Author's Note: Oh my gosh thank you all so much for the reviews! I'm excited to know I still have readers out there who are still invested in this story after I disappeared for so long. I'm praying I can keep up with writing this, at the moment I am posting chapters that I had written but not published before I went on my hiatus. I'm worried my current writing won't be as good as the first 60 chapters of this was and I'm worried I won't be able to keep up, but for the moment I'm at least writing a few paragraphs a day (which is oodles more than I've written in the last who knows how long). Thank you all so much for sticking with me and for taking time to review!

~RPP

It was several days before Dumbledore was able to schedule the first meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. Freddie was in her office at work, looking up a recipe for a potion that would treat Vanishing Sickness, when a scrap of parchment appeared in a puff of smoke. It startled her and she dropped her book, but she grabbed the paper from the air before it fluttered to the ground. She looked down at the narrow, slanted writing on the paper.

The Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix can be found at 12 Grimmauld Place, London

7pm

As Freddie puzzled over the piece of paper in her hand, it suddenly burst into flames and she dropped it with a yelp. Ziggy leapt off the back of the sofa and came to investigate the remaining pile of ash.

"Jeez," she said aloud, and Ziggy looked up at her. "I know that was Dumbledore. He didn't have to nearly light me on fire."

"Albus has always had a flair for the dramatic," said Snape's voice as he suddenly stepped out of her fireplace. "But in this case, secrecy is of the upmost importance."

"And why couldn't you be the one to tell me about the meeting?" she asked, bending down to pick up the book she had dropped.

"Because Albus is the Secret-Keeper," he said as if she should already know that.

"Oh, a Fidelis Charm?"

"Obviously."

"Clever. Have you ever been there before?" she asked, choosing to ignore the slight sneer in his voice. He'd been doing that the last three days anytime she mentioned the Order meeting, ever since Dumbledore had insisted she come. Freddie knew Snape wasn't thrilled about her being in the Order, but she thought they'd gotten past that.

"No," he answered, pulling a rolled up parchment from the pocket of his robes. "I brought a map of London so we can figure out where Grimmauld Place is. Once you're on the street the house should appear if you think about what was written on the parchment. Tap the door with your wand with the incantation Aperta ianua and it should open."

"Why are you telling me this? Aren't you coming with me?" she asked, confused. Snape was spreading the map out on her desk and hesitated slightly before answering.

"I think it best if we arrive separately," he said stiffly. "And avoid being over-familiar with one another during the meeting."

"You were my teacher for seven years and I was your apprentice for two of them, it'd be more suspicious if I were to ignore you," she pointed out.

"I didn't say ignore me, just...maintain a professional distance. Treat me like you would Minerva," he suggested and she made a face. "And try not to call me by my first name."

"Is McGonagall a member?" Freddie asked curiously.

"Yes, now come here," he said, tapping the map with one finger. "This is where you're going. You should be able to Apparate anywhere along this street, Albus will make sure the street lamps aren't lit. I know Apparating somewhere you've never been before is difficult. If you splinch yourself or get lost, send your Patronus to find me."

"I'm not going to splinch myself," she said, scowling. "I'm not a child."

"Hmm," he said, his brow slightly furrowed as he looked down at her. "I'll leave the map with you just in case. Try to arrive a bit early in case you run into any trouble."

"I won't," she said stubbornly.

Snape said nothing but rolled the map up and left it on her desk. He walked over to her bookshelf and pulled out a tome called The Many Magical Maladies.

"This has the recipe you were looking for," he said as he handed it to her.

"How did you-?"

"Keep your Occlumency in place from the moment you leave your office," he said firmly. "I will be most displeased if you slip up. I will ensure you never attend another meeting with me again."

"I'm not gonna screw up," she snapped back. She was starting to get really annoyed with his attitude.

If you can't control your temper through your Occlumency, said Snape's voice in her head. You have no business being-

Freddie slammed her Occlumency Shield into place, effectively silencing him. He looked surprised a moment then gave her the faintest of smiles. She took a deep breath to calm herself and reinforce her mental shield.

"How many people will be there?" she asked calmly.

"Only Albus knows the answer to that."

