Born Under A Bad Sign

"Severus Snape, nice to meet you, my name is Alistair Croaker. Please follow me, there are some things we need to take care of." Snape followed, gazing about at the constant activity. Wizards dressed in official Ministry and MLES robes scurried down corridors walled by rough stone, often accompanied by muggle military personnel in fatigues, and others in white lab coats. A few grey-cloaked Aurors could be seen, often in conversation with the muggle technicians. Croaker stopped in front of a heavy steel door and took out his wand.

"Alohomora," he said calmly, and the door slid into the wall with a hiss. "In here, Severus." The room, like the outer facility, was cave-like and lit by many torches, held in wall sconces. A number of people waited in wicker chairs along one of the walls, reading magazines; at the other side was a high desk and another steel door. "It's standard procedure to memory charm every outsider who is brought here in order to safeguard our location."

"I see," said Snape flatly. "Well, let's get it over with." Croaker stepped up to the desk.

"Mr. Snape needs to get his memory charm completed quickly. If you don't mind?" The secretary, a bored-looking young man in fatigues, pressed a button on the desk and gestured towards the now-open door. Croaker and Snape entered. "This is Hopkins, one of our resident Obliviators." Hopkins turned to Snape.

"Ah, this will be quick. Tilt your head back, please, and open your mouth. No, don't cross your arms, please. Try to relax. That's better. Obliviate!" Snape's eyes rolled back and he slumped into Croaker's arms. Hopkins sighed. "Enervate." Snape opened his eyes and stood up straight.

"Where am I? Is this the Department of Mysteries?" he asked, looking around quickly.

"Yes, Mr. Snape. I'm Alistair Hopkins. We've put a memory charm on you. Come on, we need to find your friend Mr. Bond. His memory charm should be done as well, and some of the higher-ups have a demonstration planned."

Snape met Bond on a catwalk overlooking an enormous grotto, swarming with all sorts of uniformed people, both muggles and wizards.

"Hello again, Mr. Snape. I believe there is something important we are to hear." They followed Croaker down a staircase and into a large cavern, in which a number of chairs were set up in front of a podium. There were already several witches and wizards seated, and three muggles standing off to the side talking to an Auror, who looked up when Snape, Bond and Croaker entered.

"Ah, good," she said loudly. "Everyone is here. Take your seats!" Everyone did, and the Auror walked up to the podium.

"For those of you who do not know me, my name is Amanda Conneley; I command the Aurors. You've been called here in response to a very serious situation that has come up. These," she gestured to the muggles who sat at the front of the room, "are Generals Troy and O'Malley, and Mrs. Anna Quisling of MI5. Mrs. Quisling, please?"

Mrs. Quisling,a stern woman of about forty years, took Conneley's place behind the podium. "Thank you Amanda. Jonathan, let's see it," she said, gesturing to a young wizard standing in the back.

"Imago," he said, and the room darkened. A blueprint appeared on the wall behind Quisling.

"This is a Neutron Bomb. For you wizards, let me explain how it works. A nuclear weapon works by chemical explosion compressing, or fusing, a core of highly dangerous metal, usually uranium or plutonium. Some of the most destructive weapons use a 'shell' of such metals, which detonates when struck by the spreading neutrons that result from a chemical explosion inside. A neutron bomb acts on the principle that, should the shell be removed, the neutrons would move on unimpeded, penetrating solid materials and destroying any organic substances in their path. In simple terms, billions upon billions of tiny particles expand outwards from the bomb, killing anything in their path while leaving structures intact. A neutron bomb causes very little radiation, allowing the user to kill people by the thousands while leaving the area where the bomb exploded undamaged and unharmed. The non-magical governments of America, the former Soviet Union, France and supposedly China have all created neutron bombs. While those produced by America and France are small and designed for tactical use in battle, we have little information on the bombs created by other nations." The picture went blank.

"Thank you, Mrs. Quisling," said Conneley grimly. Quisling returned to her seat. "Now here's the situation. Our intelligence has determined that the crate you are about to see contained a high-dispersal Soviet neutron warhead." The picture reappeared, this time showing a view of a dockyard. "This is in Southampton, recorded by Mr. Bond less than a week ago."

A large man in a trench coat, probably a muggle, stood just outside the shadow of a large cargo ship; he looked around nervously and checked his watch. Just as the watch beeped the hour, three men in black cloaks stepped out from the shadow. The muggle gave a start and put a hand in his pocket.

