of childbirth echoed through the lowest level of the house. Lily's distress rippled down from the upstairs bedroom. There wasn't anything for those on the ground floor to do other than to protect the house at the first sign of danger. It was an oddly intimate moment. Albus knew he couldn't leave. He was the secret keeper and needed to be close in case the midwife couldn't handle the birth on her own. Still, he wanted to give Lily privacy. Maybe her friends didn't feel out of place. He sure did.

Leaving Sirius and Remus by the fire, Dumbledore opened the back door. He found another in the backyard looking as if she wanted to be doing something herself. There hadn't been an opportunity to talk to her since they returned. "The marauders had a successful night."

Hermione turned, trying to hide a smile. "I didn't think you knew that's what they called themselves."

"Well. It was hard not to discover that secret after seven years of their antics. Subtle wasn't a trait any of them had. Let's not let them know I know."

She looked back at the house. "I know there's a lot to do after an operation like the other night. I should have given you more notice."

He waved off her apology. "I knew the date from the time record. There's been much to consider. We can cut ourselves some slack." It had been a date he had in the back of his mind. Just not one he thought needed attention until it needed attention. The priority had been to protect the house.

Hermione nodded, looked out at the trees beyond the backyard. Her wand was out, ready for an attack. "Tom wasn't there. I wasn't expecting him entirely. There was a chance."

Albus considered his next words. He knew the only way for her to get her life back and to save the future was to confront Tom and return him to her time. Accepting that wasn't easy. "Have you learned all you can from your other memories? You'll think more clearly without so many conflicting experiences."

She took a deep breath. Dumbledore understood her fears. He had them too. When the potion ran out, she'd only have her memories of the time Tom prevailed. There was a risk that replacing them completely could fail. He had completed all the inspections of both copies of memories and was satisfied everything was preserved. From both lives. Everything was duplicated down to the second. Still, it was a scary notion to lose everything that made the essence of a person, even if it was temporary.

"If I don't take the potion tonight, I'll wake up as… her." Hermione's voice was quiet.

It was a vulnerable position. Not one that should have an audience. "I suspect everyone here will be occupied with the new addition. You could come to Hogwarts. I understand the sanctuary would be familiar to her," he offered, using her preferred way to speak about the other life. "It's reasonable to assume you'll keep your memories formed since being in the past. It shouldn't take long to adjust."

Silence lingered as she considered her options. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence. His intention wasn't to rush her. "Okay. Yeah. Let's just make sure Harry is okay and the house is protected. I could use some time away to think."

Stifling a sigh of relief, he hadn't realized how much her obsession with her other memories had been weighing on him until they had a plan to remove them. "Some time to think about Tom."

"Where to find him. Yes," she answered his rhetorical question. "There was something that bothered me right after we thought Voldemort was destroyed. I visited the Portuguese Minister of Magic. She revealed that there were changes to time in other countries. Not just England. Something about Voldemort's knowledge of the future had him visiting Albania, Austria, Estonia, and Bulgaria. At times or in places that he either hadn't before or it hadn't been known. I think I should start in Albania. There's a dark wizard there who mentored both Tom and Voldemort. The clone might go back there."

Albus hated the idea of Hermione traveling so far alone. Even she would know such a dangerous mission without backup was unwise. "International travel might prove challenging without the proper paperwork."

"I can apparate across the Strait of Dover. It's easy enough to get to southern Italy and over to Albania. Mergim is in an isolated area near Tomorri Mountain. There isn't much risk of running into magical travel authorities. And I'll have the cloak." Her quick response to his challenge made it clear she had thought out her movements. Perhaps down to the exact apparition locations.

He rubbed his forehead. As much as he hated to admit it, he couldn't join her. There was far too much uncertainty in Great Britain. "Will you take Sirius with you?"

Hermione nodded while considering his request. "It would keep him occupied. He's still insistent on finding Peter."

"I wasn't aware that was a priority to stop him."

