Reconstruction of a Death Eater

Chapter 25 - Toil and Trouble

Potions with Snape - it was a nightmare revisited, especially for Neville who seemed to shrink a little as the time for the first lesson approached. Therefore they were all surprised when Remus, Kingsley and Minerva went into the classroom with them. Severus was already at the front of the room, standing on the slightly raised platform and admiring the layout of his new classroom as the students filed in. He merely glanced at his colleagues before he began his lecture which was very different from his school lectures and a lot more interesting.

Potions at an Auror level were not interested in constructing potions but in deconstructing them and figuring out how they were made. Remus seemed interested in learning something new, but the headmistress tended to fidget every time Severus snapped a question at someone. When he snapped a question at her, she merely stared then glared and primed her mouth. "I am not one of your students, Severus," she declared haughtily.

"My apologies, Minerva, I forgot you are abysmal at Potions. Remus, you used to have a clue, any thoughts?" Severus asked blandly, making the students gawp and Minerva swell up furiously.

Remus shook his head with a faint smile. "Play nice, Severus," he murmured making the Potions Master glare, then smirk evilly.

"Not a clue then? Granger?"

Hermione bit her lip then nodded. "I think you have to break the substance down to a molecular level before it can be separated and the various parts identified."

Severus blinked then nodded sharply. "Indeed, not exactly as I would state it but in essence completely correct. Have you any thoughts on breaking down a substance to its basic constituents?"

"I don't know how you would do it, but I would imagine there is a potion or a spell that would work. Would it be a type of Acclaro spell with a... a directive component?"

"We have been reading ahead," he remarked but there was no edge to his voice, merely interest and Hermione sighed in relief. "Indeed, Acclaro is the most versatile spell ever invented for revealing hidden things. It is rather like diagnostic potion, merely a carrier and a catalyst for the tailoring properties of the specifications the wielder cares to add. Malfoy, you have a thorough Classical education, can you think of how to tailor the Acclaro spell to search for a single component of something?"

"Know your Latin and Greek I should imagine, and be able to conjugate the verbs accurately and precisely," Draco replied thoughtfully.

"Exactly. So, is anything else necessary?"

Neville gnawed the inside of his cheek then tentatively raised his hand. Severus raised an eyebrow but nodded his acceptance of Neville's contribution. "Er, shouldn't you, er, have some, er, idea of what you are, er, looking for?"

"Correct! Have some idea of what you are looking for. No good looking for poison if there is a ruddy great hole in his chest. No good looking for ashwinder if he is displaying the rictus of strychnine poisoning. If you know what the murderer used to kill the victim but you don't know who the murderer was, it also helps to see if the murderer left any traces of himself behind."

"I get it! I finally get it!" Seamus burst out excitedly. "Potions are forensics, you are teaching us forensics!"

"Mr Finnigan, I have no idea what you are blathering about. Please, enlighten us," Severus said snidely, crossing his arms over his chest.

Seamus shivered, glancing at Dean for support before trying to explain the science of forensics, how evidence collected at the scene of a crime could be used to track down the murderer and reconstruct the crime. Half way though his explanation, Snape's arms uncrossed and he leaned forward, elbows on the desk, gaze piercing the Irish wizard until he stumbled to a stop in confusion. Snape blinked then glared viciously. "Well, don't stop there, what else?"

"I don't know, Sir, it's just what me brother told me," Seamus almost wailed as the teacher's glare turned even more pointed.

"Sir, there are some good books on the subject..." Hermione put in tentatively and was immediately the target for that glare. "I mean, out there, in...."

"Sev, they think you are mad at them," Remus put in softly, making the other man blink as the snarl evapourated.

"Why would I be angry with them? Just because they do not have the information I want doesn't mean I'm mad at them, but it is rather cruel to introduce a whole new area of study with such a tantalising and intriguing build-up then not know anything, bloody cruel, if you ask me," Severus said aggrieved before straightening up and sighing. "Very well, Aurory Potions, or Forensics, and you will get me those book titles, Miss Granger, once we are released from this place."

Hermione grinned. "Yes, Sir," she murmured as Draco squeezed her hand under the cover of the desk.

~~*~~

Harry sprawled on the sagging old sofa in the common room, a comfortable lethargy holding his limbs. They had been pretty much confined to the Room of Requirement for almost eleven months, but it didn't seem like a prison. They had all worked very hard, learning as much as their instructors could pour into them, and poured they had. Moody and Remus had taught them things they had to know to survive - spells, hexes, jinxes and charms from silly stuff to heavy duty, life-preserving magic to keep them alive in a battle.

