First Place - Angst

It had been the longest summer since before Severus moved into Hogwarts as a professor. That move, that offer from Dumbledore had almost certainly saved his life. Without the Occlumency training and position as the only Death Eater close to Dumbledore, Voldemort would have killed him long before he had Harry to save him. Severus was still unsure how Harry had known he was in danger and known where to find him.

The protection bond was the only answer. Severus could only assume that with Harry's extraordinary power and tendency to break every rule, and not only the man-made rules, the bond became two-way. There just wasn't enough information published on such ancient rituals. He had been through the Hogwarts library and began looking through the books in the Snape Vault but found no answer.

At the end of the school year Draco Malfoy had approached him for assistance in re-warding Malfoy Manor. Draco had already adjusted the wards to only admit acknowledged Malfoys or those who were with him but it was a ward easily broken.

The young man had certainly been surprised when Severus had come to his door, bypassing the ward rather easily, with Albus, Filius Flitwick, Alastor Moody, Tonks, and Andromeda Tonks. The seven of them, two of them blood relations to make the wards that much stronger, had made the Manor nearly as secure as Hogwarts itself. Added to the protections Lucius and many Malfoys before him had put on the Manor, Draco was protected almost as well as Harry was.

The trip had been a little bit more than providing assistance to one of his students who was in danger. The Order had decided that more of them needed to become acquainted with Draco, especially some of them who hadn't known him in his early years at Hogwarts. Moody and Andromeda, who had argued with her husband vociferously regarding their place in the war, had been designated the official assessors of Malfoy's potential.

Draco had performed admirably, especially by showing Tonks and Moody to the cache of dark objects in the hiding place under the dining room and requesting that they 'get that filth out of his home'. He told them to do whatever they wanted with it so long as he didn't have to see it ever again. It was a masterful move. Draco was by no means a light wizard, having learned too much from Lucius for that, but he wouldn't leave himself vulnerable to raids from the Ministry or the Death Eaters.

Severus had made it a point to visit Harry as much as possible. He saw that his son kept himself shuttered away from the Dursleys, interacting with them as little as possible. Harry did not to appear to have relaxed fully for even a moment the entire time he was in that house.

The three weeks at Highland Cottage had been emotionally charged and extremely beneficial. There had been a few arguments, but Severus suspected that he and Harry would never be able to avoid that. They were both too stubborn and defensive. Both of them had tempers that were easily triggered.

With Harry in Romania, all Severus could do was worry about him and go on with the work he needed to do. The relationship between Harry and Charlie bothered him. He would be a hypocrite if he claimed to be upset that his son was in a same-sex relationship, or that Harry was sexually active. It was Harry's refusal to discuss exactly what the relationship was that disturbed him. One or both of the young wizards was going to get hurt.

"What are you thinking about?" Lupin's voice was still slightly more hoarse than normal.

Severus looked up at the werewolf. They were the only two in the staff lounge, an enormous room with two fireplaces, couches, chairs, tables, and enough room for at least fifty people to socialize. There were less than twenty of them, including Filch and Firenze, both of whom never came to the lounge. Ever since the centaur joined the staff, meetings were held on the first floor in his forest classroom around a table conjured by Dumbledore.

"I'll give you three guesses," Severus replied, "though you will only need one."

"Harry," Remus smiled and sat down. Severus grunted, "and Charlie."

"Admirable," Severus said sullenly. "Are you sure you're not a Ravenclaw?"

Remus shook his head, "If you have a problem with them why did you send Harry to Romania?"

"Do you think keeping him in London would make a difference?" Severus raised an eyebrow. The werewolf settled back in a chair and conceded with a small smile. "It was Albus's suggestion anyway. He is doing everything he can to push those two together."

"I don't see any objections from Harry or Charlie," Remus said tentatively. "You heard Charlie last spring. This is probably good for Harry. If anyone is love starved, it's Harry."

Severus laughed lightly, "And I used to think he was surrounded by adulation everywhere he went." He shook his head, "It might be good for Harry... if he understood what is happening."

"What are you saying Severus?" Remus probed with his eyes narrowed, leaning forward.