"You and I both know how difficult Occlumency is and Legilimency even more so," she said, keeping her voice steady and her emotions in check. "Most wizards can't even do it without a wand. So why are you giving me such a hard time about my Occlumency?"

"Because I want you to be careful," he said tightly. "Honestly, I don't even want you there. I don't want you to get mixed up in Dumbledore's schemes."

"I already am-"

"Brewing the Wolfsbane Potion and patrolling the Hogwarts Express don't count," he said dismissively. "The risk of you being in any actual danger has thus far been minimal. Now, I don't know what Albus is planning, though I have my suspicions..."

"It's my choice, Severus. Mine. You can't stop me from taking on whatever the Order asks of me. It's what I want, what I need to do," she said firmly. "You're in danger, every time that Mark on your arm burns-" His left hand twitched reflexively. "-Hell you're in danger every second of every day. And I worry about you, Severus, of course I do, but I also trust you. I know you can take care of yourself, defend yourself if need be. You need to trust that I can do the same."

"Winifred-"

"Because I am not going to sit around doing nothing while you and Ada and Remus and Dumbledore and everybody else are in danger, not to mention all the Muggleborns in the entire Wizarding World!" she said fiercely, then softened her tone. "You put your life on the line, Severus. Why shouldn't I do the same?"

He stared at the stone floor and wouldn't look up at her. She couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling, if he was angry at her or not. She put her hand on his arm gently and when he finally lifted his head she could see the pain in his eyes.

"Your life is worth so much more than mine," he whispered hoarsely.

"Ridiculous," she told him. "My life isn't worth anything without you in it. That's why I have to help. I have to help end this. For good."

"And if you're lost in the process?" he asked, his voice thick with raw emotion. "I couldn't live with myself. I couldn't go through that, not again."

"You could...but you won't have to," she assured him. "Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm strong, Severus, I can fight. You've seen me duel. I'm not some delicate little girl that needs protecting."

He shook his head silently and she put her arms around him, hugging him tightly until he finally returned her embrace.

"Is it so awful that I want to keep you safe?" he murmured.

"No," she said, her voice muffled against his chest. "But you can't always. And you can't keep being a jerk to me every time something comes up with the Order."

"...I'll try," he said finally, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I let my emotions get the better of me."

"That's what your Occlumency is for," she said lightly, only half-joking. She felt his body stiffen slightly and she pulled back to look up at him.

"It seems," he began hesitantly. "Whenever I'm-"

A knock on the door interrupted whatever he seemed so reluctant to say and Freddie let her arms fall as Snape stepped away.

"Come in," she called out, trying not to let the interruption annoy her.

"Gray, did you find that recipe?" Hawkins asked as she opened the door then stopped short as she spotted Snape. "Good afternoon, Professor. How are you?"

"Miss Hawkins," he acknowledged with a nod of his head. "I just dropped by for Miss Gray's opinion on something."

"I found the recipe, Master Hawkins," Freddie said, holding up the book Snape had selected.

"Excellent. I was going to let Bennett try her hand at brewing it, do you think she can handle it?" Hawkins asked her.

"Yes ma'am," she replied. She hadn't even gotten a chance to look at the recipe yet and she couldn't remember offhand how difficult it was, but Miranda Bennett was one of the more talented interns. "I'll keep an eye on her progress and offer my help if she needs it."

"Sounds good. I'll let her know you'll be out in a minute," Hawkins said with a smile, glancing between the two of them.

"Thanks. Oh, Master Hawkins?" she said quickly before the witch could shut the door. "Would it be alright if I left a bit early tonight? I have an appointment to keep."

"An appointment, eh?" she said, her eyes sparkling in amusement as she looked at Snape. "Fine by me, Gray. Just let me know before you head out."

"Yes ma'am."

"I should go," Snape said as soon as the door was shut. "I'll let you get back to work."

"What were you going to tell me before she interrupted us?" Freddie asked as he walked back towards the fireplace.

"Nothing important," he said dismissively as he grabbed a handful of floo powder. She had a strong feeling that he was lying, but she didn't know why. "I'll see you later, Winifred. Remember what I said about your Occlumency."

"Wait," she said, but he had already disappeared into the flickering green flames.