A Mortal Enemy

Chapter 8: A Prelude To War

Moments later Kara found herself rushing towards the dungeons to fetch Potter and his friends. The other Professors were rousing students from their beds. Her thoughts were still focused on the event that had just taken place between Draco and Snape.

Kara concluded that Draco must have written the note for Snape when he got within sight of Hogwarts. That was how he was able to elude Voldemort and make it past the anti-Owl charms Snape had put up. It made perfect sense now, although at the time, Kara had doubted the effectiveness of the spell Snape had used.

The hallways were filling with children in their pajamas. They seemed confused and unaware.

There had been no mistake about what Voldemort had intended in the letter that Draco had delivered. He was testing Snape's loyalties by taunting him. Snape had written a response rather quickly, but didn't tell her what it said. He almost didn't have to. Snape would have begun a long distance staring game with Voldemort; one played via owl. They were now officially enemies.

The portrait to the Chamber swung open with a single thought from Kara's mind. Eliza was still sleeping in the large velvet chair that graced the background of her painting.

And now Snape wanted to bring Draco back to Hogwarts; but for what reason? Even if he could somehow manage to sneak that by the staff and parents, how on Earth would he convince Potter not to hex Draco ten ways to hell at first sight? And just how was Draco's presence going to affect Snape's interactions with Voldemort?

Kara opened the wooden door that separated the long marble hall and the Chamber. She glanced briefly around the empty Chamber and then noticed the engraving of Hecate was standing open. The students were all sleeping soundly on the couches; that is except Potter. He was sitting in a chair with his knees drawn up to his chest, no doubt contemplating just what it meant for Dumbledore to be dead. Harry's head popped up when he sensed Kara was near him.

"It's time to go. It's morning now and we're just about to make the announcement," she said without feeling.

Harry simply nodded and walked over to nudge his three friends awake. He did this silently.

"You are going to have to sleep at some point. You do remember our agreement about your training?" Kara said in a tone harsher than she would have liked.

He didn't respond. He simply pulled a limp and tired Ginny up off the couch and walked towards the door. Kara followed the four of them back to the Great Hall where most of the students were already seated. All the Professors except Snape were present and without him, the announcement wouldn't be made. She glided to the front of the Hall and took a seat beside Professor Sinistra, leaving the chair to her left empty. It was almost fitting that the empty seat was to the right hand side of the Headmaster's chair.

There was an inquisitive, yet quiet din, in the Great Hall. Tiny whispers erupted from tired lips. 'Are we having a surprise breakfast feast?' 'Nonsense, on a Wednesday?' 'Maybe Snape is dead, look he isn't here!'

He wasn't there... yet. Just precisely what was he up to? Kara's questions were answered a few minutes later when six formidable looking wizards strode through the entrance to the Hall and took up position in the back. They were dressed in red and blue Ministry robes. Snape entered behind them, his own black robes billowing in their usual menacing manner. His head was held high, and Kara was almost positive he was frowning. But it wasn't his normal grimace, or his tightlipped sneer. It was an unfamiliar expression. Snape was mourning. Kara's heart nearly jumped into her throat. This was no time to be showing weakness to a pool of students, let alone a group where nearly a fourth were future Death Eaters.

Snape strode up the middle of the four long feasting tables and Kara's eyes were drawn back to the entrance of the Hall as Sirius Black and Remus Lupin entered. They both closed the doors behind them and took positions beside the Ministry Wizards. When the students recognized their visitors, the Hall went up into fits of chatter. Kara spotted Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny sitting in absolute silence as their Housemates interrogated them on why Sirius Black was here with their werewolf ex-Professor.

When Snape reached the table, he didn't sit down. He simply lifted a hand, palm out, indicating that the students should be quiet.

"I will waste no time in telling you that last evening a terrible event took place." He paused momentarily and swallowed hard. "At approximately 11pm, the Headmaster was called to London to head off an attack on the Ministry. In the battle that ensued thereafter, he..." Snape's voice broke.