"Harry refuses to have any kind of official relationship so long as Voldemort is alive," Severus shared, wondering when Remus had become his closest friend, or even when the werewolf had become his friend at all. Even James had never been able to lessen Severus's distaste for Remus Lupin. With a little internal roll of his eyes Severus determined he had just finally 'grown up'. "He is convinced that anyone connected like that to him will be in too much danger."

"What does he think he has with Charlie?" Remus asked in confusion, "An unusual friendship?"

"He refuses to discuss the matter," Severus glared, though his anger wasn't towards the man in front of him.

Remus sat back again and shook his head, "Harry is too accustomed to self-sacrifice... reminds me of someone I know."

Severus did not miss the pointed look sent his way. In a way he was proud that Harry was like him. He just wished his son had developed some of his more admirable traits rather than his worse ones.

"Albus wanted me to tell you there's a meeting tonight," Remus said while Severus was reflecting.

Severus just nodded and thought about how many prophecies became self-fulfilling, just like Greek Tragedy. 'Neither can live while the other survives.' Harry was doing his damnedest to make sure he didn't truly have a life until Voldemort was gone.

"Severus?" When Severus glanced up he saw Remus looking at his left hand.

It took a moment, but Severus remembered and twisted the ring, "James left it for me... in the Potter Vault. There were pictures... if you'd like..."

Remus smiled and nodded, his eyes bright, then walked out of the room, leaving Severus to his thoughts.

Grimmauld Place was more crowded than the last time Severus had been to a meeting there. More members had been recruited in his three week absence. The Diggorys were all there, Amos and his wife Julia, and his younger siblings Yvonne and Robin, twins who had been in Severus's graduating class.

Severus had arrived with Remus, who broke out in a huge smile when he entered the kitchen and hugged Yvonne Diggory fiercely. Her feet lifted off the ground and he spun her around in a circle.

"Von!" Remus's voice was sounding better than it had in months. "It's been years!"

"Sixteen years Remy!" Yvonne scolded and smacked his arm, though she was smiling at him. "You disappeared without a word!"

"I'm sorry Von," Remus looked downcast. "It was that... or storming Azkaban and finding myself in a cell of my own."

"Amos told me everything Remy," Yvonne brushed a hand through his hair and pulled him in for another hug. "You could have told us."

"The Marauders all knew... and Lily," Remus admitted with his head bowed. Remus was tall, but Yvonne was rather tall for a witch herself and she managed to make Remus look like a schoolboy again. "Severus found out in fifth year."

"Is that why...?" Yvonne didn't finish her question and Severus guessed that more than half the room was completely lost. Remus interacting that closely with anyone apart from Black or Harry was unusual to begin with. Only those who had been at Hogwarts then knew about the tremendous fight the Marauders had. Remus just nodded.

Severus turned away and looked over the other new members. Most of them he didn't recognize and he guessed that several of them had to be at least seven years older than him, as he knew everyone who had been through Hogwarts in the past thirty or so years.

Molly had food and drinks for the gathering as usual and Severus helped himself to some tea that he laced with rum before sitting down next to Minerva.

When Albus arrived his face was pensive and he paid little attention to those around him. The room quieted quickly and anyone who hadn't before promptly took their seats. The Weasley twins were absent, as they were on Harry guard duty in Romania. It must have been a full meeting, as many of those there were certainly not Inner Circle.

Just before Albus was about to speak the door burst open and a wizard dressed in very casual muggle attire swept into the kitchen looking a bit flustered, "Sorry I'm late. I got held up in a meeting. Hey Moony!"

Remus had already looked up at the voice, "Cyclops? Joseph didn't tell me you'd be here... and neither did you."

The man grinned and gave Remus a bear hug, "That's because he didn't know... and I thought I'd surprise you. I'll never live that down, will I?" Remus just shook his head and the man sat down next to him, "Did I miss anything?"

"We were only about to start David," Albus said with a small smile. "Perhaps our newest member should be introduced."

"You'll meet the rest later," Minerva said to Severus quietly. "They've been coming for a few weeks now and Davey was supposed to but something came up."