She threw him a serious look. "You've seen the record. You know what's meant to happen."

"I have. I just wasn't aware it was critical that we change that part of the timeline," he told her cautiously. "As you say. It was meant to happen."

"Albus," she said his name with impatience and a touch of exhaustion. "Even if I bring Tom back before he can change anything else, everything has changed. Lily survived Voldemort's attack. Her sacrifice won't protect Harry from him in the future. We have to think about resources that will counter such a drastic change. There wasn't a person in Harry's life that was more invested in him than Sirius."

They both knew that was demonstrably untrue. Her very presence in the past proved there was another at least as invested in Harry. He didn't bother to correct her on that point. There were other more pressing issues with her mindset. "If everything has changed, that means he'll have Lily and James. That's already a significant improvement in Harry's protections. You can't predict what changes may happen if Sirius' future doesn't play out as intended."

She rounded on him. "Are you really going to try to convince me that going to Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit is some character building exercise?"

"Of course not," he said, taking a step closer to her. He didn't want to attract the attention of the others. He needed to diffuse her anger. "It's a dangerous path you're suggesting. If you're planning to intentionally change the past, there will be serious consequences. Regardless of the efforts made to preserve other events. Please," he implored her, holding her hand, "tread carefully."

Her eyes flashed from defiance to understanding. "I will. Tom has already changed the circumstances of Peter and Sirius' confrontation. I'm just hoping the outcome will also change. It's not my primary mission. If I can spare him that fate along the way, I will."

Albus had to remind himself that her perspective was completely different than his. He was still operating as if the future wasn't written yet while she was attempting to change what had been rewritten to ruinous results. Any small improvement might lessen the impact.

"It's a boy!" Sirius called out excitedly from the open door behind them. "I mean, we already knew that. But he's here. Harry is here. Come on, you need to see this."

His final comment was directed at Hermione. Her face went pale as she feared something was wrong. Albus followed her through the door and up the stairs. A healthy infant cry was encouraging.

"Oh," Hermione exclaimed once she was through the door and had her first look.

Peering around her, Dumbledore finally understood what the additional excitement was all about. Lily was looking overjoyed and exhausted. In her arms was a small bundle. The baby cleaned up and swaddled, his face and full head of hair visible. There on Harry's forehead was a lightning shaped scar. "Well. It would seem Harry might have the protections of sacrificial love after all," he whispered for Hermione's benefit.

Hermione hesitated to step further inside the room. James led her to the bedside. "You did it. You saved him," he told her.

The declaration may be premature, but Albus understood. Harry, Lily, and James all could have died the day Hermione showed up to stop Voldemort. Her very presence in the past was a reminder of what could have happened. And what could still happen.

"Do you want to hold him?" Lily asked.

How odd it must be, Albus thought. If he had somehow ended up in the past to see the birth of Grindelwald, would he want to hold him? Would it change his feelings for the only man he loved that way? More complex, if he returned to the future would it change how he viewed him? Hermione didn't seem to have the same conflicts and gathered Harry up into his arms. Albus backed out to give the family space. Sirius and Remus followed him. They walked in silence to the fireplace downstairs. "Hermione is going to come with me to the castle tonight. She's going to let the memory protection potion run its course."

Both men approved but Sirius looked downright relieved. "You'll replace them then? With the right memories?"

He nodded. "This is the first time such a process has been attempted. It may take some time. She'll be more comfortable in the privacy of the sanctuary. I'll need you both to watch over the Potters for me," he said, intercepting Sirius' request to stay with Hermione before he could ask.

"Of course," Lupin was quick to agree for both of them.

Sirius held his tongue. Dumbledore suspected one reason for the sudden compliance was the curious ability the young wizard had to get inside the school grounds and into the sanctuary undetected. "If you plan to visit. Wait a day. Give her time to recover if she needs it," Albus said pointedly.

Sirius had the presence of mind to feign ignorance before finally nodding he understood.