Kara stared straight forward, assuming he would regain his composure and continue, but she was wrong. Before she knew what was happening, Snape reached down and picked up one of her hands from where they rested on her lap. He squeezed it tight and she was forced to look up at him. His head was dipped and she could see his eyes were closed.

She wrapped her other hand around his and attempted to relay all her confusion and concern through a few very subtle movements of her thumb. He looked into her eyes and she heard him mutter to himself "I can't say it." Kara squeezed his hand and nodded her head. He could say it. He had to and he would if she had to put a grief repelling charm on him herself.

Snape returned his attention to the room reluctantly, still holding her hand. Kara could see McGonagall wiping tears away with a handkerchief and Hagrid bawling at the end of the table. It was such a surreal moment to see the table of adults sobbing, and one thousand students staring on idly, waiting to find out why.

"The Headmaster came face to face with Voldemort. He killed several Death Eaters, and then Voldemort used..." Snape was going to have trouble saying the next part. The words haunted him, and not because of the severity of the spell, but because he had used it. "Avada Kedavra. Professor Dumbledore did not survive."

A loud gasp broke through the silence of the Great Hall, and then it fell quiet again. Gentle sobbing could be heard. Kara glanced around to see young eyes begin to swell with tears and arms flinging around shoulders in hugs of affection. Her own eyes were safe as she had performed the anti-tearing charm on them, but she could still feel the rotting pit in her stomach, the aching of her heart and the quickness of her breath.

"Due to the seriousness of this tragedy, classes are cancelled for the rest of the week. We will make an announcement in a few days as to the Headmaster's replacement. Prefects, ensure that everyone remains in their respective common rooms until told otherwise. You are dismissed."

After a few moments of silence, students stood and began filtering out towards the entrance of the Great Hall. Kara rose and put a discreet, but comforting arm around Snape. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away the few tears that had formed in his eyes.

"I don't understand why you did that," she whispered. "Why not just use an anti-tearing charm?"

"Because they need to see that I am grieving," he replied as he squeezed his nose with the handkerchief and then tucked it away in his sleeve. Now he seemed completely composed. His eyes were no longer red and you couldn't tell he had been tearing. "Come. You and I need to have a few discussions with our visitors."

The Great Hall was mostly empty by now. Harry was standing near the entrance talking to his Godfather and Lupin. The six Ministry Wizards were staring at them as if they had some sort of disease.

"Black, I need to see you in my office. You might as well come along too Potter," Snape said quickly as he floated past them. When they reached Snape's new office, he spoke the password, climbed the stairs and waited for everyone to settle.

Snape shuffled through some items on the desk, opened a drawer or two and rummaged through them. He was looking for something he obviously misplaced in Dumbledore's less than organized personal space.

"Your permanent quarters have been prepared," Snape directed at Sirius as he pulled out a key from a drawer on his left. "They're in the second floor corridor behind the portrait of Mangus Godson. I trust you can ward them yourself."

"That overlooks the Quidditch Pitch," Sirius said with a sense of awe. "Thanks."

"Permanent quarters?" Harry asked. Snape ignored him and Sirius suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"And here is the map. If I see anyone but you with it I will destroy it," Snape snapped as he handed the parchment to the new Professor and then looked through some scrolls sitting on the desk.

Harry looked between Snape and Sirius, clearly baffled by this display.

"How long are you staying?" he then directed at his Godfather. "And what do you need the map for?"

Sirius didn't know how to respond. He looked at Snape who was now reading a large scroll and pretending to pay no attention to the conversation.

"I will be staying at least until the end of the year," Sirius replied after realizing he was going to get no help from Snape. "You'll find out more about it in a few days," he added with a smile. Harry's face lit up.

Snape paused in his reading and looked up at his two least favorite people in the world and then for some reason he looked at Fawkes. Next he picked up a scroll from the desk and handed it to Harry.

