Harry Potter and the Headmaster's Pensieve

Chapter 4 - The Assignment

The late summer sun sent streaks of gold across the highly polished floor of Severus Snape's study. The beams of light fell onto a battered old trunk, its lid open, exposing a large assortment of books and knickknacks - anything Severus thought would be of use. The man himself was seated at the handsome desk, looking through a large stack of books thoughtfully. Finally he rose, taking with him approximately half of the books and placing them into trunk. With a flick of his wand the trunk's lid was tightly closed and it was levitating a foot above the ground, keeping pace with him as he made his way down the stairs. He exited through the front door, sealing the house with numerous spells as he did so. Finally, he grasped one of the rusted handles of the trunk, and apparated away.

A moment later, he appeared at the front gates of Malfoy Manor. While still magnificent, it had the look of a house without any caretakers. The windows needed a good washing, and the usually expansive, emerald lawn was yellowed and dead, with numerous weeds cropping up between the brittle blades. Severus made his way to the front door, lifting the heavy knocker away from the peeling paint. He knocked three times, and heard the echo in the entrance hall. He waited for almost a minute when finally the door creaked open.

"Ah, Narcissa, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said silkily to the pale woman inside. She appeared greatly relieved that it was Snape at the door, and not anyone else.

"Of course not, Severus. To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked, her voice oddly breathy. She stepped aside, and he once again levitated his trunk and entered the mansion.

"Unfortunately, the Order of the Phoenix knows of Spinner's End, and I worry that once they have stopped mourning for Dumbledore, they will want their revenge on me. I had hoped, if you were open to it, that I could stay here until the war is over. I hate to impose, but I have nowhere else to go," he replied, taking her hand. His lips brushed lightly over her knuckles before releasing her.

"Severus, after what happened earlier this year, you are always welcome in this household. I will prepare one of the guest suites right away," she said, moving towards the stairs as the door creaked shut.

"There's no need to rush anything right now, Narcissa," Snape began, catching up with her and grasping her arm. "Just point me in the direction of where you'd like me to stay, and I'll set it all up later. Perhaps we can have some tea?"

"Of course, Severus. Go up to the third floor, and take the second door on the right. It should be most comfortable. Our House Elf is a bit under the weather, but hopefully she'll be able to put new bedding on before you have to sleep. Meet me in the parlor once you're ready for tea," she said, a bit nervously. Severus nodded and went up the stairs.

The manor seemed surprisingly quiet. Severus imagined that Narcissa must have fired all of the help once Lucius was arrested, unsure if she would need the money should Lucius's stay in Azkaban turn out longer than just a few weeks. Perhaps she just couldn't bear the whispers behind her back anymore. He understood - solitude certainly had it's benefits, even if it did make one's life lonely.

He surveyed the room, and found it to his liking. It was extravagant, as all guest suites in Malfoy Manor were, but this particular one had a stately writing desk in the center of the room, facing a large bay window. The window overlooked the expansive grounds, and the sight of rolling green hills was oddly calming to Severus. The bed was covered in rich green satin sheets and had thin, gauzy material stretching down from the ceiling to provide some sense of privacy. The private bath was fully stocked with plush white towels and an assortment of other care products. Finding everything to his liking, he headed down to the parlor. Narcissa was sitting majestically in an armchair Severus knew was typically reserved for Lucius, but he did not comment on it. He took a seat on the couch nearest her, and lifted the closest teacup to his nose. The pungent scent of fresh orange tea wafted towards him, and he was pleased to notice that it had not been poisoned in any way.

"I do hope I've prepared your drink correctly. If I recall, you prefer just a slice of lemon and no sugar, isn't that right?" Narcissa asked conversationally. Her face still betrayed a bit of the fear she felt at his presence.

"It is perfect, as always, Narcissa," Severus replied after taking a sip. He saw her smile slightly, then take a sip of her own tea. "I hope your summer has been uneventful," Severus said.

"Of course, you knew it would be. You are in control of my son and my husband, and the Dark Lord feels that I am far too delicate to be part of the actual fighting for his cause. It doesn't help that my sister is constantly telling him how fragile and delicate I am, like a wispy bit of smoke," she replied airly. "And yours?"