"When she's ready, she has identified potential locations that may help her find Tom. And they're not all in Great Britain. She'll need help. Can I count on you, Mister Black, to watch her back?"

He stood straighter, "Anywhere she needs to go, I'll go."

"What about me?" Remus asked.

"We have a lot to sort out between The Order of the Phoenix and the ministry. Unless Sirius and Hermione need you, I'll need you close."

The matter decided, both wizards appeared satisfied with their assignments. "You'll take care of her tonight? I worry what will happen when all she has is the memories from Tom's future," Sirius asked, his concern evident.

Albus appreciated his perspective. Hermione needed people in her life willing to acknowledge the risks to her wellbeing. She'd argue there wasn't another option. Technically there were things she'd have to do to accomplish her mission, they could work together to mitigate the fallout of these tasks. "I'll watch over her. Don't stop asking that question."

~~/~~

Hermione huddled under the covers of the strange bed in the strange room in the strange castle. She wanted to wake up from the nightmare and find her parents were alive and her home wasn't burnt to the ground. Maybe there was a magical way to make that happen. The strange professor had shown her magic was real. Not silly tricks, but real magic. That Merlin was a wizard. Spells, charms, hexes, and curses were all real things. And not just that, she was a witch. There were odd things that had been happening around her recently. Things she couldn't explain. Things she wanted would appear in front of her. One time, she swore a daydream she had about a book she was reading had been real. A tiny play happened in front of her in her room. Maybe it had. If she could really do magic, maybe she could bring her parents back.

Noises from the other side of the door caught her attention. It had to be morning. She hadn't slept. It wasn't a dream. She cried into her pillow. She didn't understand why someone would do this to her. Or why they didn't take her too. She was terrified of what came next. What her life would be. A quiet knock drew her mind away from her sorrow. It had been so quiet she wasn't sure if she heard it. The old castle must make plenty of strange knocks and creeks.

"Hermione?" the professor's voice whispered through the wood. He was clearly doing his best not to wake her if she wasn't.

Taking a deep breath, she threw the covers off her. She needed to understand what was happening and why. His answers the day before were cryptic. He was trying to protect her. Why a stranger cared so much, was another question she wanted answers to. With a shaky hand, she turned the handle of her door. Wiping her face with her other hand, she looked up at the old man. She didn't know why she trusted him. She shouldn't. He showed up the same time the other men did. He didn't even try to save her mum and dad. He just took her away.

"I thought you might be hungry. My friend made us some breakfast. She went a little overboard," he said, motioning toward a table that had appeared.

It was full of nearly every breakfast food Hermione could imagine. Standing next to the table was a small creature. Her head was barely up to the first layer of food. The dishes and pastries towered over her. "Hello," Hermione said to the house elf. "Did you make all of this?"

"Master Albus said he had a special visitor who needed Gerty's attention. There's a bell there. Ring it and Gerty will come."

"Thank you, Gerty," Hermione said and let out a small cry of surprise when the house elf disappeared in a blink.

"She does that. Why don't you grab what you'd like and we can talk on the patio."

"I'm not very hungry. There's a patio?" she asked, turning to see the large double doors on the other side of the room open up. They revealed a valley with a lake and a mountain in the distance. Grabbing an english muffin from a teetering tower, Hermione followed him. "Where are we?"

"A private sanctuary. Where no one will ever find you."

Hermione woke with the words running through her mind. That wasn't completely true. Tom found her. He came for Dumbledore and left with both of them. By then she understood who was hunting her. She understood the danger. Dumbledore had drilled it into her. She closed her eyes, thinking about her friend's final moments. Heard the swish of the executioner's ax. The thud of his head as it hit the stage. Someone was moving on the other side of the door. It would be Snape. Preparing for their lessons. Hermione searched for her cane. When her hand grasped at the air, she assumed it had fallen. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, the familiar pain never came. A wand was on the nightstand, but not her wand. Except it was. She remembered accepting the vine wand from Mister Ollivander. A replacement for the one she lost. That wasn't her only wand. Her hand searched her chest and found the mokeskin pouch safely in place. Her druid vine wand securely hidden.

