Severus was quite surprised when it was Granger who entered his office after he'd approved the unexpected knock at his door. It was the scheduled day of her trip to Azkaban but he knew that she and Minerva had departed well over an hour ago, so Granger wasn't here to ask him to escort her. Perhaps she had learned something important during her time with Dolohov, or maybe she wished to ask after an update for his potential move - but that was unlikely because surely she would've just asked Minerva instead. Could it be that she wanted to test her Occlumency abilities once more? Although he was pleased that after the dramatic breakdown in their relationship this appeared to be evidence that she was beginning to trust him again, she'd had another think coming if she believed she could walk in here like the past couple of months hadn't happened.

But then he caught a proper look at her and those thoughts instantly disappeared.

Something was wrong.

Her body language was scared and defensive: her tensed and slightly raised shoulders gave the impression she was trying to protect herself, her head was lowered but he could just make out a troubled expression and wide, fearful eyes that she made sure were averted from his. The hand that had a white-knuckled grip on the edge of her cloak looked to be trembling.

Severus immediately feared the worst. He rose sharply from behind his desk but then hesitated, unsure whether approaching might distress her further. Dreading to hear the answer and already holding himself partly to blame, he said, "What has he done to you?"

She shuddered - closing her eyes, shaking her head and pressing her lips together, and his unease increased. He gave a quick, reluctant sweep of her form for any evidence that she had been abused as he feared, but she was mostly hidden away inside her cloak. When his gaze returned to her face, he saw that her open eyes were shining brightly with tears that she shakily brushed away. "N-no," she whispered.

Severus was hardly surprised by her reluctance to talk about what she had endured but it left him feeling helpless and a little frustrated. Pushing his emotions aside, as calmly as he could he said, "Miss Granger, may I escort you to Madam Pomfrey?"

She physically cringed at his offer, her head shaking more insistently. "No - he, he hasn't done anything."

Severus paused, cautiously relieved but also puzzled by her words. If Dolohov hadn't physically or sexually assaulted her in some way then what had prompted this disturbing behaviour from her? "Calm yourself," he advised with a little more firmness in his tone. "Regain control."

She took a couple of deep breaths, responding positively to the instructions as he'd hoped she might. After a few seconds, her worried features smoothed out a little, and she was probably utilising her Occlumency shields to manage the amount of emotion she was feeling, but he could tell that she was still tense and anxious.

"What has happened?" he asked.

Granger still hadn't looked at him, even now she was only able to raise her eyes to a spot a couple of inches to the left of his elbow. She took another deep breath, swallowed, then said quietly, "He found out that you've been helping me."

Severus's eyes narrowed. "The only way that he could have found out is if you told him," he said, his voice ice cold. "Something you swore you would never do." Oh, her behaviour made sense now. Yes, he could see that the shame was actually for what she'd done, not what had been done to her; her tears born of her guilt at her foolish mistake; her fear a product of the potential repercussions of her stupidity.

She cringed at his words but he felt nothing but contempt.

"I'm so sorry, sir," she said and there was evidence of emotion not deadened by her shields. "I don't understand how it happened. I -"

"That's the best defence you can come up with?" he sneeringly interrupted and she flinched again. "You 'don't understand?' For a witch who's often touted as intelligent, I doubt that your comprehension skills have deserted you now - you're simply attempting to avoid responsibility for your stupidity, just as you and your friends have done from the moment you arrived at this school."

"No - " she began to protest but he didn't give her the chance to say more.

"Either you willingly gave up my name in order to ingratiate yourself further with Dolohov…"

She gave a little gasp and her shocked gaze actually met his own for the first time that evening. "No," she insisted emphatically, shaking her head. Severus suspected that she was telling the truth but he wasn't foolish enough to trust her.

"…or your control was lacking and you allowed the intensity of the relief you received to overwhelm the little sense you possess, and my name was let loose by a distracted, careless tongue."

Her gaze dropped away, her pale face becoming flushed, symptoms of her apparent guilt. "I didn't even hear him ask me," she said quietly to the floor. "I don't remember saying your name, but I must have because otherwise he wouldn't know it was you."

Severus's cold gaze was boring into the top of her skull. "Are your shields no longer an effective method for distancing the effect of his touch? Have you deceived me - and the headmaster - on that front?"

Her head rose a fraction to give him a glimpse of her eyes. "No."

