A/N: The long-awaited update is FINALLY here! Uff da! It has just been one hell of a busy semester, but thank you all for continuing to leave messages and being understanding. I love you all. Happy Thanksgiving!

Bound to Him

Chapter 66

His feet had scarcely touched the ground before a slicing hex tore through his left shoulder and brought him to his knees.

"So good of you to join us, Severus!" Voldemort hissed, leaning out of his chair.

"My Lord, I –"

"Crucio!"

Snape collapsed fully onto his stomach as every nerve ending in his body was set aflame. Tears involuntarily sprang into his eyes as he writhed on the floor for several long seconds.

"Ten hours!" the tyrant screeched after lifting the Unforgiveable. "Ten hours have passed since I was alerted to the fact that Aurors were dispatched to Hogwarts, and yet… not as much as a single word from you!"

The spy shakily drew in a breath and pushed himself back onto haunches. "My Lord… I apologize… I had no opportunity –"

"Lies!" Bellatrix interrupted as she moved to stand beside her master's seat. "He must be lying, my Lord."

"Enough!" Voldemort snapped with a glare in her direction. When she cowed to his demand, his red gaze swung back to the bleeding man before him. "Legilimens!"

Severus gasped as his mind was brutally ripped open, but he did not delay in feeding the Dark Lord the information he sought. The hours he had spent under Tonks's watch had given him ample time to alter his recollections enough that he had no concerns that they would not be accepted as truth. There was now a deep sense of surprise and confusion accompanying Dumbledore's collapse and no timely application of a bezoar. He had further falsified the memory by showing himself dropping the small stone which he had alleged to have used into the pile of vomit before Moody stepped forward to collect it. After much debating with himself, he had left the majority of Moody's confrontation intact – eliminating only any indications that Minerva was anything more than a professional colleague standing up for her fellow Head of House.

Upon being released, he fell forward, barely catching himself with his right elbow before his nose hit the floor. His hair was yanked back a second later, and he found himself staring into Voldemort's astounded face. When a second Legilimens was cast, Snape again pushed forth the altered memories.

A raucous laugh escaped the tyrant as he moved his hands to the dark haired man's robes and pulled him to his feet.

"What is it, my Lord?" Bellatrix asked.

Voldemort roughly patted the Order spy on the cheek and then turned to gleefully address the rest of his gathered followers. "It appears that the almighty Dumbledore is not so mighty any longer! Poisoned!"

Excitement rippled through the dozen members present. Lucius, though, remained relatively stoic and subtly attempted to move closer to his wife. Narcissa was exceptionally pallid, swaying slightly on her feet until her husband's arm slipped around her waist to steady her.

"My Lord, is he dead?"

"Not entirely," the Dark Lord stated cheerily. "However, it is likely only a matter of time… thanks to Severus."

Bellatrix's smile vanished from her face to be replaced with a wide-eyed angry stare. "Thanks to Severus?"

Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Snape donned a haughty smirk as the witch came into his direct line of sight. He did not imagine that it would take much provocation at all to draw her into the line of fire.

"And the boy?" Voldemort asked, narrowing his eyes at the concerned Malfoys briefly before returning his gaze to the wizard nearest him.

The Potions Master cleared his throat, knowing full well to feign ignorance. "Potter has been limited to his dormitory along with the rest of the students. Granger is keeping –"

"Not Potter!" the serpentine wizard snapped.

Severus faked a look of confusion and shook his head. "Forgive me, my Lord, but I do not know to whom –"

"I am referring to the young Master Malfoy," came the impatient reply.

"Draco?" the Slytherin Head murmured, glancing toward the boy's parents. "I would imagine that the same holds true for him. I have not been allowed an opportunity to verify that all members of my House are accounted for, but I have heard no word to the contrary. Despite his mistrust in me, I am certain that that cross-eyed fuckwit would have taken great pleasure in informing me had one of my charges gone missing."

Eyes flashing in agreement, Voldemort spun to face the Malfoys. "For his sake, then, let us hope the boy left no evidence."

"Evidence?" Snape whispered. "Draco was –"

"He doesn't even know!" Bellatrix hissed, drawing everyone's attention. "You try to take credit, but you don't know anything! Do you even know which poison was used?"

The spy raised one eyebrow as the short witch strode toward him. "I cannot definitively –"

"You can't even recognize Angel's Trumpet; can you, Sevvie?" she sneered smugly. "And you're supposed to be the great Potions Master?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "One of the prominent characteristics of Angel's Trumpet is that its symptoms cannot be distinguished from those of several more common poisons. If you knew anything significant about poisons, Bella, you would surely be aware of that."

"I knew enough about poisons to procure it, didn't I?" she screeched. "Draco may have been the one to deliver the poison, but he would never have accomplished anything without my help! I was the one who made it possible, not you, and when the Muggle-lover dies, it will be because of me! Draco merely did as I told him to, and you! You did nothing, you worthless -"

"Bella, do stop shrieking," Voldemort sighed, touching his forehead as though it were beginning to pain him. "If the old fool does finally expire, you shall have my gratitude for providing the means, as will Draco for accomplishing the feat, and Severus for ensuring that timely treatment measures were not enacted. You will all share my favor; is that understood?"