Pain shot through her temples. Warring memories tried to rise to the surface. She had come to the castle to remove them. Some of them. Confused, she stood. Her hand shook again as she turned the handle. Albus was there. As was Gerty. There wasn't an overstocked buffet this time. A modest breakfast of her preferred oatmeal and berries.

"Hermione?" Albus asked, steadying her.

"Something's wrong."

"No, you're okay. You're safe and I'm going to help." He led her to the high back chairs.

Her mind was utter chaos. It wasn't like the day before. There wasn't clear delineation between her two lives. Memories from both mixed with each other. "Albus. It didn't work." She held her head in her hands, trying to still her thoughts. They were relentless.

"What didn't work?"

"The potion. I can't…"

The sound of the chair scraping across the floor vibrated through her. She felt his hands on hers. He gently pulled them away from her face. He was sitting across from her. Looking on with concern. In a flash, she saw his head at Tom's feet. Saw the blood pooling there. She squeezed her eyes tight, willed the memory to go away. She saw Harry. In the forbidden forest. She walked toward him, a bottle of living death in her hand. He would die if she didn't do something. But she just held him in her arms. An infant. Healthy and surrounded by family.

"Hermione. Tell me what's wrong."

"I have all my memories. I can't sort through them. They're all tangled up. Merlin, Albus please, make it stop."

"Shh. We'll sort it out. Focus on a memory you haven't thought about since this all started. Something from your first year. Tell me about it," he encouraged.

She let out a whimper and leaned back. She tried to let his touch ground her. Her first year. A memory only one Hermione would have. The right Hermione. Her mind took her to the train ride, meeting Harry and Ron, taking the boats across the black lake. She was so nervous. She only just found out about magic when she got her letter. Then, knew next to nothing until she got her text books. There wasn't a situation she hated more than not being prepared. "I was almost a hat stall. When I sat on the stool and waited for the sorting hat to make its decision. It deliberated for what seemed like forever. I was terrified it was going refuse to sort me and send me home."

"Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," Albus said knowingly.

She let out a small laugh. "Yeah. It explained to me the benefits of each house and how they would help me. I read about all four houses and before I was sitting on that stool, I wanted to be in Ravenclaw. My parents," she swallowed at the thought of them. She didn't want the memory of their deaths to break whatever discipline the exercise had forced on her storm of memories. She was solely focused on the moments she waited in the Great Hall, in front of everyone. "My parents prioritized homework and studying. They were… are dentists. I think they wanted me to follow them. When we found out about magic and Hogwarts, I naturally focused on learning all I could. The hat sensed that."

"I'm not one to question the founder's methods. I have met a student or two that have made me question the timing of the sorting," he admitted. "You would have done well in Ravenclaw."

"I thought that myself for the first few months of the term. I was constantly trying to prove myself. A know it all, as one person described me. I didn't have friends straight away in Gryffindor. I worried the hat made a mistake."

"You wouldn't have been the first. Or the last to think such things."

Hermione wondered if Peter thought that about himself. Now that he made his choices. Or Snape. Maybe not at this exact moment. But now, in her present. Even as she wondered these things, she realized Dumbledore's suggestion was working. It was easier to delineate the memories. "Turns out, I needed to loosen up. All my efforts to prove I belonged at the school alienated me. The first years who grew up around magic didn't think about it. It just existed for them."

"What made the hat finally decide to sort you in Gryffindor?" he asked her, sensing the crisis was over the moment.

"It said my penchant to study wasn't about a pursuit of knowledge as much as it was my desire to be prepared. For the worst, apparently."

"Hm," he agreed. "And do you think the sorting hat made the right choice?"

Finally, she opened her eyes. Another memory came to her. Standing in the Potter's house. Thinking Lily was unconscious, or worse, and all that stood between the killing curse and Harry was herself. There was only one right choice for her in that moment. Thinking wasn't a luxury she had afforded herself. Action. Self destructive courage. Her instincts ran in that vein. "No. Not anymore," she answered quietly.

