Shadow on My Heart

Chapter 15: Save This Dying Soul

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"Severus, we need to talk," Callista said, pushing into his office.

"Callista, it's late, and I absolutely refuse to argue with you," Severus responded bluntly, falling into the chair behind his desk.

Callista took the chair at the end of the desk, her face suddenly expressionless. "Who said anything about arguing? What exactly were you discussing with my uncle before I arrived with McGonagall? And don't you dare even attempt to lie to me."

Severus leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms in a defensive gesture. "What makes you so positive that it was any concern of yours?"

She changed tactics quickly. "Severus, I know you had an argument with him. You were also very distracted all evening."

"Callista, I assure you that it was nothing," Severus said firmly, refusing to be baited. Yes, he had pledged himself to honesty--but at his discretion.

"Fine, then let's talk about your behavior towards me at the meeting. If you didn't notice, I was trying to stand up for you," she said, making a concerted effort to keep her temper in check.

His pale face flushed with a surge of unexpected anger. "The last thing I want is for you to change how you treat me in public! If word of our affair leaks out, chances are I'm a dead man. Neither of us wants that."

"Severus, they are Order members--"

"And in case you failed to notice--they all hate me!" Severus interrupted sharply, standing up to tower over her.

"So you're going to take it out on me?" Callista retorted, rising to her feet, refusing to be intimidated.

Severus took her firmly by the shoulders. His nose was inches from hers. "The last thing I want is for you to be hurt. While I would die to save your life, I have no desire for either of us to end up dead because the world knows about our personal feelings."

Callista pulled back. He expected to see hurt and anger in her eyes, but all he could see was understanding. Somehow that rankled him all the more. The reality that she was no longer someone who needed his constant protection struck him like a bolt of lightening. Callista had had fifteen years to become a strong person, a force to be reckoned with. Still, she had no idea how much he was reviled by his so-called peers.

Her tone was quiet and even. "Do you suspect that you aren't the only double agent in the Order?"

"No, I do not. However, not everyone is as discreet as Winky the house-elf." He knew that certain members more than likely discussed Order business at the dinner table.

Her hand reached out to stroke the stubble on his chin. "I understand, Severus, but Uncle Albus trusts you; surely that should count for something."

Severus pulled back from her touch, wrenching up the sleeve covering his left forearm. He thrust the Dark Mark in her face, but she didn't flinch. "This is why they hate me. They hate me for a choice I made when I was eighteen years old. As long as I have this, I will be viewed as nothing more than the Dark Lord's property, disgusting and contaminated, unworthy of--"

"Stop it, Severus!" Callista commanded, tears welling in her eyes. She grabbed his arm, brazenly kissing the Mark, her tears splashing on it. "I know what kind of a man you are. And I have embraced every part of that person: the good and the bad."

Anger and horror at her actions fought for dominance on his face. "Don't ever do that again!"

"I love you, Severus Snape; nothing will change that! I know that you have tortured and killed innocent people, and that you once believed that Muggle-borns were less than filth. I also know that you are a fiercely loyal person who will do whatever it takes to stop Voldemort, and damn the consequences!" She stood her ground as she spoke, her eyes blazing with an inner fire. "Don't you see? I know what you are, and I don't care."

He was stunned. He held her at arm's length. "I don't deserve you. I have lied to you. I have betrayed your trust. I never looked for you after you disappeared. You have no idea--"

"Then show me." Her voice was firm. "I want to see how it was for you after I betrayed you."

"I do not want you to see it!"

Callista's wand appeared in her hand. She pointed it him, and the look on her face was no different than that of any Death Eater. "I need to; you need to. Don't force me, Severus. We need to trust each other. I held nothing back. There is nothing that you can show me that will make me stop loving you."

He looked down at her wand, as if contemplating the possibility of impaling himself on it. "I hated you, you need to realize that. I'm ashamed of that fact, but it's true. I hated you as much as I hated Potter and Black."

His vacant tone softened her in an instant, and she set her wand on the desk. Callista took his face into her hands, forcing him to look at her. "Severus, I know I deserved it all. I turned you over to the Aurors. I didn't listen to you. I didn't believe in you. Worst of all, I didn't return when you were cleared, and we both know the consequence of that action."

His black eyes bored into hers, trying to make her see the anger and resentment he had tried to hold on to. She was unrelenting in her determination to take some of this burden from him. His long fingers burrowed into her hair. Instead of flinching, Callista relaxed and opened her mind to him. His voice was hollow as he whispered the incantation. "Partis Monumentio."