Bellatrix continued glaring up at the younger wizard for several seconds before turning her attention to her master. "Yes, my Lord."

"Were I in a lesser mood, Bella, I would not be quite so forgiving of your selfishness."

"Of course, my Lord," she bowed, casting another dark look at Snape, and then dropped her voice to a low murmur. "You won't serve any use to him once Dumbledore is dead."

"Oh, and I suppose you'll be brewing his restorative draughts, then?" the Potions Master returned under his breath.

The witch audibly hissed and then purposely bumped into his left side as she ambled toward her sister. Snape bit back a groan at the resulting throb of pain, but managed to remain relatively steady on his feet.

"Severus, my son," the Dark Lord chuckled while gracefully taking a seat in an ornate chair. "While it gives me no satisfaction to see you continue to suffer after bringing me such delicious news –"

I find that incredibly hard to believe.

"—I think that your friends in the Order might find you more… sympathetic… in your present state."

As snickers broke out amongst the Death Eaters, the spy gave a small nod. "Of course, my Lord."

"Run along, then," Voldemort cooed, waving him off with his hand.

The professor stiffly turned to leave, but halted mid-step a moment later when he again heard his name.

"Oh, and Severus… should any developments arise," the tyrant instructed, focusing his red gaze upon the Malfoys, "I do expect that you will inform me with far greater expediency."

"Yes, my Lord."

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"Gah-fuck!" Severus cried, leaning against the castle gates and clutching at his shoulder. Apparating with open or recently repaired wounds always carried a heightened risk of splinching, which was why he had mandated that Hermione had to postpone her apparition lessons until long after he was sure her leg was healed. Unfortunately, he rarely was able to avoid that particular situation himself.

Breathing through his mouth, the wizard pulled his right hand away from his shoulder and attempted to ignore the queasiness that accompanied seeing it covered in his own blood. The initial slicing hex had not gone very deep, and he knew that he had carried enough focus to not do any extensive damage while travelling. That being said, it still stung like hell.

After wiping his hand on his robes, he reached for the gates, which narrowly opened with an audible creak. He slipped through to the grounds quickly and then immediately secured them.

"You there!" A gruff voice shouted. "Halt right there!"

Severus sighed deeply as two Aurors approached him with wands at the ready.

"Back so soon, Professor?" the second one sneered. "And just where was it you had to go in such a rush that you ignored our earlier shouts, hmm?"

"Oi! Back off, Druthers! He's with me!"

The chastised wizard gave a loud groan, but lowered his wand as Tonks stepped closer. "We were just wondering where it was the dear professor thought he would go when the entire castle has been instructed that no one is to leave the grounds."

"Well, if you're that curious, you can take it up with Mad-Eye," the witch sneered, grabbing hold of Snape's elbow and tugging it toward her, "seeing as he was the one who sent Professor Snape on the errand. Shall I tell Mad-Eye to be expecting your curiosity?"

When the two men were quick to decline her offer, she quirked her lips and raised one pink eyebrow. "Toddle off, then, yeah?"

Snape watched the Aurors grudgingly return to their sentry before glancing down at his former student. "Nymphadora… have you grown weary of rifling through my unmentionables already?"

"Never got the chance," Tonks returned with a glare as they began the snowy trek back to the castle. "I've been standing out here in the cold, waiting for your sorry arse to return."

"What hardship you've endured," he snarled.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, would you shu-uh-ahh!" The Auror screeched as she slipped on a patch of ice and instinctively latched onto his arm to keep herself from falling.

Severus hissed loudly and immediately yanked his injured limb out of her grasp. Though the action essentially dropped the witch on her rump, he did not offer her further assistance. Instead, he began striding faster down the path, cradling his left arm to his chest.

"Fuck's sake!" Tonks snapped while hauling herself to her feet. After brushing the snow off of her behind, she sprinted after him. "Professor! I –"

"Send your patronus to fetch Minerva and Moody," he interrupted with a cold glare. "I will meet with them in the Head Office."

"Not without me, you're not," the woman muttered before withdrawing her wand. As the ghostly wolf bounded off with the message, she heard him give a derisive snort. Frowning, she folded her arms to her chest. "What?"

"Is that the scent of unrequited love I'm detecting, Nymphadora?"

Her hair flashed bright red as she faltered in her step. "And just what the hell would you know about it, Snape?"

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"Snape!" Moody shouted as soon as the spy stepped clear of the emerald flames. "Did I not –"

"Alastor!" Minerva snapped. "He does not require your permission to respond to a summons – I will not say it again! Any delay in his response puts his safety at risk along with our chances of success!"

The grizzled Auror grumbled under his breath and folded his arms to his chest. "Fine. And just what was it you were so eager to run off and share with your Lord?"

"I wouldn't exactly say eager," Tonks muttered as she sank into a seat.

Severus inhaled deeply and subtly leaned against a chair for support. "Obviously, the Dark Lord was intrigued by the frenzy of activity and wished to… have his curiosity sated."

"And you, of course, took it upon yourself to satisfy him."