"As uneventful as yours, I must admit. The Dark Lord has contacted me few times, but he seems to think that my best place would be at the potions bench, not on the front lines. Apparently, he thinks I am far too valuable to endanger," he said, grimacing. Narcissa laughed lightly. Just then, both heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and in moments Draco appeared in the parlor.

"What is he doing here?" the boy asked, pointedly ignoring his old potions master. Narcissa stood, her expression turned to pure rage.

"Draco, you will not speak like that in Severus's presence! Have you not forgotten your blunder earlier this year, and what it has caused? Your life is in Severus's hands, and you would do well to understand what that means," she said to him harshly. Yet it seemed as though the young boy he had once taught was now gone, and his cold gray eyes pierced into Severus's black ones with fury.

"I am the only one in control of my life, mother. Not you, and certainly not him," he replied. Severus stood, placing a hand on Narcissa's arm. She looked at him, then reluctantly sat down.

"Do you think so, Draco? Because, at a word to the Dark Lord, I can have you killed. Or worse, I can force you to kill your father, and make your mother watch as you do it. I can kill you myself, if I feel the need, and no one will question my authority to do so. Do not forget, it was I who was able to kill Dumbledore, while you could not. Now, you will not use that tone with me ever again, or I assure you that you will regret it," Severus said, his voice getting softer and more dangerous as he spoke. Draco's smug look had faded into one of fear, his cheeks paling a bit more than usual. Severus laughed quietly and returned to his seat.

"Will you do those things?" Narcissa asked, her face full of worry.

"If it is what the Dark Lord wishes," Severus replied nonchalantly, taking another sip of his tea. Draco took the seat opposite his mother, glaring slightly at Severus.

"So why are you here, Snape?" Draco asked, his voice still tinted with the coldness it had held before.

"You will address him as Professor Snape while he is here, Draco," Narcissa said sternly. Severus chuckled softly.

"Please, just Severus. I do not delude myself by thinking that Hogwarts will want me back after I disposed of its headmaster," Severus said. Narcissa nodded.

"So, Severus, why are you here?" Draco asked again, his voice insistant.

"The Order of the Phoenix knows of my old residence, and I had no where else to go. Fortunately for me, your mother kindly offered to take me in," Severus replied matter-of-factly.

"It will be...a pleasure having you here, sir," Draco said, though it seemed quite forced. Severus smiled all the same.

"Well thank you, Draco. It will be a pleasure being here. I will try to not be much of a burden."

The day was quite uneventful. After tea, Severus returned to his suite and unpacked all of his things, trying to make it feel a bit more like home. Dinner was a subdued affair, but the food was delicious all the same. The house elf apparently was well enough to still cook, because Severus was sure that, with her background, Narcissa wasn't capable of producing such a fine meal. Some friendly, meaningless chatter had followed, then Severus made his way to bed.

He found the bathtub quite inviting as he entered his suite, and settled into a hot bath before turning in. So far, everything had gone as planned. Draco was still a bit more egotistical than he would have liked, but a few well-placed curses would cure him of that. Severus hoped that it wouldn't be quite that hard to change his mind, though. Narcissa seemed downright afraid of him, which was unfortunate and unexpected. He would have to work on gaining her trust before continuing on with his plan, but he couldn't see that taking too much time. He was sure that both would be shocked by his plan, but they would go with it. They would have no other choice.

The bath had been wonderfully relaxing, and Severus wrapped himself in a deep green robe and made his way to bed. Just as he was about to extinguish the lamps, a soft knock sounded on the door. Perplexed, he walked to the door and opened it a few inches.

"May I come in?" Narcissa asked, her voice barely a whisper. She wore nothing but a thin, red satin robe, and appeared to be shivering slightly. Severus stepped aside wordlessly, and she rushed in. He closed the door behind her, then sat beside her on the bed. Her hair fell like silk past her shoulders, and Severus had to admit to himself that she was quite beautiful. Yet her pale blue eyes were full of fear.