He began the memory with his painful view of the final scene in her flat. From there he showed her his meeting with Voldemort.

A young Severus Snape restored the black robe to normal size and swung it over his regular clothing. He was desperate to get back to Callista. He had to explain to her why he was still counted among the Death Eaters, and he would tell her everything--even if it was against Dumbledore's orders. But he couldn't think about that right now. He needed his wits about him if he ever wanted to live to see her again. He carefully arranged his thoughts, shoving the whole incident to the back of his mind, burying it under layer upon ugly layer of fabricated disdain for the woman who had allowed him into both her heart and her bed.

Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange were waiting for him. The moment he joined them, Bella reached behind him, giving his backside a firm squeeze. Her eyes darted to his face. "Why, Severus, have you been with your blood-traitor lover again?"

"Be careful, Severus, or you may end up with more out of this assignment than you planned on," Malfoy snorted. "Care to share her some night?"

Severus scowled. "I have to be convincing, don't I? And don't worry, Malfoy, you'll get your turn. In fact, you'll probably get to be the first in line."

"Speaking of blood-traitors, we're going after the Prewett family. Such a shame to spill pure blood, but the Mudblood-loving taint has defiled it," Bellatrix sighed, in mock remorse.

Before either of the men could reply, a masked figure interrupted them. He had a simpering little voice that Severus found vaguely familiar. "Severus Snape, the Master demands to see you."

Severus barely acknowledged the little man, as he turned from the group and strode off. He calmly forced the memory of Callista further and further into the back of his mind. By the time he was in the Dark Lord's presence, he hardly remembered that he loved her. He sank to his knees and kissed the hem of his Master's robes. Thankfully, making eye contact with the Voldemort was a rarity, because for the first time Severus was concerned that his abilities might fail him.

"Severus, do you have anything new to report, regarding your assignment?" Voldemort asked coldly. Snape shivered, hesitating, and the creature before him noticed. "Is something amiss?"

Severus allowed his mind to go blank. A carefully crafted half-truth was his best chance at survival. "Miss Hawkins has been made aware of my allegiance to you, Master. She has seen my Dark Mark."

In the ringing silence that followed, Severus fully expected his life to end. At long last, his master spoke. "How did you manage to allow her to see your Mark? It is to remain hidden at all times."

Severus felt the heat of embarrassment creep up the back of his neck. He turned a shocking shade of red and braced himself for the worst. "We were being...intimate when I was summoned. The Concealment charm I have been using was overridden by the strength of your magic, sir."

"I see you have been enjoying your assignment." Oddly, Voldemort didn't sound angry, rather strangely...amused. "Return to her; try to convince her that you are still loyal to that old fool. If, however, you cannot sway her, kill her. She knows what you are, Severus, and she must be silenced one way -- or another."

"I will do your bidding, Master," Severus said resolutely.

"You are dismissed, Severus." The young wizard scrambled to his feet, thankful to still be alive. "And, Severus, if you don't complete the assignment, I will have someone else do it for you. Someone she knows and trusts."

Severus Apparated into Callista's flat. He softly called her name, wandering through the tiny dwelling, his heart sinking with each step. The front room was empty, as was the tiny bathroom, and even the bedroom, where only a short time before they had made love. He sank onto the bed, breathing in their combined fragrance. If he couldn't convince her that he was still loyal to her uncle, he would have to take her life. Malfoy would rape her before killing her. Bellatrix and Bianca would torture her to death. His throat tightened and his eyes began to burn. He couldn't kill her. He loved her more than his own life.

Dumbledore! He had no choice but to turn to the headmaster now. Severus hoped that the old man's love for his niece would outweigh his anger at Severus's indiscretion. Dumbledore most likely had contacts all over the world. Callista could go into hiding. Severus knew he couldn't go with her, but at least he knew she would still be safe. Alive and safe--it was worth whatever hexes she was going to fire at him. Perhaps she was even with Dumbledore at Hogwarts right at this very moment. Severus, concentrated carefully on the Apparation point in the forest and vanished with a barely audible pop.

There was a swirl of light and color as the memory fast-forwarded. The scene settled on Severus sitting in Dumbledore's office as the headmaster paced back and forth. The young man had just finished telling him the entire story. Severus had his head resting in his hands, waiting silently for Dumbledore to say something to him.