"Well, if you've ever doubted your place in Gryffindor, I hope this settled that," he finally said. "Your courage terrifies me," he added.

Her hand flew up to her mouth. That wasn't when he was supposed to say that to her. She suspected this wouldn't be the last time she'd find herself in this position.

"Something I said?" he asked.

"Something you said," she agreed. "This is better. Thank you. Maybe the potion needs more time to wear off?" None of this had been tested. They'd just be guessing.

"Let's copy some of your memories again and see if the residue has lingered. You've been taking it for a prolonged period of time. It may have built up in your system," he offered.

Trying to shake the sinking feeling that something else was going on, she offered a nod of agreement.

~~/~~

The moon was still bright in the sky. Just five days from the full moon the light was still considerable. It would have been better for Sirius if it wasn't so bright. Some clouds would be nice, he thought. He crouched low to the ground, tried to stay in the shadows as his animagus form gave him the agility and speed he needed to cross the castle grounds quickly. It felt odd sneaking around without his friends. He was happy for James and Lupin. James was building the family he seemed to always want and Lupin was becoming a leader and feeling a sense of belonging. Sirius wasn't sure what he wanted out of life. He didn't think he needed to know. For the moment, his lack of direction was a benefit. Hermione needed him. He didn't think that in a condescending way. She'd proven that she was powerful and capable to handle herself. That didn't mean she had to do it alone.

Even now, she was off trying to manage her terrible memories. Professor Dumbledore updated him through the mirror. Nothing they had tried resolved the situation. Not even a complete obliviate spell removed them. Dumbledore wouldn't have told Sirius if he hadn't meant for him to go to her. His nails clicked on the stone floor of the castle. The summer holiday was strangely quiet. He supposed Peeves and Filch would still be problematic. He didn't have far to go before approaching the headmaster's private library. The door was open. A fire cast a warm glow onto the hallway. Hesitantly, Sirius turned back into his human form and peered around the corner.

"Come in, Mister Black," Dumbledore announced.

"Headmaster. I was just out for an evening stroll," he said casually, glancing at the wall he knew had the secret entrance to Hermione's sanctuary.

"Quite a distance from Godric's Hollow."

"It sounded like I was needed. How is she?"

"She's managing. I can't say if this is a side effect of the potion or if there's something else at play. She needs to focus on her life she's fighting to preserve. It's been easier for her to stay grounded the more she talks about that life, I worry what will happen tomorrow. I need to consult with the Department of Mysteries. They've had a sample of the potion for over a week, they might have more insight. If you wouldn't mind keeping her company."

"Of course not, professor. What will happen if it can't be fixed?"

Albus gathered up some notes and flashed a sympathetic smile. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." With a flick of his wand the door to the hidden room opened. "Gerty can prepare dinner if you can convince her to eat. I'll back tonight, Gerty can also prepare a room for you in the staff quarters if you care to stay the night."

"I would like to be here when she wakes up tomorrow," he said. "Thank you, professor." Sirius didn't think he could form adequate words to express his gratitude that he'd been asked to help her.

"Thank you, Mister Black. You're a good friend for her."

Sirius stepped through the door, let it seal shut behind him. The two times he had been in the sanctuary it had been dark and Hermione had been in the bedroom. He hadn't explored the space any further. He noted the sitting area, the potions room, and the impressive bathroom. He snuck into the prefect's bathroom a time or two and recognized the inspiration. The bedroom was empty. He turned on the spot, confused. Then he saw the patio doors. They opened up into an impressive vista. Hermione was on the other side, reading at the table. Her whole body was tense. Her brows furrowed together. It must be serious if reading wasn't improving the situation. "Albus really went all out in here," he said before invading her space.

Hermione turned her head toward him, rested her elbow on the arm of the chair, and leaned her temple in her palm. "He had some help. But yes, he did go a little overboard."