"That is for you and you alone. Do not read it here. Take it down to the Chamber later and look at it. When you've finished, destroy it or at the very least put a concealment charm on it."

Kara wondered to herself what the scroll could have said. Did it outline secret plans involving Voldemort? Was it a letter from Dumbledore to Harry? Snape picked another scroll up off his desk, read it and then handed it to Harry.

"Read this one now," Snape said curtly.

The room was quiet as Harry read the tiny scroll. His face lit up and his eyes became wide.

"What is it Harry?" Sirius asked.

"Dumbledore left me Fawkes. In his will," Harry said in a surprised tone. He looked at the red bird perched near the window. Fawkes returned the gaze as if he understood what had just been said.

"I suggest you keep him in the Chamber, Potter. Phoenixes are not acceptable pets at this school and I refuse to deal with other student requests to have them. Now take the bird and get out of here," Snape said in a smooth voice.

Sirius and Harry glanced at one another and shared a look that only they understood. Snape saw it too, and it only added to his contempt for them.

When Harry was gone, Kara sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk alongside Sirius.

"Do you have anymore details on what happened last night?" Snape asked Sirius.

"No more than the Aurors told you. Unfortunately I'm no longer trusted," Sirius replied.

"I'm sure they trust you more than myself," Snape muttered to himself. "We're in an awkward position with the Ministry. Fudge has been attempting to take more control over the school for quite some time now. If Voldemort is controlling him then we are going to have to find ways of working around that."

He picked up an object off the desk and began to fidget with it in the way Dumbledore used to. It drove Kara crazy.

"We might want to ask Arthur Weasley," Sirius suggested.

"I wrote him a few hours ago; I'm not a complete idiot, Black," Snape snapped.

Sirius sighed. It was taking all of his self-control to have this conversation with Snape.

"I heard rumors you were in France last night," Sirius said non-threateningly.

"Rumors? Where did you hear that from?" Kara asked, slightly shocked that she had so easily put aside the tragedy of the previous evening.

"Sean Malange mentioned it. He's one of the Aurors that came along with Lupin and I. They said you were being held for questioning when news of the attack reached the French Ministry," he replied.

"Held for questioning? We were at my Aunt and Uncle's shop in Paris! We were hardly being held," Kara said indignantly. It was true, they hadn't been held. Not effectively anyway.

"So then you were in France. What on earth for? You knew this was the last night Dumbledore was going to be here," Black said in a voice that bordered on admonishment.

"Bezoars. For the Vaccine I supply the Ministry. Somehow, they've all gone missing."

"That is just another very annoying detail that we have to figure out soon," Snape added before Sirius could respond with what was probably disbelief. "As if we wont have enough trouble explaining the events of the next few days, we have to explain why the hell we were looking for bezoars in the middle of the night."

"The Ministry wont dare question me on this issue Severus. Not after everything I've provided them," Kara said.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. Fudge will be a problem soon enough," Black said cautiously. "We should keep as many Aurors here as possible. If not for the protection of the school from Voldemort, then from Fudge."

Snape simply sat and stared at Black as if he was a Hungarian Horntail on the prowl. Either he was recalculating his stance on Sirius Black, or he was pondering how to get him fired at the first possible moment. Sirius was having none of it however, and was innocently sitting with his legs crossed and a hand rubbing his stubbly chin. He was thinking. His eyes were cast on the floor.

After several minutes of silence, Sirius stood.

"I'm going to make a quick stop into the Gryffindor common room and then retire for a few hours. Wake me if you need me," he said as he walked towards the door.

"Oh and Black," Snape began before Sirius had a chance to escape. "I must commend you for your efforts in enchanting that map to so accurately ridicule me." His voice was thick and full of spite.

Kara could see a dawn of surprise on Sirius' face.

"We knew you'd find the map someday, Snape. Although none of us could have predicted you'd get it from James' son," Black replied as he turned towards the new Headmaster and smiled. "I'll make sure it says something more friendly next time."