"Severus, am I to understand that, in spite of my warnings, you have been having a relationship with Callista since the end of exams in June? This is also the reason that she has been disowned by her father? Not to mention that every time you have left the castle grounds since the term began, you have been secretly meeting her? Voldemort is now aware of the full nature of your involvement, and has now commanded you to either convince her that you are loyal to me or silence her?" He paused to allow Severus to nod in confirmation. "And that now you have no idea where Callista is?"

"I never meant for her to come to any harm. Please, Headmaster, we must find Callista before the Death Eaters do! If they find her, he will allow Malfoy to rape her before she is tortured and murdered." Severus was on his feet, his fingers laced in his lank hair. His face was so pale, it looked nearly gray.

"When you came to me, saying how wrong you had been to follow Voldemort, I granted you sanctuary within this castle on the condition that you would unconditionally follow my orders. All of my orders. And now your carefully crafted cover has nearly been obliterated, because you failed to control yourself." Dumbledore did not raise his voice, but the fury was still evident in each syllable. "To make matters worse, instead of coming straight to me with word of the impending attack on Gideon and Fabian Prewett and their families, you foolishly went looking for Callista first. As a result, two men, two women, and seven innocent children are now dead. What were you thinking?"

Severus had no satisfactory answer for that. Eleven people were dead because he had failed to think rationally. He could never allow that to ever happen again. His emotions had become a liability. If he lost Callista, he would never permit another positive emotion to enter him again. It simply wasn't worth the risk.

"I have to find her, sir," he said, carefully schooling his face into an impassive mask. "If for no other reason, than to warn her of the danger she is in now. I refuse to let another person die because of my mistakes."

Dumbledore stared sadly at the young man before him. He shook his head and replied softly, "Severus, the only thing we can do now is wait. Callista is a very resourceful young woman; she is most likely someplace very safe. Just wait to hear from her. You are dismissed."

Severus bowed in response, turning silently before exiting the room. Once in the safety of his chambers in the dungeons, he pulled a small, elegantly carved box from the back of one of his drawers. He cradled it lovingly in his hands, before opening the box to reveal three small crystal phials. He stared at the substance contained within. He would wait before deciding what to do with them.

Again the swirls indicated the passing of time. Bits and pieces showing classes, mealtimes, long walks on the grounds and in the corridors. Slowly they came to a halt.

It was breakfast time in the Great Hall on Halloween morning. A very sickly looking Severus Snape was sitting there, staring at the lone piece of toast on his plate. He looked as if he were suffering from some kind of a wasting ailment: his normally pale complexion had a grayish cast to it, there were dark circles under his sunken eyes, and his face was thin and drawn, making his prominent nose look even larger than before. Nearly two weeks had passed, and still there had been no word from Callista. He was beginning to lose hope that she was still alive. He failed to notice the barn owl that was flying toward him. Startled, he took the scroll from its leg and offered it the uneaten slice of toast. Severus read the note, his face twitching slightly. The young man seemed to sigh in relief, before rising to his feet and sweeping silently from the room.

Later that evening, a solitary figure departed from the castle and hurried toward the village of Hogsmeade. For the first time in over a week, Severus had a hint of excitement in his eyes and some energy in his step. A feeling of hope radiated from him as he approached The Three Broomsticks. For once, he felt as if things would turn out all right after all. Any moment, he would be able to hold Callista in his arms and tell her how sorry he was for everything. Somehow, some way, he would be able to make it right.

A young woman with long, chestnut-brown hair was standing near the pub, her cloak stirring in the breeze. At the sight of her, Severus picked up his pace. He could almost feel the soft warmth of her in his arms. Yet, something didn't feel right--she should be rushing into his embrace. Severus opened his mouth to call out her name. Before he could make a sound, there was a flash of red light, and the world went black. He had been stunned.

As he slowly came around, he noticed the he was bound, lying face down in the street. A rough hand grabbed him by his hair, hauling him brutally to his knees. Sirius Black jabbed him in the throat with a wand, causing Severus to gag. Black struck him hard across the face. The young Auror's voice was glacial. "That's for everything you've done to her. She turned you in, you know. She hates you now, and nothing you can say to her will ever make her change her mind, Snivellus."

Severus was gasping for breath. "She wouldn't!"

"She did, you filthy murderer," Black growled. "She knows what you are. Do you really think she will ever let you near her again? The only kiss you'll ever get will be from a dementor."

Before Severus could utter a word, Moody rushed over to Sirius. "Black, we just got word that something broke through the wards at Potter's. Go! I'll take care of our Death Eater."