"It was unavoidable," the Potions Master sighed while attempting to will away the onset of light-headedness. "It was only a matter of limited time before he discovered the truth."

"Oh, is that so?" Mad Eye snarled, stepping forward.

McGonagall narrowed her eyes upon seeing that her colleague was gripping the back of the armchair with enough force that his fingers were pressing deep into the plush fabric. When she noticed dark lines about the edges of his nailbeds, the increased pallor of his skin, and the slight quiver in his arms, she inhaled sharply and immediately grabbed hold of Moody's elbow. Before he could protest, she pressed past the ex-Auror and swiftly approached the younger man. "Hold on. Severus, are you injured?"

The spy grimaced and avoided meeting her gaze. "I'll be fine."

"That isn't what I asked," she chastised, grabbing hold of his chin.

"Minerva, you can kiss his boo-boos later," Moody grumbled, "After I've finished with him."

"Alastor! I am one remaining nerve away from transfiguring you into teapot!" the Deputy Headmistress hissed before turning her attention back to the spy. Spotting what appeared to be a tear in his robes, she gently reached out and pulled away the soaked fabric. The pungent scent of copper hit her hard, and she gasped loudly at seeing the deep gash across his shoulder. "Severus, you should have said something."

"I can take care of it when -"

"No, we're taking care of it now," the witch stated boldly before tugging him around the edge of the armchair and shooing Tonks out of it. "Sit down before you pass out. You know that the aftershocks will be far worse if you continue to strain yourself."

His dark eyes snapped to her face, causing her lips to upturn sadly. "I've seen enough of your stoic returns to be able to spot the signs of the Cruciatus."

"Fecking hell," the pink-haired witch whispered upon catching sight of the injury.

Snape rolled his eyes and glared at the ceiling. "By all means, Nymphadora: continue gawking."

"Tonks, dear," McGonagall murmured, "run upstairs to Poppy, and see if she can step away for a spell. I'd rather put her expertise to use than my own."

"Right," she agreed before setting off in a sprint.

The elder witch sucked in a deep breath before gently touching the edge of his wound. When he audibly hissed, she winced and mumbled a quick apology.

"Minerva, I -"

"Severus, is there something that can't wait ten bloody minutes?" she interrupted, casting a warning glare in Moody's direction lest he attempt to insert himself into the situation. When the injured wizard gave a slow shake of his head, she nodded decisively. "Then we wait until Poppy can mend this. Dumbledore may not have given your physical well-being top priority, but I will not risk this worsening because you go into seizure. By the looks of it, you've already splinched yourself."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Poppy declared while rushing into the room. "Is the whole bloody staff going to pieces today?"

McGonagall gave a sad snort and moved out of the matron nurse's way. After watching the woman immediately settle into healing, she took a few steps closer to the surprisingly quiet former Auror. Pulling her eyes away from her younger colleague for a moment, she dropped her voice. "Alastor, despite whatever history you and he may have... you don't have any idea how often he returns like this... or worse. Frankly, no one does because he's too damn stubborn to seek help. Usually, the only time we know of his injuries are when they are so extensive that he can't make it back to his quarters under his own power."

Mad-Eye pinched his face into a frown and cleared his throat. "Well, I guess... I didn't really think..."

The Gryffindor Head sighed loudly and rubbed her forehead. "Yes, well... as much as I respect Albus, he doesn't exactly concern himself with the welfare of individuals."

The wizard grunted in understanding and shifted his stance slightly. "Is there a particular reason Voldemort wished to sever your arm?"

Madam Pomfrey grumbled under her breath while her patient slowly blinked open his eyes. "Had the Dark Lord wished to sever my arm, it would no longer be in my possession. This was merely... commentary on my timeliness."

Sucking in a quick breath, Minerva flashed a dark look in the ex-Auror's direction, who managed to appear a bit sheepish.

"And just how would he have known you would have had something to report?" Alastor asked gruffly.

Severus snorted in response and turned his head to meet the man's demanding gaze. "Because you have a leak in the Aurory."

"What?" the man snapped as Tonks gasped.

"The Dark Lord..." Snape hissed in pain briefly, "...knew that the reserve had been called out to Hogwarts, and he grew upset when I did not report as to the reason in a timely fashion."

"He didn't know about the poisoning beforehand?" McGonagall asked; surprise evident in her tone.

The spy shook his head. "The only one who seemed to expect it was Bellatrix. She seemed... rather proud of herself."

"Lestrange?" Moody growled. "Just how did she manage that?"

"I don't know. She wouldn't say. Didn't want me to take credit for anything."

Tonks stepped forward, frowning. "That's why she killed the Jiggers family, isn't it? Silas Jiggers gave her the poison."

"Undoubtedly," Snape responded before attempting to sit straighter in his chair, earning himself a glare from the Healer. "She did manage to let slip the nature of the poison, though. Angel's Trumpet."

Poppy cursed under her breath while the three standing Order members exchanged concerned looks.

"There's no direct antidote for that, is there?"

After the Potions Master shook his head, Madam Pomfrey leaned back onto the stool she had conjured earlier. "Just tolerance and time. The Angelaureus potion is the best hope we have. Thankfully we have a fair amount in stock."