Minerva had taught them to transfigure almost anything into something useful with the least possible output of magic, making every erg of power count. Kingsley had honed their physical bodies until they were as fit and strong as any Auror trainee ever schooled, able to sustain themselves for hours in the taxing physical routines he devised and yet still be able to fight a duel at the end of it.

Snape was the hardest one to fathom, just as exacting when it came to lab work, but the edge of his sarcasm had been... not blunted but the bitter nastiness was missing. He still held them all to a very high standard, but he was willing to help them reach it instead of making them think it was impossible. He even pulled very subtle but recognisable jokes on their teachers, making them squark in outrage as often as he did the students. Once he even managed to slip Professor McGonagall a potion that gave her bunny ears even when she was in cat form. Although he denied it with his hand on his heart, they all knew who the culprit was and even Kingsley had to admit it was a fairly good prank.

One thing he did that no one was pleased about was to bring a very strange and powerful form of magic into the freeform duel he, Moody and Remus were fighting. It began when Moody hit Snape with a spell that was painful and persistent, burrowing into Snape's shield and causing blue lightening to dance across his skin, leaving welts and burned patches wherever it touched. Professor McGonagall had protested but Moody only laughed, causing Snape to glare furiously then he seemed to swell, his ebony wand vibrating until it looked blurred and... indistinct almost.

Everyone ducked as Snape straightened abruptly, spitting a spell in a language no one had heard before. Remus yelled, "Severus, no!", but he was too late, the force wave slamming out-over before the light wave followed. It was a roiling ball of greenish purple light, a moving bruise that slammed Moody against the far wall, making the floor ripple and furniture dance across the wooden parquet tiles. The students tried to put up shields but were unable to stop the icy cold wave of power freezing them to the spot. Even Professor McGonagall staggered but managed to keep her feet as Remus yelled a counter-curse in a similar language, making Snape cock his head and grin evilly, all of his uneven teeth on show.

Nodding acknowledgement, he turned his full attention on Remus, moving his wand in a slow figure of eight, the force following the movement like a trained snake, or a bullwhip, flicking out and darting in, looking for an opening in Remus' shield but not finding one. Both Moody and McGonagall tried to distract the combatants but failed miserably as they stalked each other in the centre of the floor, testing their metal against each other's powers and abilities. When the flurry of activity came, the two combatants made no noise, their magic duelling in the centre of the room until they were both tossed back from the force of the detonation.

Remus bounced twice on his arse before sprawling on the floor; Severus slammed back first into the wall and slid down, his legs sticking out at right angles to each other. The students watched in horror as both men shook their heads to clear the stars from their vision, then both burst out laughing much to the audience's amazement.

"It's a good thing this is the Room of Requirement, or Hogwarts would have tossed you out on your ear," Remus muttered, rubbing the back of his skull.

"I am amazed that you had the skill to counter that particular spell," Severus remarked, making his neck crack ominously.

"How dare you use black magic around our students?" Minerva was almost frothing at the mouth as she picked herself up and pointed a quivering wand at her fellow teacher's head.

"High Court magic, Minerva, and our students better get to know how to deal with it, especially Potter. Tom Riddle was taught to use it by the best and use it he will, I do assure you," Snape sniffed, climbing to his feet.

"I suppose you taught him then?" Moody snapped angrily.

"No, my Grandmother did, actually, as I am sure you are aware, Alastor. After all, wasn't it you who tried to pin that one on me years ago?"

"What makes you think Tom Riddle might use it?" Remus put in hurriedly before the two men could square off at each other.

"If you have a weapon, you do not leave it at home when you are going to battle for your life, do you? Of course he will use it and any other form of magic he can to take Potter out of the equation with; he would be a fool not to. I would."

"Yes, but you are a bloody Death Eater," Moody snarled viciously.

Snape's eyes narrowed and for a second they all thought he was going to attack Moody with his bare hands, but then he smiled and straightened, pushing his hair out of his eyes absentmindedly. "Correct, and as such I can offer unique advice and insights into the workings of the Death Eater mind, don't you think?" he asked sweetly before turning to help Remus up. "When you are ready to open your mind, come and see me."