Standing in the doorway, he waited for permission to join her. Hermione pushed one of the chairs away from the table for him with her foot. She closed the book, keeping her place with her finger. He kissed her temple as he slid past her. Noted the title of the book. Not surprisingly, it was a potions theory book. "All for you?" he asked, still not completely clear on how she came to be hidden away in the castle.

"All for me."

Sirius sat quietly, admiring the view.

"Harry proposed to me there. Not in here, but at the real spot," she explained, following his gaze. Her hand sought out her pouch under her shirt. It was a motion he caught her doing many times. He understood she had a wand secured there. Clearly more than just that.

"Where is it?"

"Llyn Idwal in Snowdonia."

He'd never been and decided to correct that. There was a world to see. "What came first, the proposal or all this?"

Releasing the book, she leaned back. "This. It's actually a memory of someone close to me. Harry understood how much this place meant to me and found the real place."

Sirius knew when it wasn't the time to press for details. She wasn't interested in naming the friend. They were special to her and that's what mattered to Sirius. "You were engaged the first time we met," he observed, attempting to untangle the timeline. "Unless you were just letting me down easy."

Her laugh warmed his heart. He wanted to hear it more, to make up for all the terrible things she'd been made to endure.

"I was engaged then. I was here before and after. It's been complicated. Tom started all of this when I was in my sixth year. And I guess when he was in his sixth year too. Albus has been watching out for me since 1944."

This shocked Sirius. He understood there was history between the two, but hadn't appreciated the length of the connection. "Did he always have that beard?" he asked conspiratorially.

"It was a lot shorter back then. And no grey," she answered.

"Hm. That's a shame. I had a theory he was born with it like it is."

That elicited a genuine belly laugh. "I'm sorry to ruin that bit of lore." She leaned forward and ran her hands on the cover of her book.

He may have successfully distracted her for a few minutes. Her mind was back to working out her problem. "Did you create this potion?"

"Oh, no. I just helped find a key component. A potions master worked with a potioneer. They tested it the best they could. There's always potential complications when experimental potions are used in the field. I'd rather have this complication than not having my real memories."

He understood why she had made the decision to enter the new timeline. He thought there should have been a better way to learn what she needed to know. She had a time turner after all. Everything that could have gone wrong hit him again. The risks she took, taking an experimental potion had been the least of them. "What was the component?"

"Water from the underworld," she explained cryptically.

As it happened, the Black family was obsessed with Greek Mythology. Mostly in the context of stars and constellations, but the entire library of texts were part of his early childhood education. He rarely took the stories seriously. Certainly some of the people in the myths were early witches and wizards. The tales spun around them were clearly embellished. He used to play a game while reading The Daily Prophet, imagining how the story would be written if a smitten muggle was observing the magical escapades. "Surely you don't mean Hades," he returned with disbelief.

"Obviously not literally. You've used lethe water in your potions class."

"Of course. I assumed it was enchanted water and given a cheeky name. I never considered it was really from a river," Sirius admitted. "But that makes you forget," he continued and thought about the stories of his past. "The memory river."

She nodded. "It runs right next to the lethe river, it turns out. Loads of work had already been done to search for it. I was just the reason those efforts were renewed."

The revelation had him wondering what other discoveries could be made by taking mythology more literally. He could put his family knowledge to work for the benefit of wizardkind instead of exploiting others. Looking out over the vista, he started to see the possibilities.

"How's Lily?" Hermione finally asked, breaking the silence.

There was no stopping the smile that spread over his face at the thought of his godson. It was hard to imagine how close he had come to losing nearly everyone he loved. "She's good. She was up and walking around already."

"And Harry?"

Sirius heard her voice catch in her throat. He reached over and took her hand. "Healthy and happy. You saved us all. Let us help save you, you don't have to do this alone."

Tears filled her eyes as she squeezed his hand. "Thank you."