Severus grunted quietly. "Albus suggested it would be... advantageous to have it on hand."

"Is there anything else you know?" Moody pressed.

When the Slytherin indicated negatively, the matron nurse clucked at the former Auror in disapproval. "Perhaps you might let him be, then? Convulsions are likely to start any minute, and he needs to rest."

"Fine," the grizzled wizard muttered before lumbering toward the door. "Tonks?"

"Yeah?" the pink-haired Auror asked.

"Well, are you coming or not?" he snapped. "There's a discussion to be had with Shacklebolt."

"Of course!"

Minerva watched the two Aurors disappear through the door and then sank against the edge of Snape's chair. With a flick of her wand, she transfigured the nearby sofa into a bed and waited until Poppy had finished stitching the angry flesh back together. The two witches then hauled a protesting Severus to his feet and guided him into bed.

"I don't need -"

"Shut up," Madam Pomfrey stated sternly. "You do need to rest."

"And let Hermione know you're alright," the Deputy Headmistress added. "I'm sure she's worrying herself sick."

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"He's still not on the map," Harry whispered urgently for what was likely the twelfth time since darkness had fallen.

Hermione sighed and wrapped her arms about her knees. She had stopped trying to give the logical explanation that Dumbledore was either in his private bedchambers or had been taken to St. Mungo's since it was obvious that the boy was not listening anyway. Neither of them had yet to remove their eyes from the wrinkled sheet of parchment since they had holed up in the sixth year boys' dormitory several hours prior. The common room had been abuzz with whispers and speculation as soon as the Fat Lady's Portrait had been sealed behind them, and the activity had only intensified after McGonagall's voice had projected the announcement that all classes had been cancelled until further notice. Ron had watched the map, too, for a while until Lavender had made a fuss about being frightened, and the two of them had disappeared shortly after supper.

"Snape's back."

"Yes, I see," she whispered. Her eyes had locked onto his name the moment it had reappeared alongside Tonks's. She could not quite be certain how long he had been gone, but she had scarcely taken a comfortable breath in the meantime.

"He must have gone to Voldemort."

Hermione's heart skipped a beat even though she had come to that realization far earlier.

"Why would he –"

"Because he probably didn't have a choice," she snapped.

Harry flicked his gaze to her in response to her tone, but kept quiet as they watched McGonagall's and Moody's names join them in the Headmaster's Office. When Tonks disappeared for a moment, returning with Madam Pomfrey, the girl unconsciously let out a gasp.

"Oh, he's injured!"

Her friend shifted uncomfortably beside her on the bed. "Or they're discussing Dumbledore's condition?"

She flashed him a pained smile for the surprising attempt at reason, but the clenching of her gut screamed that her first instinct was accurate. Suddenly, she felt extremely guilty for having ignored him so blatantly over the past few days. Just let him be alright. Please.

Her fingertips dug into her own thighs as the Aurors exited the office, leaving Severus with Minerva and Poppy. Memories of the night in which Severus had nearly died flashed through her consciousness.

'Granger.'

The sudden sound of his voice startled her, and Harry looked to her quizzically when she physically flinched. Shrugging her shoulders in response, she fixed her gaze on the parchment. 'Severus? Are you alright?'

'Yes, I'm fine.'

Her eyes narrowed considerably. 'Then why is Madam Pomfrey hovering over you?'

'What? How would you… You're using Potter's map.'

She winced at the frustration in his tone. 'Yes. Now are you really alright?'

There was a slight pause before he replied. 'Nothing serious, I assure you. Already mended.'

Hermione let loose a relieved sigh and stretched out her legs. 'And Dumbledore?'

'Stable, for now. Only time will reveal anything further.'

'So, all we can do is wait?' The young witch bit down on her lip.

'Yes. And if there is anything you do not wish the Aurors to find, I would advise making use of the sheath I gave you.'

'They're going to search our rooms?' She grimaced at the stupidity of the thought and shook her head. 'Of course they are.'

'They'll start in Slytherin, but they shall at least pretend to search the other Houses.'

'Right.' She nodded, rubbing her face. 'I will do so tonight.'

'Good.'

'Severus?'

'Yes?'

'I'm… I'm sorry about what I said the other night. You were right that I'm not prepared, but I was upset and embarrassed and I reacted poorly—'

'Grang—Hermione, don't. I was out of line, and you were well within your rights. It was wrong of me to expect you to accomplish in six months what's taken me two decades. You have made exceptional progress, and I should not have belittled that.'

The corners of her lips turned upward at the admission. After glancing at Harry who was still staring at the map, her expression sobered quickly. Though she was grateful for the admission, the amount of truth that had been in his criticisms was overwhelming.

'Hermione… you shouldn't dwell on what I said. You should… should… get some rest, and –'

'Severus, are you alright?'

'Poppy… damn sleeping draught.'

The witch stifled a small snort. 'Good night, then. I'm glad you're back.'

When she heard no response, Hermione inhaled deeply and looked at the small clock on the bedside table. Upon realizing that it was nearly midnight, she groaned and slipped off the side of the bed.

"Hermione?"