Harry shivered, knowing that Snape was a very dangerous man. He had always distrusted him in a sort of half contemptuous way, but he had never seen the dark man display his power in such an overt fashion before. It was a shock to the system to realise he had underestimated someone for nearly seven years, a bit like finding your neighbour's mongrel dog was really a transfigured Swedish Short Snout. He was still trying to figure out how he felt about the revelations when the man himself hurried into the common room and began searching diligently under the furniture and behind the desks.

After debating with himself, Harry sat up and peered over the back of the sofa. "Can I help you there, Sir?"

Snape jumped nervously then sneered almost by habit before he sighed. "I have lost a book, a very small book, perhaps three inches square. It is... precious to me."

"Oh. I'll help you look," Harry muttered, rising to take the opposite side of the room. They searched diligently for some fifteen minutes before they felt they had covered every inch, and yet the book still eluded them. "It will turn up sometime," Harry remarked as Snape dropped into the nearest chair, a look of total discontent on his long, thin face.

"I hope so. It was the last gift I received from a very dear friend and I do treasure it," Snape murmured as he left the room hurriedly.

Harry blinked, wondering if Snape was developing a soft spot but realising that was just ridiculous as he stretched out again. Even as he half dozed in the fire's warmth he suddenly realised the shadows on the top of the mantle were distorted. Curiously, he rose and stood on the edge of the hearth to reach the high shelf, his hand encountering paper and cardboard. The book was indeed tiny, the corners all but worn away, the cloth binding faded and shabby. The gold leaf of the title had been almost rubbed out but he could still make faintly make out the words, 'Love is....'

Curious, Harry began to flip through when the book fell open at an obviously well used page, the binding almost bent through at that point. There was a cartoon of a cute little couple and the caption, 'Love is... accepting responsibility.' There was a drawn, broken vase and the small female figure looked quite angry while the male figure looked a little sheepish. It was cute and trite and very Muggle, so much so, Harry wondered seriously if it was actually the book Professor Snape had been searching so diligently for. Flipping it back to the flyleaf, Harry read the inscription and gaped in shock.

'To Severus, love is... never having to admit you are impossible! Have a great Christmas. Love, Lily and Harry. (I won't mention James; I know what that does to your blood pressure.)'

The writing was large and loopy, very feminine and playful kisses decorated the border. Harry ran a shaking finger over the inscription, trying to feel the trace of his mother in that simple inked line. How had Snape, of all people, received a gift from his mother, why had Snape of all people received gifts? Try as he might, he could not think of any circumstances under which his mother and his least favourite professor could be friends. Realising such speculation was stupid; Harry rose and closed the tiny book, holding it tightly as he made his way along to Snape's room and tapped on the door.

A muffled 'come in' made him wonder about security, but then he shrugged and pushed the door open. The room was a standard one, no hint of human habitation to be seen, unlike their rooms which had personal belongings all over the place. Snape was sitting at the study desk, his robes draped around him and still fastened to the neck.

"Sir, I found your book," Harry said nervously and was shocked when a look of sheer relief flitted across the usually expressionless face before him. A pale hand was held out and Harry carefully placed the small item in his palm, amazed that it disappeared into an inner recess of the black robes almost instantly. "Er, I saw the inscription, Sir," he said carefully. "My mother gave the book to you, didn't she? Why?"

For a moment he thought the man was not going to answer, then he sighed and seemed to relax again. "Your mother was one of the very few people in my life that I have ever called 'friend'. She never judged me, never took anything I did at face value and she always listened to what I was meaning, not necessarily what I was saying," Severus said dreamily, as if talking to himself. "When Tom killed her, I was devastated. If I could have, I would have killed him right there and then, but alas, you had already disposed of him, or so we thought. He took a very bright and beautiful part of my life that night, and destroyed it."

"Were you in love with her, is that why you hated my father?" Harry asked softly, trying not to break the mood.

"Oh, I loved her alright, but not in a romantic sense, and I didn't hate your father because of Lily, he earned that hatred all on his own merits. No, Lily was my friend, a dear and trusted friend with whom I corresponded regularly until the day she died. I don't know if she told your father we were friends, I really don't care, but she never allowed his prejudice to taint what we had. When I saw her eyes looking out of James' face, it was indeed a shock to the system," he added with a faint smile as he turned obsidian eyes on the younger man.

Harry sighed. "What was she like, Sir? I mean, everyone tells me about my father, but no one says much about my mother. Even Sirius was more forthcoming about my dad and Remus will tell me Marauder stories, but very few people say more than Mum had red hair and green eyes...."