"Have you allowed your skills to regress since you walked out on our sessions?" He didn't believe so because he knew she was well-shielded whenever he encountered her. As expected, she shook her head.

There was only one other possibility he could think of and the chance that she could have been so utterly brainless made his tone harsh with repressed fury. "Were you purposefully unshielded?"

She pressed her lips together tightly for a couple of seconds then whispered, "Yes." A torrent of scathing remarks and insults was on the tip of his tongue but she spoke before he could let rip. "I know how risky it is but he can tell when I'm shielded. He doesn't like it. He won't cooperate if they're up and I'm withdrawn. It…it's something I've had to do to get him closer to me." Her eyes came up to his once more and there was a hint of defiance there. "Like you told me to."

He could feel a tiny muscle near his eye spasming, making his vision twitch ever so slightly as he glared at her. Again, he was tempted to lash out at her (she wanted to apportion some of the blame for her stupidity to him?!) but he needed more answers from her, and his caustic remarks might cause her to clamp up. "You've been unshielded before?"

"Yes - and nothing like this has happened - "

"How long?" he interrupted. "How long have you been letting your shields down around him?"

She looked uncomfortable. "A couple of months."

He had no way of knowing whether she was being honest. However, that was around the time that she had turned away from Severus and it might explain how she had become more influenced by Dolohov.

"I've told him nothing before tonight," she insisted. "He's questioned me before but I've never even come close to telling him anything. I think… I think his touch must have been more overpowering today because of the additional hours between my previous daytime visit and an evening one tonight. I'm sorry, sir, I should've recognised the risk and acted accordingly."

He noted how she was more in control. There were still a couple of hints of emotion but her Occlumency shields were, ironically, now doing their job. He considered whether he was being manipulated. He didn't doubt that Dolohov now knew that he had been aiding her because there was no reason for her to lie about that. The fact that she had admitted her mistake to him appeared to be a good sign as she could have very easily remained silent - particularly given Severus's concerns that she was falling more heavily under Dolohov's sway. But she withheld so much about her time within the prison, and what little she did reveal had no guarantee of truth. There could be much that she was lying about or hiding from him. After all, he had seen how well she had performed in her meeting with Dumbledore a couple of weeks ago - and it had been a performance. Severus well knew that she now distrusted the headmaster, probably more than she doubted Severus himself, but there was no outward hint of that when she had stood in Dumbledore's office. Severus had been worried that she wouldn't be able to hide her suspicions or mislead someone as astute as Dumbledore, but it appeared that she had because Albus had only questioned Severus the next day about Minerva's unexpected presence, to which he had responded that it was only natural that Granger should seek the support of her Head of House given Minerva's involvement so far. Severus had thought it a clever move on Granger's part, given the uncertainties about Dumbledore's motives for the meeting. Severus's combined relief at her composure and Albus's apparent intention to attempt Dolohov's removal from Azkaban as he'd suggested had been his primary reaction but, ever since, Severus had dwelt uneasily on her comments in moments of reflection and felt those misgivings even more strongly now. Yes, he had been the one to tell her to lie and obfuscate the truth where necessary, but that only meant he was nearly as much in the dark as Dumbledore. Severus knew that they absolutely talked of more than just her subjects - but what exactly was Dolohov saying to try and turn her against the Order? The last time that Snape had broken through her mental shields and pursued her Azkaban visits in her mind, he'd seen that Dolohov had begun to view her quite differently to the cruel hostilities that had been reported in their earlier encounters. But that had been many months ago. How did Dolohov regard her now? And how did Granger feel about Dolohov? That mutual attraction - had it really been held at bay? Did Dolohov only ever touch her arms as she'd told Dumbledore? Severus recalled his immediate assumption upon her entrance to his office that Dolohov had raped or sexually assaulted her in some way. He hadn't been surprised at the possibility, only fearful and guilt-ridden for his part in encouraging her to get close, which clearly showed that he expected Dolohov to push the physical limits between them. Would Granger provide different answers to him than the ones she'd given Dumbledore? Even if she did, how would he know if she was being truthful? He couldn't.

They needed to get Dolohov out of Azkaban. If he was beyond the Dark Lord's reach, it hardly mattered what went on between them. But should Scrimgeour turn them down or the prisoners break free before Dolohov could be moved, the outcome of the war could very well depend on the young woman in front of him and the Death Eater her life was tied to.

"Is it working?" he asked her. She gave him a questioning look and he added, "Your attempts to get closer to Dolohov."