"It's late, Harry," she explained, turning to look over her shoulder. "I'm sure that Dumbledore is receiving the best care. All we can do is wait and hope for him to recover. I think I'm going to turn in for the night, but if you aren't going to sleep, you should at least eat something. There's probably something still left downstairs."

"Okay," the boy nodded. "Good night, Hermione."

"Good night," she replied. "I'll see you in a few hours."

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

Snape grit his teeth as he stood a few feet inside the doorway of the Prefects' Room in the Slytherin boys' dormitory. The inhabitants of the room – Stengins, Malfoy, and Burke – were standing nearby, looking on with varying expressions of anger, horror, and shock as two male Aurors all but cheerily tore apart their residence.

"Shall we speed things along, Mugs?" the taller man asked.

His colleague snorted and tossed down a few books. "Might as well, Ulton; otherwise, it'll take us all afternoon just to do this one."

"Aye," Ulton agreed, lifting up Burke's trunk and dumping the contents out all over the floor.

Severus crossed his arms, knowing there was little he could do without making the situation worse. He flicked his gaze briefly to his fifth year prefect, noticing that the boy appeared to be holding back tears, before returning his burning glare to the backside of the man carelessly rifling through the pile of belongings. The older children would likely keep relatively composed during the searches, but he was growing increasingly concerned about how the younger students would react to the intrusion into their personal spaces. He was not looking forward to making sure that two dozen sniffling children were able to sleep that night.

When the stockier Auror – Muggins – finally finished with Stengins's desk and made his way toward Malfoy's end of the room, the pureblood heir noticeably flinched. Draco shifted as the man picked up his trunk, and his Head of House quickly grabbed hold of his arm to keep him in place.

"Oh-ho-ho!" Ulton jeered, catching sight of the motion. "Better look twice as hard there, Mugsie! That's Malfoy paraphernalia you're pawin' through!"

"Better pull up the floorboards and tear apart the mattress, then," Muggins replied with a chuckle. "I'm sure he's picked up his father's slippery habits."

Snape grimaced as the investigator dumped out Malfoy's belongings with even less regard than had been shown to the other two occupants of the room. The sound of glass shattering did not appear to phase the Aurors in the least.

"Hey –" Draco's voice fell silent when the professor squeezed his shoulder in warning. Though he scowled up at his mentor, he remained quiet for several minutes while watching the men's progression. His jaw twitched when the two drawers of his desk were emptied in a similar fashion to his trunk, but his ire rose immeasurably when Ulton pulled the stash of letters from beneath his mattress.

"We'll be taking these for evidence," the Auror stated, producing a sack for holding them.

"You have no right to –"

"Oh, I think you'll find we have plenty of right," Ulton sneered, tucking the bag into his robes. "You've been corresponding with You-Know-Who's sympathizers, which gives us more than enough cause."

The blonde was obviously seething as the Aurors slowly finished tearing through his things. Instead of leaving, however, the pair approached the three boys.

"Hand over your robes, each of you," Muggins commanded.

"Pardon?" Severus snapped, clearing his throat and stepping in front of his students. "I believe you were given permission to search the dormitories, not the students."

"They're in the dormitory, aren't they? I say that's fair game."

"I beg to differ," the Slytherin Head argued coldly. "You are able to ransack these rooms because they belong to the school, and Professor McGonagall has begrudgingly allowed you to do so. In order to ransack children, however, you have to receive consent from their parents or guardians."

Ulton appeared uncertain as he glanced down at his shorter companion, but Muggins merely tilted his head. "I suppose that's true, Professor… for the two of them. That one, however, will do as we say or find himself taken into custody for suspicion of treachery."

"He is an underaged wizard –"

"Whose parents have recently been declared fugitives from justice," the Auror interrupted. "That alone could give us the right to bring him in for questioning."

Snape swallowed in distaste before turning to face his student. "Mr. Malfoy…"

Draco took in a shuddering breath as he stepped forward and began unfastening the clasp of his school robes. Before he could hand them over, they were snatched out of his grasp along with his wand. The boy opened his mouth in protest, but thought better of it. Instead, he cast a fearful glance up at his professor.

"What do we have here?" Muggins questioned, pulling out a wrinkled envelope. He passed it to his colleague, who immediately yanked out the parchment it contained.

"Oh, well isn't this cute?" Ulton snickered as he began to read aloud. "My darling baby boy…"

"Professor, we've finished with the – Oi! What the hell are you doing?" Tonks shouted, having just stepped into the room. She stared in abject horror at the status of the room. "Muggins!"

"Just being thorough," he shrugged.

The pink-haired witch glared at him in return and then froze upon finally comprehending what the third Auror was saying. Marching forward, she pulled Draco away from them by his elbow and glared at her colleagues. "What the hell is wrong with you? Give me that!"

"Hey!" Ulton snapped when she snatched the letter out of his hand. "We need that for evidence!"

"Evidence of what, exactly?" she retorted, glancing down at the writing. "That a mother loves her son?"

"There could be something in it – hidden message or useful information."

Tonks rolled her eyes and quickly cast a number of revealing charms. When they all revealed nothing of interest, she thrust the rather crumpled letter behind her into her cousin's chest.