~~/~~

There was silence that came from peace and silence that came from discomfort. It was an evolutionary development to sense the difference. Some honed that skilled better than others. Snape kept to the shadows of the crowded room. The crowd was uncomfortable and eerily quiet. The Death Eaters had risked much for the mysterious wizard claiming to be their leader. They were gathering to get answers. Tom sat at the front of the room. He didn't appear to be backing down from his tenuous claim to Voldemort's legacy. That confidence might be the only thing keeping the most loyal of followers there. Only a wizard with the power and confidence of Voldemort would dare meet with a hardened army on the precipice of revolt. There was a thread of fear woven throughout the silence. If there had been hope of getting away without punishment for actions taken under Voldemort's orders, the window was closing.

"Can someone explain to me how the aurors managed to so easily crush our ambush?" Tom finally asked. He wasn't planning to take the blame for the defeat. Feet shuffled. The crowd thinned around Lucius. It was an unspoken accusation by his peers.

To Malfoy's credit, he didn't shrink from the threat. "My lord, their forces were unexpectedly considerable. We believe they were augmented with a para-enforcement organization who call themselves The Order of the Phoenix. They're led by Albus Dumbledore."

At the name, Tom shot to his feet. It was an unexpected development to the wizard. "Dumbledore," he breathed out, stepped toward Lucius. The crowd parted further. They collectively held their breath as they waited to watched the fate of the prominent Death Eater. After a long consideration, Tom finally put a hand on Malfoy's shoulder. "That old man has been a thorn in my side for far too long. You couldn't have known he'd complicate matters."

Lucius visibly relaxed and replied, "He enjoys a certain amount of influence within the ministry."

"Hm," Tom agreed and returned to his chair, contemplating the assessment. "Divide and conquer. One of the oldest battle strategies. We must drive a wedge between the aurors and The Order."

"How?" a voice boldly called out. The crowd grumbled.

Tom's eyes narrowed, the first sign of anger over being questioned. "We turn public opinion against the alliance. If the war is over, as they say, why would they allow civilians with no accountability engage in law enforcement activities. And why would the minister allow a mere school teacher to usurp their authority," he reasoned aloud, scanning the eager faces agreeing with the strategy. "Everyone, go, ensure your family is safe. I will call you when we're ready for our next phase. Lucius, Severus, stay."

Snape hadn't thought Tom was even aware of his presence. He'd been ready to slip out with the rest. The dirty look he got from Bellatrix as she stormed out made him roll his eyes. The witch clearly wasn't favored by the reborn wizard. A wise decision as far as Snape was concerned. Once the room was cleared, he reluctantly joined Malfoy, waiting for direction. Not wanting to step on the older wizard's toes, he waited for Lucius to speak for them.

"We have journalist on staff at The Daily Prophet who is sympathetic to the cause. I'll met with him, outline the story," Malfoy offered.

Tom nodded in approval. "Have them look into the Potters too. It's unlikely a pregnant witch blocked such a powerful killing curse. They've got that story wrong."

Snape willed himself not to react. He didn't want to draw attention to his feelings for Lily, or else he'd be cut out of the discussions. His best way to help her was to stay informed. Despite his lack of response, Tom's eyes leveled on him. Straightening, he waited for his orders.

"There must be an alternative explanation, don't you think?" Tom challenged.

"A defense against an unforgivable curse?" Snape asked in clarification.

"Is that what you believe?" When neither man offered answer, Tom continued, "Plant the more plausible solution, it wasn't the killing curse that was blocked."

"There were eyewitnesses…" Snape started to object, caught the flare of anger from the dark wizard.

"A handful of people think they saw the impossible. Tell the public they misunderstood. They'll be more likely to believe the simple answer than the impossible one. Once this is done, come back to me," he said dismissing both wizards.

Neither hesitated to leave. Their job was clear, manipulate public perception and exploit political insecurities. It was a much different tactic than Voldemort's preferred methods. The sophistication unsettled Snape. He'd work with Lucius to carry out their orders and meet with Dumbledore. This was well above his position.