The pause before her answer was longer than he had anticipated. Was she considering how best to lie to him? How much to conceal? Was she worried that he would turn her words against her in some fashion?

"I don't believe that he wishes me dead," she said, speaking each word slowly and deliberately. Severus waited for more. That was hardly news considering that he hadn't strangled the girl in the ten months she'd been visiting him. "Should he escape from Azkaban, I mean," she eventually added.

Severus considered her words with interest. "He wouldn't be happy to let you succumb to the curse?"

"He says not," she replied simply.

Severus frowned. "Could that not be a manipulation on his part?"

"Of course," she answered immediately, "and obviously his priorities will likely change if he ever rejoins his master - but for the moment I think he believes what he says, that he wouldn't want to let me go."

Her tone was strangely lacking in emotion and Severus wasn't sure if that made what she said more or less convincing in terms of it being honest. Was it possible that Dolohov truly had formed some sort of attachment to the young woman before him? It was what they had secretly been working and hoping for. If true, how deep did it run? How much would he let Granger in?

"But not at the cost of his own freedom?" Severus asked. "He wouldn't desert the Dark Lord for you?"

She hesitated then shook her head. "He is adamant that no other path exists for him, that his life has been bound since birth." There was a glint of something beneath the surface in her gaze and Severus recalled how she'd remonstrated with him about the vulnerability of certain students within the school, how she'd wanted to avoid history repeating itself with the recruitment of young Death Eaters. Clearly, Dolohov's words on the matter had struck a chord with her. Although Severus could appreciate that she'd done well in getting Dolohov to discuss such matters with her, any increase in intimacy between them also made her position more precarious. "But if we can move him away from Azkaban," Granger continued, "and prove to him that particular future has been cut off, I think it might be possible that his eyes could be opened."

Severus tried to marry up her words with the Antonin Dolohov that he knew - the power-hungry, malicious and devoted servant of the Dark Lord, who prided himself on creating dark and painful spells to torture and kill his victims, muggle and magical alike. What was Granger seeing in him that she thought could be salvaged? What was Dolohov saying to her, showing her, inspiring in her with his touch?

And was any of this even real? Was Dolohov playing Granger? Was she manipulating Severus? The uncertainty of it all was bringing forth another sharp headache.

"Even if we cannot facilitate a removal from Azkaban, any inclination on his part not to let you go could make him vulnerable to recapture if he escapes from prison," Severus said. "All might not be lost should there be a breakout." It was a slither of good news - providing that Dolohov was as keen on getting to Granger as she claimed and reckless enough to fall prey to an ambush in the attempt. Though what Dolohov planned for the young woman should he be successful Severus couldn't imagine - or, more accurately, he didn't want to because it couldn't be anything Granger would enjoy, and that was without adding in whatever designs the Dark Lord and the other Death Eaters might have for her.

Severus knew that he should make the most of this moment of apparent candour to repeat Dumbledore's question about the appropriateness of Dolohov's touch. He had asked her uncomfortable questions before but his internal disquiet about what could become of her if she fell into the wrong hands, coupled with his certainty that she no longer had any compunctions about lying to him, had him sidestepping the question. "What was Dolohov's reaction upon hearing my name?" he asked instead.

Her eyes momentarily lifted to his face, perhaps trying to gauge his own emotions because he had been questioning her with clipped civility, but his stony expression and hard gaze conveyed that he was still livid about her stupidity.

"He was confused - and angry, especially when I wouldn't talk about you any further." She frowned at the same spot beside his shoulder. "I panicked and froze. I didn't know what to say or how to fix things but I couldn't leave because I hadn't had enough relief from the curse."

"He was angry because he believes me a traitor to the Dark Lord's cause?"

Her frown deepened. "Not exactly. Like I said, he was confused. He knows that you're a spy - that both sides think you're working for them." Her eyes briefly darted up to his face again. "He wants to believe that you're still a loyal Death Eater but I could see that he has doubts, even without me confirming or denying anything." She took a deep breath and lifted her head to look at him directly once more. "If he breaks out, I'm sure that he won't keep his suspicions to himself. He has long harboured anger towards the Order figure whom he thinks has been manipulating me and I don't think he hates you any less now that he knows it's you. He'll either confront you directly or take up the matter with V- him to find out the truth."