"... and a wicked temper and the kindest heart that would not be swayed by rhetoric or peer-pressure. She made up her own mind about who was good and who was not and whom she would associate with. She was very intelligent and a powerful witch, even though she was a Muggle-born. She gave the Marauders hell when they tried to play pranks on her and her friends, and she put your father and Sirius into a stone block when they did something nasty to someone she felt did not deserve their contempt. Mind you, she put me into a full body bind with little effort and I was looking at the time, even your father never managed that much," he added with relish. "She was everything a witch should be, bright, intelligent, powerful and compassionate, a person well worth knowing and emulating; you would have been proud to know her, Harry, very proud."

Harry was shocked to see his old nemesis looked misty and reminiscent as he turned toward the desk drawer and pulled out a thick parchment book with a spiral binder and handed it over with a wry smile. Glancing down, Harry opened it to the first page and drew a deep, sharp breath. The girl in the central drawing looked startled to see him, a faintly puzzled look on her face as she glanced across at Snape almost interrogatively.

"He's your son, Lily, all grown up," Snape said wryly, the girl's eyebrow rising as she turned back to look at Harry. There were dozens of tiny expression thumbnails around the edge of the page, and Harry realised these were the models for the expressive drawing in the centre. He glanced at Severus for permission before turning the page. The next sketch was of the Slytherin common room, half a dozen young boys lolling about the furnishings, laughing at the sketch artist and hoisting rude fingers derisively. Harry grinned and turned to the next page, a sharp breath again as the Marauders leaped out at him, all young and bright and full of promise. Snape seemed disposed to let him look through the whole book and he took advantage, blushing as a naked Malfoy lay on a bed laughing up before realising he was not seeing Snape looking back.

"Lucius, he was very pretty when he was younger," Snape remarked meditatively as Harry skipped to the next page and almost dropped the book in shock. "Ah yes, my Tom, Tom Riddle. You have only seen his mad snake-self, Harry, but when he was younger, he was truly charismatic, beautiful to look at, intelligent and well read to talk to, and he played a mean game of chess. Look carefully, Harry Potter, this is the man you are going to kill one day, and I am dedicated to helping you do just that. You see, Harry, I helped create Lord Voldemort and I will help destroy him, even if it kills me, especially if it kills me."

Harry shivered at the softly caressing tones, a long, pale finger reaching out to stroke the drawn face on the creamy parchment. This was so personal, it was almost painful and Harry wondered why he was being given what amounted to a guided tour of his professor's life. Shelving his questions, he turned the page, a soft keen of loss breaking out. Professor Dumbledore looked back at him, a twinkle in his eyes, Fawkes sitting on his shoulder. The old man grinned and waved, a slightly lunatic smile that invited a grin in return. Severus cocked his head, and the old man nodded making shooing motions to encourage the dark young man.

Severus shook his head then stiffened as if hit by a Petrificus Totalus spell. His lips moved stiffly, the words hollow and faint but in the headmaster's voice.

"Hello, Harry, hello, Severus, you are finally both together and viewing this picture, so I can pass the message on now. Harry, you have the Phoenix passed from Elder Snake - my boy Severus - to younger Lion - my boy Harry. The key will open my tomb in the presence of my blood kin; Severus knows how to do this. I need to return at the cusp moment, an unexpected return that may tip the balance of the war and bring about Tom's downfall. Take care, my boys, and do support each other in this coming time of trial and anxiety, won't you." The holding spell faded and both men shook the last of the glamour away, staring at each other in shock.

"Oh my God, is it that easy, the pendant is the key to Dumbledore's tomb, and he is sort of alive inside the marble edifice that was raised over him?" Harry questioned eagerly.

"Yes, yes and yes. I-I know... I know the spell and I know the potion, it is the Timeless Death potion, I brewed it myself. How do you break it, how! Damn Tom and his bloody Cruciatus Curse, the information has been knocked straight out of my head!" Severus almost wailed as he realised how much he had forgotten. "I have to think, you should go now," he said firmly, all but physically throwing Harry out of the door.

"But... but, Professor! I need to know what to..." Harry ground his teeth in frustration when he realised he was speaking to the flat wooden panels of the door. Glaring, he was tempted to pound on them but realised it would do no good, so he set off to wake Hermione and tell her of the latest developments.

She seemed to have found the way to handle Snape and to get him to confirm or deny information they found. Perhaps she could get him to open up about this most important development before they were defeated by his lack of trust.