"What is it, Narcissa?" he asked, taking her hands. She was shaking.

"I-I just wanted to know if you f-found everything comfortable, a-and if there was - if there was anything I could do to make you more comfortable," she asked shakily, looking away from him. He stared at her, perplexed.

"No, everything is fine. Is everything alright with you? Is it Draco?" He asked her, concered. A slight, frightened smile appeared on her lips, and she finally looked him in the eye.

"You misunderstand me, Severus. Is there anything, anything I can do to make your stay here more comfortable?" She asked, her voice a bit firmer as she stared into his midnight black eyes. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and Severus saw a flash of ivory skin as her robe slid down her arms a bit. He realized what she was offering, and had to suppress a laugh. Careful not to look down at the newly exposed skin (though he was sorely tempted), he took her hand from his shoulder and held it firmly in his own.

"My dear Mrs. Malfoy, as flattered as I am by your offer, all I will ever ask of you is your hospitality. I would never dream of allowing you to commit adultery while your husband is imprisoned in Azkaban. It is not becoming of a lady such as yourself," he said seriously. She did not appear any less frightened, and to his surprise, small tears formed in her eyes.

"But...Bella said...the Dark Lord thought..." she stuttered, looking at him. Desperation swam in her eyes.

"Yes, I know that there are certain people that believe I am somewhat infatuated with you. Believe me, Narcissa, those claims are false. You have been a friend to me, and I see you as nothing more," he said in a reassuring tone.

"Then...what is it you want of me? What can I do to ensure my family's continued safety and well-being? Why, you said earlier that you could kill them both if you so chose to, or if the Dark Lord wanted them dead...I could not live with myself if I had not done everything in my power to persuade you to spare their lives and keep them safe," she gasped hysterically, her tears now smudging the intricate makeup Severus was sure she had put on just for this occasion. Grim satisfaction came over him as he saw her desperation. Knowing that he may have to obliviate her, should she not be open to his suggestion, he took a deep breath.

"How far are you willing to go, how much are you willing to risk in order to save your family?" he asked her, still grasping her hands.

"As far as I need to, obviously," she said, choking on a sob as she let out a half laugh. She straightened her robe so she was once again fully covered, to Severus's relief.

"Would you betray the Dark Lord himself in order to ensure your family's safety?" he asked, betraying no emotion. Her response here would tell him how hard he would have to work in order for everything to go as planned.

"The Dark Lord is nothing to me! I would betray him, betray his followers, betray the whole world if it meant I could see my family safe and whole once again. And you can tell him that, and I wouldn't care!" she exclaimed angrily, pulling her hands from his. Severus chuckled.

"It wouldn't do to let him find that bit of information out, Narcissa. He would kill all three of you in an instant if he knew how you feel. I, however, agree with you. The Dark Lord's power is nothing to the power Albus Dumbledore had; the power he has passed onto Harry Potter. I do not like the boy, but if we help him, we can ensure that your family will remain safe in this war. The Dark Lord will not win if we are able to help the Potter boy," he told her, his voice so low it was almost a whisper. She looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Then...Bella was right about you! You are a spy! But then...why Dumbledore? And why are you here?" she said, amazed.

"Yes, Bella is right about me, but you will never tell her that or I will make sure you never see your husband again," Severus started severely, "I will answer your other questions, but first I must know - will you help me in this, or no?"

"If you can save my family, I will help you in whatever you need," she said solemnly. "I swear it." A slight smile of satisfaction crept onto his face.

"Very well."

They spoke for hours into the night, and he explained what their role was to be in the coming war. Narcissa was scared, naturally, but he knew that she would follow through spectacularly. She was far braver and stronger than anyone gave her credit for, and that would be an asset in what they had to do. Draco would be harder to convince, but perhaps if he saw that his mother was open to it, he would be willing to accept the idea.

The morning came far too quickly. Still groggy from the conversations the night before, Severus sleepily rose at the scent of strong breakfast tea, dressed, and made his way to the dining room. He was surprised to see Draco and Narcissa already seated at the table.

"Good morning, Narcissa, Draco," he said stoically, taking a seat across from the pair. They nodded in response. Draco's expression was sour, but not aggressive in any manner.