Black looked pleased with himself as he turned and left.

Snape stood and began pacing the room briskly as he continued to fidget with the round object he had pilfered from one of Dumbledore's drawers.

"You're not serious about Malfoy are you?" she asked in a disapproving tone, wanting to avoid the subject of Sirius Black.

"I'm quite serious about Malfoy. My only problem is the Mark. I need to disable the telepathy charms on it but Fawkes would never agree, especially now that he belongs to Potter," Snape replied softly. Kara could tell he felt defeated.

"He will have to remain at Durmstrang until I can make plans to bring him here and remove the Mark without Voldemort knowing."

"And just how do you suppose the rest of the students will feel about this Severus?" Kara asked, clearly voicing her dissent.

"They will not know. He will have to be in disguise, and perhaps change Houses," Snape replied.

"And you'll tell Potter?"

He didn't answer, and instead gave her a stern look that said he thought the suggestion was ridiculous.

"Why are you doing this?" she probed. Snape didn't answer immediately. He simply stared out the window at the new morning sunshine.

"Severus?"

"It's what Dumbledore would have done," he replied softly. It was true. It was what Dumbledore had done for Snape and it's what he would have done for Draco.

"At the moment, Kara, I am focused on Fudge. If Black is right and the Ministry is nervous about our whereabouts last night, then we will have to deal with that issue first. Malfoy has survived this long and he will survive a little longer while we have time to make plans."

"We?" she asked. Were they formally breaking her pact with Voldemort?

"Is there any reason to continue with the charade?" Snape turned to look at her. "He knows full well where your loyalties lie. I'm sure he had doubts about whether you were faithful to Dumbledore, but I know he's aware of your loyalty to me."

It was true. Voldemort was more than aware of her dedication to Snape; he had experienced it first hand when she ran to his side after the Lestranges escaped Azkaban. It was why Potter had her Ring of Epa - just in case Voldemort ever used their relationship to make her use her powers against her will.

"Then you're declaring all-out war? Is that what you said when you wrote back?" Kara asked.

"I simply told him that I had achieved a life long ambition, and that he was right."

"Right about what?"

"That he could give me everything I ever wanted."

"And that would be?" What perverse thing had Snape said he wanted when he was Malfoy's age?

"A mortal enemy," Snape said clearly and calmly as he stared deep into her eyes.

Of course, she thought. A true enemy was the ultimate motivation for the stimulation of the intellect. It bred innovative thought, new spells and techniques. The thing Snape most wanted in the world was to be a practical academic; to put his mind and his powers to use in a way that impacted the world. Voldemort would have promised Snape world domination and the ability to rule over millions of Wizards and Muggles. Dumbledore had promised him endless resources for research. But in the end, what Voldemort had delivered him, was the ability to use all his training to defeat the pinnacle of Dark Ambition and give the Dark Lord a taste of bitter irony.

Kara was surprised she hadn't tagged this tidbit of information about her Dark Arts training to Snape's behavior. Dark Wizards always wanted power, but it wasn't the goal that made a Dark Wizard what he was. It was the journey. Kara sat back down in the leather chair she had been occupying. What was it Voldemort wanted? Eternal life? Harry Potter? What was the journey like for him? Did he consider the torture and murder of innocent lives part of the path to his goal? It was Dark Arts, but it was perverse in some way that Kara couldn't put her finger on. Voldemort didn't need to kill Muggles in order to obtain eternal life. He didn't need Wormtail or any of the other Death Eaters he had enlisted to kill Harry Potter. Snape had once told her that Voldemort's seemingly chaotic way of doing things was in fact part of his ingenious plan. But relative to Snape and Dumbledore's brilliant minds, Voldemort looked like an amateur.