"You frightened me, sirs! I thought you'd popped right out of thin air," he said, eyes wide.

"Who's saying we didn't?" said one of the cloaked men softly. He looked up, revealing the white mask concealing his features. Conneley waved her hand, stopping the picture.

"We've analyzed his voice; Liam Avery. He's a prominent Death Eater linked to the Ministry attack, the Auror's College bombing, and of course his own special WWN address. We haven't identified the other two Death Eaters, but the muggle is Sergei Kelesnikov alias Henry Kelesnikov, a known arms dealer. We've wanted to take him down for years, but...well, just watch."

Kelesnikov was stuttering. "You...you can't possibly mean...I didn't think you were serious..."

"May we please view the merchandise, Henry?" asked one of the Death Eaters in a calming tone. He had a slight accent, but Snape couldn't place it yet.

"Of...of course, I'm sorry," said Kelesnikov. He walked a short distance to a walkway leading up to the ship's deck. "Follow me." The view followed them until they had nearly passed out of sight, then Bond must have hurried forward, because the view showed only the ground for nearly fifteen seconds. When it snapped back up, the Death Eaters and Kelesnikov stood around a large crate. Kelesnikov pushed hard, and the top of the crate slid off, clanging loudly on the deck. Avery seemed to be saying something to Kelesnikov, but they were too far away to be heard. Suddenly, a number of sacks flew out of the crate, landing with thumps near Bond's position. Bond crept forward again to hide behind a pile of boxes, and the other Death Eater's voice could be heard again.

"Yeah, it's real; larger than I thought it would be, too. Very good condition too, excellent." Italian, thought Snape, of course.

"That's Antony Vittorio, Sr., I'll wager," said Snape to Bond quietly. "He's one of Voldemort's inner circle, and runs a high-profile crime syndicate to boot. That's probably how he knows about muggle technology"

"Great," Avery was saying, "let's move it out then." Kelesnikov cleared his throat.

"There is the small matter of my payment still," interrupted Kelesnikov. Snape bet Avery was smirking under his mask.

"Do you presume to order me around, muggle?" A worried look flickered across Kelesnikov's face.

"No, of course not. It's just, this cost me a great deal to acquire, and I'm in the habit of turning a profit. This is business, after all." Avery did not seem amused.

"I suggest you write this off as a loss then, Mr. Kelesnikov. I can think of worse outcomes...for you, that is." Avery took a step forward, and Kelesnikov coughed loudly.

"I think not, sir. I have been in this business too long to bee robbed sight unseen." Three burly men with Kalashnikovs trained on the wizards stepped out from behind the various boxes and crates littering the deck. "You are outnumbered, my friends. I suggest you leave."

The Death Eaters did not move, but all slid their wands inconspicuously from their sleeves. Avery flashed his arm upwards and dove sideways, using the crate as cover; Vittorio and the other Death Eater rolled away from the crate into the shadows; Snape was surprised that the elderly Italian wizard could move so quickly. "Stupefy!" he shouted as he fell behind the crate. One muggle fell, stunned. Automatic-weapon fire split the night, as Kelesnikov drew a pistol and fired at where Vittorio had slipped behind a crate. From where Bond was filming, the third Death Eater could be seen using the shadows as cover to sneak forward into position. A red bolt of light split the darkness and caught a muggle in the neck; he fell with a thump. When both Kelesnikov and his last henchman turned in the direction the spell had come from, Avery stood and stunned the thug before turning to Kelesnikov and shouting "Expelliarmus!" The arms dealer's pistol sailed over the cargo ship's rail into the night. Avery motioned to his fellow Death Eaters, and they gathered the stunned muggles into a heap. Keeping his wand trained on Kelesnikov, Avery walked over to the unconscious thugs.

"You want paying, muggle?" He put a hand inside a pocket of his robes and withdrew a handful of 500-pound notes, which he released to fall carelessly onto the bodies. Avery kept one of the notes in his hand, rubbing it between his fingers. "Here's your money, fool. Nothing but worthless paper." He turned his wand on Kelesnikov's henchmen. "Incendio." The notes, and the muggles, burst into flames, yet they remained stunned. "Enervate," said Avery calmly, and one of the thugs sat up, screaming as flames licked his skin. He tried to run, but Avery stopped him. "Petrificus Partialis," he said, and the muggle's legs froze together. His screams soon stopped.

"Creative," said one of the other Death Eaters calmly as the muggle's body slumped to the ground, smoking. "Leg-locker curse. Haven't used that since I was young."