Severus felt his heart drop. Potter? Lily was Callista's friend, and if Callista was there... No! That couldn't be. He kept thinking to himself that Callista hadn't been there, that she was still safe.

They flew through the memory of the trial, in which Severus sat manacled to a chair, looking disheveled and miserable, while Albus Dumbledore vouched for him.

Severus and Dumbledore were sitting in the headmaster's office. Dumbledore proceeded to explain to the young man what had happened the night of his capture. As the old man disclosed the events of Halloween night, Severus grew steadily more whey-faced. At some points, he looked as if he were about to collapse.

"Has there been any word as to what happened to Callista, sir?" Severus asked, fighting to keep the tremble out of his voice.

Dumbledore lowered his head sadly. "No one has seen her since the day before you were with her, Severus. The Aurors have searched Sirius Black's flat, and there was evidence that suggested that Callista had been there at one point. In light of the fact that he betrayed James and Lily Potter, there is a strong likelihood that he may have been the one Voldemort had assigned to silence Callista."

"'Someone she knows and trusts...'" Severus clenched his fists until the veins in his hands bulged. "She's still alive, Headmaster, I know she is. I can feel it."

Dumbledore looked older than Severus could ever remember seeing him look before. The blue eyes that had so often twinkled with humor were now shining with unshed tears. When the headmaster spoke, his voice was choked and strained. "Severus, shortly after Callista disappeared, Lily contacted me to tell me that Callista was in Godric's Hollow. If she was still there with Lily and James, she was most likely killed. Voldemort could have incinerated her body, or maybe there wasn't enough left to find any remains. I don't want to believe that she is gone either, Severus, but she would have returned the moment you were cleared. The only thing that could have kept her away from you was..." His voice trailed off, leaving the horrible word unspoken.

"She may not have been there at all, sir--"

"This was found in the wreckage at Godric's Hollow. Do you recognize it?" In the palm of Dumbledore's quaking hand lay a simple ring--a pearl flanked by two garnets--Callista's ring. The same one he had given her at the beginning of September.

Severus took it in his hand, staring at it in disbelief. Callista had been there. In the back of his mind, he could hear the tolling of the death bells. She was gone. Either at the Dark Lord's hand, or at Black's on the Dark Lord's orders. Either way, she was dead, and it was entirely his fault. Severus clasped the ring tightly in his fist, trying to feel a connection to the woman who had worn it so joyfully. He could not believe that she was gone....

"I failed them both! Lily and Callista, I--I failed them...." The young man slid to the floor in a crumpled heap. Guilt, despair and regret crashed over him in great powerful waves. He fought a losing battle against the anguished cry that rose in his throat. He struggled against the tears that were now blinding him. Gradually, he became aware of the arm around his shoulders. Dumbledore was kneeling on the floor beside him, comforting him and sharing in his grief.

"Severus, you didn't fail Lily; she died protecting her son. She knew what she had to do. Lily knew she had to keep the boy alive once Voldemort chose him. You warned her that Voldemort was looking for her son; she was grateful for that." The headmaster paused before finishing. "As for Callista, always remember how much she loved you."

"She died hating me. Black told me so. He killed her; I know he did. He killed her to get back at me! The bastard wanted her for himself; I saw it in his eyes. He killed her because I was with her first!" Hatred for Sirius Black began to replace some of his grief.

It took a long time for Severus to pull himself together. She had been his last chance at happiness, the great love of his life, and now she was gone. Somehow he had to keep her alive, if only in his memories. Slowly he turned his eyes to Dumbledore. "Sir, do you really think the Dark Lord is gone?"

"No, Severus, I do not. I feel that this is only the beginning."

The young man was silent for a long time. When he looked up to meet Dumbledore's gaze, his dark eyes filled with a fierce determination. "I swear to you, Headmaster, that if he does return, I will do anything you ask of me to stop him, even if it costs me my life. I owe Lily and Callista that much."

The connection was broken. Callista and Severus were kneeling on the cold stone floor of his office, wrapped in each other's arms. The brown-haired witch wept silently into his chest. He could feel her pain so vividly that it was difficult to tell it from his own.

"Severus, I...I know telling you that I'm sorry will never be enough," Callista whispered. "How did you cope with all of this?"

He stared at her silently. When he finally spoke, his voice had a hard edge to it. "Not well at first. I would rather not show you all of the details. Suffice it to say, I did a lot of witless things--things I now would never consider."

"Those phials contained poisons, didn't they?" Callista asked, keeping her own face composed.