"Mother says that I am to take personal lessons from you while you are here, sir," Draco said, the pleasantness in his voice obviously forced. Severus took a long drink of tea and helped himself to some eggs before responding.

"Yes, Draco, that is correct. I will be fine-tuning your Occlumency skills. As talented as you are with the training your aunt has given you, you still cannot block your thoughts from the most powerful wizards. I intend to teach you how to do so," Snape replied.

"Who else would I want to block my thoughts from? Aunt Bella was teaching me so I could block you out," Draco said, a flash of triumph in his eyes. Severus smiled coldly.

"Why, Draco, I would think it obvious. You need to be able to shield yourself from the Dark Lord's probing mind. He read you like a book the last time you were in his presence," Severus said, he replied silkily, his dark eyes boring into Draco's.

"Sir, why would I want to block out the Dark Lord? We are his servants, and we should be honored to have him read our thoughts," Draco said, his voice faltering a bit. He didn't seem sure if he believed what Snape was saying. Severus laughed coldly.

"You silly boy, there will always be things you will want to block out from him. Things from your past, your true desires - do not lie to me and say that you hold the Dark Lord's life above your own. You are a Slytherin, Draco, and like your father, you will always place your own life first. That includes your wants and desires - those things you will want to keep from the Dark Lord, so he does not use them as bait to trap you further," Severus told him. Draco said nothing. "The lessons will begin promptly at 10 o'clock. Do not be late."

Draco met Severus in the parlor, wand in hand. He looked a bit nervous. Without so much as a greeting, Severus pointed his wand at Draco and concentrated on "Legilimens." A rush of images flooded his mind - memories of school and Potter and Dumbledore's death. He raised his wand quickly.

"That was pathetic, Draco. You must be constantly on your guard, constantly expecting an attack. The Dark Lord will not give you warning when he is about to invade your mind. You must assume that as soon as you enter a room with him, he will attempt to explore your mind. You must learn how to protect the memories that you wish to keep hidden, and feed him only what you wish him to see," Severus said angrily, glaring at the boy. The look he got back was one of sheer determination, and Severus immediately cast the spell again.

After two hours, Draco had made some decent improvement. It was clear that he was becoming quite infuriated with his old potions teacher, but he was able to control his emotions enough to not let it get in the way. He could block off all thoughts, but he had still not mastered the technique of allowing certain memories through. They ate lunch with Narcissa, and continued practicing until supper. Draco was very determined, and Severus was impressed.

They continued the pattern for the next several weeks, with the exception of the weekends. Besides their lessons, the days were quite boring. Draco's attitude towards him had slowly morphed from forced pleasantness to the admiration he had held for him while he was still at school, and Severus found this new attitude to be much more conducive to teaching the boy. In the times they were not practicing, they talked of Draco's plans for his life. Draco had decided not to return to school, since everyone knew that he was instrumental in Dumbledore's death, and instead work on learning to be more valuable to the Dark Lord. Severus had merely smirked at this, but said nothing.

Draco was getting steadily better, and by the time their first month of lessons was over, he was already beginning to send slight slivers of memories into Severus's head. It was nothing that could have convinced the Dark Lord that he was not being tricked, but it was a start. And it was far better than anything Potter had achieved.

"Sir," Draco started one day after a particularly exhausting practice, "When do you intend to let me be in the Dark Lord's presence again, since you are so insistent that I learn this?" Severus quirked an eyebrow at him.

"If I can plan things correctly, you will not be in the Dark Lord's presence again for a very long time," he answered after a moment's thought. Draco looked perplexed.

"But sir...our lessons have been very intensive, and with how things have been going, I believe that I will be able to block him out effectively in a month or so. What will happen then?" he asked. Severus stared at him inquisitively for a few moments before responding.

"Draco, sit down. I need to ask you, what is the most important thing to you - your father, or the Dark Lord?" He said silkily.

"Well, I have sworn to serve the Dark Lord, so he is my -" Draco began, but stopped when he saw Severus's wry smile.