Now Severus recognized the man, who had been two years behind him in Hogwarts and still a student in his first year of teaching but not in his N.E.W.T. potions class. There was still a scar that separated the man's right eyebrow in two and continued down across his eyelid and onto his cheek.

"I'm Davey Gudgeon. I work with muggles as an archaeologist and keep an eye out for dangerous situations for the Ministry and opportunities for Gringotts," the wide grin the man had was infectious. Severus suddenly remembered where the scar had come from. "I'm married to a muggle and my oldest will be starting at Hogwarts this fall."

"Jackie's eleven?" Remus question in amazement and Davey nodded proudly.

"With that taken care of," Albus looked at the group sternly, "I have received information that Voldemort is becoming more interested in the dragon preserves. He has been told of Harry's newfound familiarity with dragons and has assigned a group of Death Eaters to investigate. No doubt they will begin with Romania, knowing that a Weasley is employed there."

"We'll warn Charlie," Bill said, as he was on the next shift in Romania. Only the 'Harry Circle' knew about that duty rotation.

Minerva frowned but didn't voice her full concern. As far as many of the members were concerned Harry was still with the Dursleys, "News of Harry's visitor must have gotten out."

Tonks and Bill chuckled, remembering the commotion caused when Harry's adoptive dragon mother tracked him to Hogwarts. Many of the new members were confused though, and looked disbelieving when filled in by their neighbors. Severus was thankful that Harry had left out his ability to speak to the dragons when he reported back to the Order. Thinking on it, he wasn't even sure if Albus had been told yet.

One of the new members spoke up, "The children of Death Eaters have been told to look for a potential romantic interest of Potter's. Greg laughed about some evidence his father saw."

Severus leaned over to Minerva and she whispered in his ear, "Rachel Williams, Gregory Goyle's aunt. She and her brother haven't been civil for years but she still sees her nephew."

Severus nodded. Geoffrey Goyle was a Death Eater from a light family, the only one of his siblings sorted into Slytherin. He had married another Slytherin and both joined Voldemort just out of Hogwarts. The father was just about as thick as his son and chances were neither of them knew they were providing information for the other side.

Dumbledore's eyes were narrowed, "Was there any indication of what the evidence was?"

Williams shook her head and Severus cast his thoughts back to the night in question. He knew perfectly well what the evidence was, but he could tell Albus after the meeting. The people around the table knew more than Harry was comfortable with as it was. Arthur and Molly Weasley both had their eyes narrowed in anger, though it could luckily be passed off as anger at the intrusion into Harry's life.

"Is he in a relationship?" Julia Diggory questioned with a concerned look. "Perhaps the girl should be warned."

"There is no girl," Severus announced coolly, "and no relationship."

A few people looked at Severus in confusion and Bill looked amused. Severus just glared, to the surprise of no one. He didn't even need to lie, as Harry would have agreed with him fully.

"Perhaps an article Daniel?" Albus suggested.

Daniel Lovegood nodded. The Quibbler had seen a rise in popularity over the past year after the success of the interview with Harry. Albus had started getting information out by leaking it to Daniel and a few reliable reporters.

"Now," Albus started in on the bulk of the meeting. Once those not in the 'Harry Circle', and a few others, were gone the other issues would be discussed. "We need to hear research updates."

A man Severus vaguely recognized began, "We have nothing."

"Croaker, Unspeakable," Minerva whispered.

Reports continued in the same vein. The Order was attempting to recreate the research on immortality that Voldemort used in hopes of finding a way to kill him. Some of them had theories that a powerful enough killing curse would be sufficient, but the popular opinion was that if it hadn't worked last time it wouldn't work this time.

Severus stayed after the meeting to talk with Albus. The headmaster had been away from Hogwarts since Severus had returned two days before the meeting. Only Albus, Minerva, Molly, and Arthur were in the kitchen with him when he renewed the Imperturbable Charm on the door.

"Was there something you wanted to discuss Severus?" Albus said knowingly while he sipped at some tea.

Severus looked at the headmaster and gave him a mild glare. It was rather obvious that he did. Minerva gave an exasperated sigh.

"Something strange happened at the cottage..."

Finding the Key - Chapter 11

Back to Chapter 9

Back to Results