"No, they did not. However, at Christmas, your uncle burst into my chambers when I had every single poison in stock lined up on my desk, trying to decide which one to use. After that, I think he had a house-elf or two assigned to follow me at all times." His voice was bitter.

Callista looked at him utterly confused. "Then what was in the box?"

"Virgin's blood, Callista--your virgin's blood." He watched her hand fly to her mouth. "I was supposed to collect it and give it to the Dark Lord. After we were together, remember how I gave you something for the pain? It also contained a sleeping draught. The only book I had on the preparation was a Dark book. So while you were sleeping, I prepared the blood and returned to bed before you woke up. You see, I didn't want to give away my position; I had every intention of telling you everything. My original plan was to give it to you at some point, or at least a portion of it."

"Why did you still have it when Voldemort fell? I'm sure that he called you a few times."

Severus smiled slightly. "Give me some credit, Callista. I had decided that it was in the best interests of the future to keep it out of his hands. I had told him that you had already been defiled."

Her mouth fell open. A look of horror crossed her face. "You did what? You told him you were too late? Severus, he could have killed you!"

"Your apparent inability to control your hormones before you came to me was something that was beyond my control. He could not punish me for that." A grin at his own youthful cleverness broke across his face. "You were beautiful, and, as much as I hate to admit it, Buxley was decent-looking. It was plausible that you wouldn't wait to give yourself to an ugly, nasty bastard such as myself."

"I never thought you were ugly, Severus," Callista said stiffly. "I still don't think that."

He sneered, "Well 'love is blind,' isn't it?"

Callista chose to ignore his comment. "What happened to the box and its contents?"

He glared at her for a moment. "I still have it, and I intend to give it to you. After all, you are the rightful owner."

He headed back to his chamber to retrieve the box. He turned to find Callista standing in the archway, watching him. He handed over a small, carved box. The fact that he had kept this from her was sure to cause her to leave him. His past actions were unforgivable. Surely she would hate him once again.

"You know," Callista began, "that was actually a rather romantic gesture on your part, to decide to give it to me as a gift."

"You don't hate me for deceiving you like that?" Severus asked, his eyes narrowed and his voice brimmed with suspicion.

Callista set the box down on the bookshelf near the door. She firmly took both of his hands in hers, refusing to allow him to pull away. "I told you there was nothing you could say that would make me change my mind about my feelings for you. You did what you thought was right at the time. Severus, we can't change the past. We can only try to control the future."

There was one last thing he wanted her to know. "There were other women, Callista, nameless prostitutes that I turned to--"

"But did you ever find love again?" she asked, as he shook his head. "Neither did I. I won't lie to you, Severus, I tried to move on. Up until I was contacted two years ago, I did everything I could to forget about you and my life here, but I couldn't."

"Why not?" He sounded a bit more demanding than he had intended to.

Callista drew a deep breath before meeting his eyes. "Because I couldn't forget about our son. In order to forget about you, I had to forget about him. Every kick and squirm before he was born reminded me of the man I once loved. The moment I saw him, all I could think of was you!" She covered her face with her hands. "I thought that his death was a sign for me to stay away. I tried to fall in love again, but I couldn't. No one else could make me feel so..."

"Complete?" Severus supplied. That was what had been missing for him, a feeling of completion. She had been the only woman who had ever made him feel whole.

Callista pressed her lips to his. Severus could feel the fire spreading through him. He was consumed once again by the wonder that this woman was still welcoming him into her life. After everything he had told her, she still wanted to be with him. The past was merely a set of facts that they could not change. There was no denying that they had hurt each other, but they had offered mutual pardon for the sake of a future together.

A rush of desperation flooded him. He found himself tearing at her clothing, his need to be with her causing him to abandon all sense of control. Callista didn't try to stop him. Instead, she flung herself into the frenzy. A trail of clothing from the doorway to the bed was laid in their haste. Both of them felt the all-consuming need to feel the reassurance of each other's warmth. They claimed each other with an explosive passion that left them in a tangled, sweaty heap on the bed. The pair's breathing gradually subsided as they rearranged themselves more comfortably. During the following silence, a gentleness crept back into their actions. Hands caressed damp skin and hair; lips muttered loving words. Sleep came at last.

After a few peaceful hours, a bizarre dream roused Severus from his slumber. He awoke to find the other side of the bed unoccupied. He lit the wall torches to shed a minimal amount of light in the room, as he groped for something to use to cover himself. Callista was curled up in the chair near the fireplace, wearing his shirt, her legs covered by a well-worn throw. Her sleeping face was illuminated by the dying firelight.