"Draco, you are quoting what every death eater would say, were they in the Dark Lord's presence. But do you, as a person, believe that?"

"The Dark Lord has said that if I do not pledge my unswerving allegiance to him, he will kill my father," Draco started, his voice a bit uncertain. He was still looking at Severus with a confused, almost frightened expression.

"Your father's life is in my hands now, not the Dark Lord's. And I ask of you to be truthful to me, and tell me who is more important to you - your father or the Dark Lord," Severus pressed, his voice growing intensely.

Draco seemed baffled. He didn't know what the right thing was to say, and he was frightened of saying the wrong thing. For a moment he simply stayed quiet, thinking.

"The Dark Lord will never know what you answer now, whichever it is," Severus prompted, hoping to ease the boy's worry. It seemed to have the desired effect. He looked up, his gray eyes still concerned.

"I...I suppose my father is, sir," he said quietly, apparently ashamed of his answer.

"As I figured he would be, according to the conversations I've had with your mother. Now, I know your mother's answer for this, but I must ask you - would you betray the Dark Lord if you could ensure your father's safety?"

Draco stared at him, wide eyed and shocked. Severus had to suppress a smile at the boy's expression.

"B-Betray him? Sir, I wouldn't have any idea how to betray him, much less hide the fact from him," Draco stammered.

"But if you could, and it would save your father, would you?" Severus asked again.

"I...well, if it came down to a choice, I guess I would," said Draco, thinking hard. "But this...this is something we shouldn't speak of. If anyone heard...Aunt Bella, anyone...I'd be killed for saying that."

"And I would be killed if they knew half of the things I have done to betray the Dark Lord, Draco. But it does not matter whom we have to betray in order for us to get what we want. We have the tools to get what we want, now all we need is the way to get it," Severus replied. Draco was downright frightened now.

"S-Sir, how is it possible to betray the Dark Lord? He is all-knowing...he has so much more power than any of us..."he said, his voice shaking. Severus let out a laugh.

"Is he all-knowing? Can he peer into my memories, or yours, now that I've trained you? We can plot against him, plan our moves carefully, and he will be none the wiser unless either of us chooses to let him know. And I know that I have no intention of doing so, and it is my wish that you do not tell him, either," Severus said darkly.

"How will betraying him ensure my father's safety, though?" Draco asked.

"Your father has betrayed the Dark Lord far worse than he may even realize. You see, the Dark Lord, in his quest for immortality, split his soul into numerous pieces, and entrusted one of them with your father. After the Dark Lord's first demise, your father believed him gone, and used the piece of the Dark Lord's soul for his own personal gain. Whether or not the Dark Lord has realized this I do not know, but I am sure he will find out sooner or later. And when he does, your father is guaranteed to be tortured, if not killed, for his insolence. He is safe in Azkaban, but if the Dark Lord wins this war, he will be released and punished. The only way to ensure your father's safety is to make sure that the Dark Lord cannot win this war."

Draco did not speak. His face was much paler than usual, and he appeared to be shaking. Finally, he looked up at his old potions master.

"What is it I must do?" He asked.

"You must train Harry Potter in the art of Occlumency."

"Potter? Why him? Sir, I hate Potter!" Draco exclaimed furiously. Severus smirked.

"I am well aware of that, Draco. But Potter is the only one that will be able to kill the Dark Lord, and there is a far less chance that he will try to kill you on the spot, as he would if I were to approach him. I know this will be difficult, Draco, but I know you are capable of it. I give you full permission to rough him up a bit, but do not leave any lasting damage, as we want him to be fully able to battle the Dark Lord when the time comes. He will be hard to convince, but I think he will open up to the idea, once he sees that you can easily block his curses and defeat him," Severus said. Draco could not suppress a slight sneer.

"But sir, where will I find him?" Draco asked.

"I will find him for you. I have a few good ideas as to where he will be. I doubt he will return to school, and the muggles will have thrown him out by now. I will find him, and tell you where to meet him. That may mean I will be gone for a number of days, but when I return your task will begin," Severus told him, rising. "Continue practicing while I am gone."

Draco nodded, and Severus disappeared with loud crack.