Severus was reasonably confident that he could handle Dolohov, but should the Dark Lord hear that Severus had been aware of Granger's situation for months without informing his Lord or seeking to manipulate the situation to His cause, it could cost Severus his life and the Order their greatest intelligence within the enemy camp. Severus had gotten himself out of precarious situations before and there was a chance he could talk his way out of this one - it was only Granger's word that implicated him. Dolohov would have no other proof. Severus had remained behind when the Order had first taken Granger to Azkaban, and had only escorted her all the way to the prison once when she'd had that extreme reaction to his Legilimency and none of the inmates had seen him there. None of the students except Potter and Weasley knew that he had tutored her in Occlumency, and he had made sure that their exits and entrances to the castle for her visits were discreet. Without Granger or another informed member of the Order present for their memories to be explored or confessions produced under some form of torture, it would simply be Antonin's word against his - a twice-captured madman versus a trusted spy. The more Severus thought about it, the more likely he believed he'd be able to survive the accusation - but it was still an awful lot of trouble that he'd much prefer to avoid.

And he would, supposing they could get Dolohov out of Azkaban and somewhere more secure. He would press the matter with Dumbledore the next time he saw the headmaster. The situation between Dolohov and Granger was becoming more and more dangerous, and seemed on the verge of spinning out of control. With a lack of trust amongst all those involved, Severus had little idea how best to steer them all from disaster. She was gazing at him solemnly. He could scold her, caution her, play on her loyalty to Potter, appeal to the small amount of sense he knew she possessed, but he had done all of that before and here they were. As far as he knew, she had never made a mistake with Dolohov like this before and he could only hope that it shocked her enough to bring about some change in her dealings with the prisoner. Her behaviour upon entering his office suggested that this wasn't a futile hope. He wasn't unsympathetic to her plight (he knew more than anyone what she was up against but even he was unaware of what exactly went on in that cell) and he had been the one to propose she fight back against Dolohov with the power she had over him. Perhaps her excuses about dropping her shields to ensure Dolohov's cooperation and the additional hours of delay making his touch more potent were valid, but he was not in the mood to show her any grace. He was tired of this damned war and his precarious place in the middle, frustrated that his problems only seemed to grow despite his best efforts.

"Get out of my sight," he snapped at her and she started at the sudden dismissal.

"But what are we going to do?" she asked, wide-eyed. "What should I tell him on my next visit?"

"That's your problem," he said coldly. "You made the mistake. You fix it."

He took malicious pleasure in watching her struggle to accept what he was saying. He walked over to pull on the door and she stared at the open doorway stupidly for a few seconds. She took one cautious footstep and then another, before pausing as she drew level with him. "Will you inform the headmaster?"

Severus was unsurprised that she was concerned with the implications her blunder would have on her own welfare. He fixed her with an icy look and said, "I have yet to decide," as he began to close the door to force her from his presence. He wouldn't tell Dumbledore (because he couldn't see how that would help in any way), but he wasn't prepared to give her the peace of mind of knowing that. Let her suffer for a few days. It seemed a just punishment for her crime in his view.

The doubts and questions about Dolohov lingered in his mind long after Granger left. Yes, Severus thought that he could overcome the accusation should it be made to the Dark Lord and, yes, Dolohov could soon be moved beyond the chance of escape.

But what if he wasn't? What if Scrimgeour refused them or demanded a price that Dumbledore was unwilling to pay? What if Dolohov did find someone to corroborate his allegation?

The questions chased round and round his mind, making sleep impossible.

Was he prepared to risk his life on Rufus Scrimgeour's goodwill? Would Severus allow Antonin Dolohov - a sly bastard who was not to be underestimated - to jeopardise his crucial role and undermine all he had done over the years?

No.

For all he'd told Granger that it was her mistake to fix, it wouldn't do.

Something would have to be done. By him.

A/N I realise that this is probably on a par with the last chapter in terms of a teasing ending - sorry about that! When I wrote it, I was originally going to have the next part (an Antonin POV) included in this chapter but it got too long. I promise I won't keep you waiting too long before I post again.

It was fun to write the early worried/protective Snape turning into a coldly furious one. I hope you enjoyed the chapter even if it's a little shorter than usual.

I have actually started posting on my Instagram (red3684ashla) because at the beginning of November it will be 7 years since I first started posting this story on FFnet 😲 so I'm going through a chapter a day and sharing a small snippet. If you feel like taking a stroll down memory lane, come follow me!

Take care, everyone.