And then it hit her like a bolt of lightning; a warm feeling entered her stomach and Kara nearly fell forward. The thoughts rushed through her mind and her blood nearly boiled. Was it a vision or a realization? Voldemort had never been properly trained in the Dark Arts. He was clever, intelligent and by all accounts a genius. But he lived as a Muggle orphan and then attended Hogwarts. Surely he had learned the hexes and curses, but he had never learned the methods. Snape on the other hand had spent seven of his most formative years with Nabokov and then seven more under the care of the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts had ever seen. It seemed the worst thing Tom Riddle could have done was to kill Dumbledore and allow Severus to accept this challenge. Kara peeked up at Snape who looked positively delighted as he beamed a sly smile at her. He seemed to understand she had had this realization and any doubts he had about himself were long past.

All Kara could do was admire him as the sun illuminated his figure making him look like some demonic supernatural being. Severus Snape was on the road to greatness, and Voldemort had no idea what was coming.

Their quiet moment together ended seconds later by the morning Owl delivery.

"You've removed the wards already?" Kara asked, mentally shaking herself free of her gift of sight.

"I asked the Ministry Aurors to remove them after we told the students," he replied calmly.

Nearly fifteen owls swept into the Headmaster's office. One carried the unmistakable scroll of the Daily Prophet. Snape paid the bird and notably ignored the headlines that plagued the front page. Instead, he lifted the largest of the remaining scrolls from the desk and sat down to read it.

Normally, when he read Snape seemed so peaceful, as if glancing at the pages of a book was somehow a religious experience for him. But now, he looked troubled. His body was tense and his face was twisted. After reading for nearly a half hour, he turned to find Kara staring intently at him. Their eyes met and she could hear the inner workings of his mind. He was exhausted, hungry and felt unclean. While Snape was no stranger to filth and long periods of time without sleep, he clearly wasn't enjoying the experience.

"I'm going to clean up," she spoke while rising from the chair. "I trust breakfast will still be served?"

"I will ask shortly for a private breakfast with the staff. The students will eat in their common rooms."

With a quick nod of acknowledgment she turned and left Snape alone to his mail. There was still much to be done on this day. Explanations, letter writing, ensuring students were staying safe and comfortable. Then the questions would come. The Ministry would begin the inquiry into why she and Snape were coincidentally involved in the disappearance of bezoars from shops all over. Parents would write to protest Snape's appointment to Headmaster and Sirius Black's appointment as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. There would be no Dumbledore there to protect them or to stand up and reason with the masses of Wizards that already respected his opinions.

Kara's thoughts then fell on the issue of Cornelius Fudge as she descended into the dungeons. All evidence now pointed to the fact that he might be working for Voldemort. The only way people would believe he had turned on the Ministry was if he confessed. And even if Kara could get Fudge alone long enough to read his mind and hear the thoughts directly, it would still be his word against hers. They had to come up with a plan to force him to make a mistake.

Kara turned the final corner that led to Snape's quarters. Sitting on the ground in front of his door was Hermione Granger. Tears were strolling down her face, and judging by the redness of her cheeks, she had been crying for quite some time. Tucked in the safety of her left arm was a glass jar that looked empty, save a stick, some lettuce and what appeared to be a beetle.

Kara looked into Hermione's eyes and heard, "Oh no, this was a bad idea."

---

by ezzie

http://ezziem.livejournal.com

Notes: This chapter was hard. Why would Snape cry? I know you're going to ask so I will answer. Snape has plans. He and Dumbledore have thought this through and now every move, every word and every action he takes from this moment on will be thoroughly thought out. And in truest tradition, someone throws a fork in Snape's wheel - Mr. Malfoy. And just what is Ms. Granger up to? Hm!

I think Snape was slightly out of character this chapter. He was hard to write in these situations. What would he say to the school? What would he say to Black? How would he approach Harry with things of awful importance that Dumbledore needed taken care of? Well.. I think I had all that figured out until I wrote the chapter. But the things here have laid some really important groundwork for the rest of the story.

Please review. I will hug you and love you in my thoughts if you do!

Thanks to Sarah my beta reader and Magni my most adoring critic.