Undeterred by the situation, Muggins continued digging through Draco's robe, producing a few knuts, quill nibs, and a smooth, purple stone. "What's this, then?"

The witch narrowed her gaze. "It appears to be an amethyst."

"What's it do, boy?"

Stepping sideways to stand in front of the pureblood, Tonks held out her hand demandingly. "It's a rock, you idiot; not a weapon."

"Well, he's carrying it around for a reason, isn't he?"

Severus cleared his throat. "Amethysts are thought to be talismans of protection."

"Protection from what, eh?"

"Perhaps from the two of you," the woman muttered, seizing hold of the stone. Before she passed it to her younger cousin, her eyes fell on the item held in Ulton's left hand. "Why do you have his wand?"

The tall man shrugged a shoulder. "We were just taking precaution. He was getting a bit riled up."

"I would be riled up, too, if this is what you did to my things!" Tonks hissed. "This is not procedure!"

"Well, when did you go and join the Policy Brigade?"

Her hair flashed red as she yanked Draco's wand out of her colleague's clutches. "One more word out of either of you, and I will take this to Kingsley. You can explain to him just why Hogwarts retracted permission, because you know damn well that's what Professor McGonagall will do if you continue acting like this!"

Both men were red-faced with anger, but they said nothing as they tossed the boy's robes onto the ground and stormed out of the room. Tonks blew out a heated breath and muttered beneath her breath before turning in place. Holding out the wand and gemstone, she swallowed hesitantly. "I'm sorry for their behavior."

Sneering, Draco snatched the items out of her hands and pushed past her to see to his scattered belongings.

The witch cast an apologetic glance at Snape before he slipped out of the room to monitor her fellow Aurors, and then moved in the direction of her cousin. Kneeling down, she began to help pick up his things. As she gathered up pieces of broken glass, she chanced a look at him. "Can I ask what this was?"

"Nothing important," he mumbled, cleaning up an ink spill. "Just an extra ink well someone gave me for Christmas."

"Oh," she murmured. "I could try to put it back together if – "

"Don't bother," Malfoy snapped before gathering up the rest of the shards from the floor and tossing them in the rubbish bin. He then stood up and walked away to straighten his bed. When she moved to assist him, he fixed her with a dark glare. "I don't need your help."

"I just thought I could offer –"

"Why don't you just leave me alone?" the boy muttered mournfully.

"Okay… Sorry," Tonks whispered before brushing her hands on her robes and exiting the room.

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"This feels really strange," Ginny whispered, earning a grunt of agreement from Mattie.

Hermione flicked her gaze to Professor Babbling, who gave her a sympathetic smile. Inhaling deeply, the young witch returned her attention to the rest of the room where Tonks and another female Auror were presently combing through their desks. Though she knew that there should not be anything incriminating for them to find, she could not stop her stomach from clenching in anxiety.

What if there's something I missed? Fiddling with her necklace, she quickly ran through the inventory of damning evidence she had removed. Luckily, her roommates had both still remained downstairs for a few hours after she had left Harry's room two nights prior, and she had been able to tear through her own belongings without drawing suspicion. Every note she had kept from Severus or Draco, the Christmas card she never delivered to her parents, and the few books Severus had loaned her had all been stuffed into the purple, beaded bag, which she had then minimized and slipped inside the wand sheath currently wrapped around her forearm.

To ensure that the charms on the sheath worked like Snape had described, she had rolled up her sleeves the night before while sitting with Neville and Harry. While the latter was likely not to notice it at all, she knew that had the sheath been visible, Neville would have mentioned something. Since he had not, the girl was confident that it would keep her secrets well hidden. Nevertheless, she was going to be damned sure to keep her sleeves pulled down as far as possible. Likewise, she was keeping her wand in sight – in her jeans pocket – in case anyone would question where it was.

"You okay, Hermione?"

The brunette took in a deep breath and nodded at her friend. "Yeah. I'm just worried about what's happening."

"Yeah, I know," Ginny mumbled. "I keep thinking that it feels like it's just going to get worse."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"Wotcher, girlies," Tonks greeted cheerfully as her colleague left the room with Professor Babbling following closely behind her. "All done in here, so the three of you are free to roam… well, this room and the common room. Not a great deal of freedom, I guess."

"No, not really," Mathina sighed as she gracefully flopped onto her bed.

"How much longer do you think we'll be stuck in here?" Ginny asked.

The older witch smirked. "Getting a bit stir crazy, are ya?"

"Locked in a tower with your ex and the boy he claimed was obsessed with you?" the redhead returned. "Oh, you have no idea."

"E gads," Tonks snickered, catching Hermione's eye before shrugging. "Well, if we're fortunate, we'll be through all of the dormitories by tomorrow. I should expect the confinement will be lifted within a few days, at the latest. Sorry, I can't offer you anything more concrete."

"It's okay." Hermione let go of the necklace pendant and shifted her weight. "Any word on how Professor Dumbledore is? Is he going to be alright?"

The Auror drew in an uncomfortable breath and then shook her head. "I really can't answer that one. Not because I don't trust you, of course, but because I actually don't know anything one way or the other."

"Right. Thanks anyway."