He kissed her, causing her to start. "Severus, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. I hope I didn't wake you."

"No, I just woke up myself and noticed you weren't with me. Come back to bed," he muttered, assisting Callista to her feet.

Once again settled under the warm blankets, they rested without sleeping as the clock marked the fifth hour. Severus was trying to decide whether or not it was worth it to go back to sleep when he was suddenly caught off guard by a flash of pain in his left forearm. The pain caused him to sit bolt upright, rubbing at the irritated flesh. Callista sat up behind him, holding him to her, wrapping her arms around his shoulders protectively.

"Callista, I need to hurry. Go, wake Dumbledore and tell him that I have been summoned." Severus was on his feet, summoning his clothing and dressing quickly. Callista handed him the shirt she had been wearing. Severus noticed the fragrance of lavender and vanilla on it.

"Wait!" Callista insisted as she summoned her wand from the floor. "He'll know you were with me."

She made a swirling motion with her wand, and Severus felt his skin tingle as all traces of Callista were removed from his body. He allowed himself a momentary sense of loss of her scent, knowing that any hints of their relationship could prove fatal for them both.

As he looked at her face, he could see that she was struggling to master her fear. She returned his gaze, saying in a voice laced with worry, "Severus, please be careful."

"I will be fine," he reassured her, as he removed a black, hooded cloak from the very back of his wardrobe. He prepared himself to be in Voldemort's presence, carefully masking his emotions and thoughts before slipping quietly out of the castle and into the Forbidden Forest.

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A faint muffled pop announced Snape's arrival. Once again, the damp, musty smell filled his nose. He quietly made his way down the torch-lined corridor to the large chamber where the Death Eaters had gathered before. Voldemort was there waiting for him. Severus performed his customary greeting.

"Did I wake you, Severus?" Voldemort asked, his cold voice echoing in the empty chamber.

Severus did not look up. "Not really, Master."

"Have you met with the Order, Snape? Is there anything worthwhile to report?"

Snape filled him in on the losses that the Order had suffered, the fact that the Aurors still had no idea as to the whereabouts of the stronghold, and finally that the attack had had some survivors. Voldemort silently considered all of the information.

"They survived, you say?" Severus answered with a nod. "Is Miss Hawkins healing well? I am sure you were relieved by her unwillingness to die."

Severus looked up into the scarlet eyes, his face a mask of utter confusion. "Master, I'm not sure what you are hinting at. Miss Hawkins has been very cold to me given our...history. I have not been able to extract any useful information from her."

"Yet you have allowed her to humiliate you and live," Voldemort retorted frigidly.

"Out-and-out murdering a colleague who had humiliated me would look very suspicious. In the event of such an occurrence, I would have been the first one they would have pointed a finger at," Severus reasoned.

"As you say, Severus. Return to the school for now and remember that I have the means of checking up on you. If I find that you have been deceiving me in any way, Miss Hawkins will pay for your mistakes." Voldemort began circling Snape in a menacing manner. "I will allow any Death Eater who wants the opportunity to violate her as crudely as possible and as often as possible. Young Malfoy has expressed an interest in her. I have no doubt that there are others who would snatch the chance to have a go at her. Jealousy of her beauty would give the women within the Circle reason to want to slowly, painfully end her life. Is that clear?"

Severus turned indifferent eyes toward the Dark Lord. "Your meaning is perfectly clear, Master."

Severus waited to be dismissed or hexed, and was very much relieved when it was the former. The sun was rising when he returned to the Forbidden Forest. He took a walk around the edge of the lake to clear his mind before reporting to Dumbledore in private. After informing the headmaster of his encounter with the Dark Lord, Severus secluded himself in his quarters. He stared into the fading fire, contemplating his next move. Callista finally persuaded him to allow her entrance.

"He knows about us, or at least he suspects," Severus said quietly.

Callista met his eyes, her resolve evident in their blue depths. "My concern is only for your safety. What do you think we should do?"

Wearily rubbing his face, Severus leaned back into the chair. "I need to distance myself from you, at least for now. Once the students return, we will need to be very discreet with our actions."

"Who do you think he has watching us?"

Severus leaned forward and stared into the embers. He answered with a tone of certainty. "There are only two real options: Malfoy and--"

"Harry," she finished sadly.

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A/N Many thanks to Verity for allowing me to use her "virgin's blood" reference and her expert editing. If you haven't yet read her story, A Merciless Affection, you are really missing out on a great read.