"No problem," Tonks replied before eyeing the purple stone lying atop the girl's jumper. "Lovely necklace, that."

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise and unconsciously touched the amethyst again. "Oh, erm, thanks."

"It's beautiful," the woman smiled brightly. "Where'd you get it?"

"I don't know, actually. It was a gift."

"A gift?"

"Yes," the curly haired witch answered, "from a friend."

"Ah. I like it," Tonks stated as she began drifting toward the door. "Well, I best be back to work. Have a good afternoon, ladies."

The two girls returned words of farewell while Mattie gave a muffled grunt before pulling a pillow over her head. Once the Auror was out of sight and the door had clicked shut behind her, Ginny raised an eyebrow and glanced over at her friend. "What was that about?"

Hermione frowned and shook her head as she recalled the expression that had been on the woman's face. "I honestly have no idea."

"So who is –"

"I'm kind of hungry again," the witch interrupted. "What about you, Gin? Want to see if there's still something of lunch left downstairs?"

Pausing briefly to consider the question, Ginny then shook her head. "No, thanks. He's probably down there again."

"You can't keep avoiding Dean," her friend chastised. "You're in the same House; you're on the same Quidditch team; you're both prefects; and he's not graduating for another year and a half."

"I know that!" the younger girl snapped. "I just… I've spent two days in the same common room as him, and I'd just like some time away from him… where he can't bother me."

"He's bothering you?"

Ginny sighed and rubbed her forehead. "He wants to… to get back together, but I… I can't agree to that unless I know that he respects my friendships."

Hermione took in a deep breath and ducked her head. "You know he really does care for you, right?"

"I know."

"And you really care for him, yes?"

"Yes!" she whined.

"Then why couldn't you just –"

"Because you couldn't possibly understand it, Mione!" Ginny exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and stomping quickly to her bed.

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Hermione muttered under her breath.

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"Well," Minerva sighed as she sank into the chair at the head of the staffroom table, "the Aurors have informed me that they have finished searching the majority of the castle. While they will still be actively engaged within the castle and will continue enforcing the restrictions on the post, they have agreed that the students be allowed to leave their dormitories."

An audible murmur of satisfaction rippled across the gathered Hogwarts faculty.

"I have asked the house-elves to serve today's luncheon in the common rooms as they have been doing, but tonight's meal will be held per normal procedure in the Great Hall," the acting-Headmistress continued. "I will make the announcement this afternoon."

Vector cleared her throat. "Are we resuming classes, then?"

"I think it best, yes," the elder woman replied. "They shall resume on Monday. Transfiguration, of course, will continue to be postponed until either Albus recovers or a suitable replacement is found.

"Speaking of Albus," Flitwick commented. "How is he this morning?"

As nearly every pair of eyes stared expectantly at her, McGonagall took in a deep breath. "Still stable. I wish that I had something more to tell you, but Poppy has explained that time really is his best hope right now. Every day that passes with no decline makes it more likely that he will eventually recover. Poppy is monitoring him now, and has been spending most of her time with him. Severus, Remus, and myself have been stepping in whenever she needs to be relieved."

The members of staff sat quietly for several minutes with somber expressions on their face. Finally Rolanda Hooch leaned forward against the table. "So, did they find anything?"

"With the extensive assortment of Weasley products, inappropriate reading material, and bottles of booze the Aurors turned up, we'll have enough detentions to last us the rest of the term," Severus replied casually.

After snickers broke out amongst the staff, Sinistra tilted her head and asked, "So they haven't actually discovered anything useful?"

Minerva shook her head and rubbed her face. "Not that they've said. I've been informed that they've confiscated some correspondence, but it is not apparent as to whether or not the letters contain any actual value."

"Likely not," Sprout mumbled sadly.

"I tend to agree, Pomona," the Gryffindor Head replied. "Now, is there anything else we need to discuss?"

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

Severus groaned as he pressed his fingers into his temple in an attempt to dull the throbbing in his head. He had scarcely managed any real sleep in nearly a week; not since Poppy had drugged him with the sleeping draught had he slept more than a few hours at a time. He had known that a sleeping potion was an option, but given the Dark Lord's current level of excitement and impatience, he did not want to risk being summoned while under its effects.

On top of that, he had just completed a full day of teaching. The students were worse than usual considering that they had not set foot in a classroom in the past five days, and could not have been bothered to do any actual coursework during their imprisonment in their dormitories.

"Ugh, fucking hell," the man whispered as he moved to rest his head on the desk. He had already contacted Hermione earlier that day to cancel their usual Monday night lesson since the Aurors were still lurking about looking for anything that could be considered suspicious. Though she had initially protested that they could just explain about her private defense lessons, he finally managed to convince her that it was best to spend the night elsewise. He had suggested that she use the time to train with Potter in the Room of Requirement since they both desperately needed the practice.

Given that Hermione was occupied, and he did not have any pressing grading concerns, Snape thought perhaps he could catch up on some much needed rest. Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and worked to clear his mind of any nagging thoughts. He was just about to nod off when there came a knock on his door.

The Slytherin Head straightened immediately and glanced up at the clock to see that it was shortly after seven. Hoping that it was not Granger standing on the other side of the door after he had told her not to risk it, he cleared his throat. "Enter."

Pink locks quickly appeared in his line of vision, and the wizard relaxed slightly. He waited until the door had been closed again before purring, "Nymphadora."

Though the tips of her hair momentarily darkened, he was disappointed when the witch did not rise to the bait as she usually did.

"Look, Professor," she began, "I know you're upset about the searches, and I completely understand. They were entirely out of line with how they handled Slytherin House, and I have made Kingsley fully aware of their misbehavior."

"Have you now?" Severus murmured, carefully covering his surprise. "And can your reputation with the Aurory survive coming to the defense of the snakes' den?"

Tonks snorted loudly. "Really, Professor? My reputation? I'm a female Auror, who has never been in a serious relationship, who is the daughter of a Muggle-born, who is a Metamorphagus, and who trips over the office doorstep at least twice a week and yet has been promoted faster than most of her colleagues. Oh, and my name is Nymphadora. Believe me, there's hardly any truth to my reputation with the Aurory to begin with, and I can certainly withstand any new rumors that may rear their ugly heads. More than likely, they'll just throw your name onto the list of individuals I have shagged or am currently shagging. They really aren't that creative."

"I see," he replied, shifting uncomfortably.

"Anyway, it was the right thing to do," she shrugged. "I haven't had the most positive of experiences with members of your House, but even so… frankly, I wanted to shove sharp objects up certain arseholes' arseholes."

Cracking a smirk, the Slytherin leaned against the back of his chair. "So, you came all the way down here to offer an apology and violent imagery?"

"Partially, yeah," the witch replied. "And while we're on the subject of apologies and violent imagery, I also wanted to apologize on behalf of the Order."

His eyebrows rose despite his best efforts at appearing impassive, and he quickly frowned. "I doubt that they would appreciate you doing so any more than the Aurory would."

With a sigh, Tonks shifted on her feet. "Yeah, well, they weren't there Wednesday night."

The wizard stiffened suddenly. "I don't need your pity, Miss Tonks."

"It isn't pity!" she argued, raising her gaze to meet his face. "Guilt, shock, concern, shame, admiration – yes, but not pity. What you've done, Professor, is –"

"Only what has needed to be done."

The Auror flinched at his tone, but rolled her eyes a moment later. "Is it Slytherin-code or something not to accept apologies or help?"

Severus narrowed his eyes and folded his arms to his chest. "In our experience, either typically comes with a steep price attached."

Her cheeks flushed a shade similar her hair as she mumbled, "Oh."

A tense silence enveloped them for a moment until she finally cleared her throat and slipped her hand into the deep pocket of her robes. "Well, I, erm, also wanted to give these to you. They were all thoroughly examined, of course, but I made sure that nothing untoward happened to them. I thought Draco might prefer you delivering them rather than me. I would ask you to apologize to him again for me, but since it would essentially be a waste of breath, I won't bother."

The man eyed her with surprise as he reached forward to accept the stack of letters bound neatly with twine. "I will see that Mr. Malfoy receives these… as well as your continued apologies."

A partial smile appeared on her face. "Thanks."

He gave a single nod and then tilted his head. "Was there something else you needed?"

"Well…" Tonks took in a deep breath. "About my cousin… exactly how much trouble is he in?"

Snape swallowed slowly and furled his brow as he considered her question.

"Look, I know it's your job and all to protect information and essentially play both sides," she stammered quickly, "but I read that letter he's been carrying around in his robes. The letter from his mum… where she told him how much she loved him, and that he was her sole priority, and that she would do everything she could to best protect him. With the amethyst, and… and with him and Hermione… I just know that he's in some sort of serious trouble."

Several seconds passed before he deemed it safe enough to respond. "You could say that."

The Auror nodded slowly and rubbed the back of her neck. "And Hermione… he really cares for her?"

"So it would seem," he ground out.

"Right," she murmured. "I saw the necklace he gave her – amethyst with Algiz carved into it. A protective stone with a protective rune? I mean, you give something like that to someone you care what happens to."

Lifting one eyebrow, Severus leaned one elbow on an armrest. "Miss Granger actually told you that he gave her the necklace?"

"Oh, no… of course not," the woman shook her head. "It was just the way she vaguely referenced receiving it from a friend – I could tell it was a little deeper than that."

"Ah."

"Anyway, I know you probably can't tell me anything about his situation, but if there's something he needs…" Tonks trailed off momentarily before starting again. "Mum may have been shunned by her sisters, but he's still family, in my mind, so if there's anything I can do to be of assistance…"

The spy stared at her in shock while she hesitantly extended the offer. Gathering his wits, he rubbed his temples and exhaled slowly. "I will keep that in mind, Miss Tonks."

"Thank you," she smiled. Moving toward the door, she glanced over her shoulder. "Good night, Professor."

As he made an acknowledging grunt, the fire in his office fireplace suddenly flashed green.

"Severus!" McGonagall's bobbing head shouted, catching both Order members' attentions.

Concerned by her tone, the wizard immediately pushed out of his seat. "Yes, Minerva?"

"Severus! Come quickly!" she gasped. "It's Albus! He's seizing!"