"Thanks," said Avery, watching the arms dealer's horrified face. "Now let's finish this before anybody else comes along." He pointed his wand at Kelesnikov. "Thanks a bunch, Henry. You've been a big help to us. Avada Kedavra!" A brilliant flash of green lit the cargo ship's deck, and Sergei Kelesnikov, renowned weapons dealer, fell dead. "The portkey, please," said Avery, sounding out of breath. Vittorio took a medallion from his robes and placed it on the crate. The Death Eaters each placed a finger on it. The unidentified Death Eater pointed his wand in the air.

"Morsmordre!" The Dark Mark blossomed into the night sky, shining like an obscene fireworks display. He put his wand away. "Actuosus," he said softly, and both Death Eaters and crate vanished instantly. The picture flickered and went white, and Conneley returned to the podium.

"We do not know why You-Know-Who has acquired a neutron bomb," she said, "but it can only be bad. We assume, of course, he means to detonate it, but we have no idea where, or even if his people know how. Remember, Death Eaters have an extreme distaste for muggle technology. Mr. Snape, Mr. Bond, you have one more briefing to attend before you can return to your outside business, please come with me; the rest of you may go." Snape went to talk to Conneley.

"I have to be in Brighton in two hours, I hope this won't take long."

"Don't worry, Mr. Snape. We should be fairly quick."

Conneley led them across the grotto to an area where a number of experimental weapons tests were in progress. A cheerful young man wearing a green cloak over a lab coat greeted them.

"This is Mark, head of Research and Development here at the DoM," said Conneley. "He's a genius in his own right. What do you have for our friends here, Mark?" Mark took a small device from his coat pocket.

"That looks like an olive," said Snape. "What does it do?"

"Apply significant pressure and it will explode outwards, stunning everyone within an eight-foot radius while leaving you unharmed. We've only finished a few yet, but you and Mr. Bond will each have a few of these. We also have developed this." Mark took two buttons from his pocket and placed them in the lapels of a dummy dressed in formal muggle attire. "Now, the way these work is, you speak the password, which you can change if you want- attack," he said, and the buttons leaped from the suit, transforming as they flew into tiny darts, striking another dummy in the neck and exploding. "Beautiful, no?"

"Yes, very nice," said Snape appreciatively.

"You will also have three portkeys to carry with you at all times. They are stored in protective holders so as not to activate accidentally. The ones in black cases will bring you back here, while the ones in green cases willsend you to Hogsmeade." He handed them each three black boxes the size of jewelry cases. "That's all we have for you now. Ms. Conneley, you can show Mr. Bond to his car, and Mr. Snape can apparate from the garage if he wishes."

"Thank you, Mark," said Conneley. The garage was spacious and lit with a line of floating magical lamps. A low-slung green Aston Martin sat in the middle of the cavernous room, which also held a sleek boat, two military jeeps, an armored personnel carrier, and numerous brooms. Snape checked his watch; he should be meeting Sofia in ten minutes.

"Goodbye Ms. Conneley, Mr. Bond. I've got to go, I suppose I'll see you again fairly soon." He apparated, leaving a suddenly empty space in the air.

Antonius Snape forced a smile when he saw his brother sitting in the drawing room.

"Ah, Severus. After fifteen years of ignoring our existence, you seem to be in and out of here every day. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Snape stopped swirling his brandy and took his feet off of the stool he'd been resting them on. "Good to see you too, Tony. I missed you twice, but my luck seems to have run out. How is business?" The younger Snape turned the woman who held his arm.

"Kindly make yourself scarce, Kristal my dear. I'll see you later." She left the room swinging her hips. Tony removed his hat, replete with feather, and placed it on a vacant coffee table next to his gilded cane.

"No need to be snide, brother. We haven't always seen eye to eye, but we're family again. There's no helping that now. Where is Sofia?"

"She went to take care of a business matter, she didn't say what."

"Ah. Well, I suppose we'll have to talk, then."

Severus' face remained neutral. "Yes, it would seem so. How is your business?"

"Fair, but not excellent. We're still friendly with the Vittorios, but we've had to shut down a lot of our traditional operations. There's just not as much money to be had in drugs anymore, at least for us. The profits go through a different route, and we were forced out. The muggles don't trust us as they used to."

"Ah," replied Snape, "so what are you doing now?"

"We have a hand in a few prostitution rings, we nearly have a monopoly on cars, and I'm running a few legit clubs, too. Sofia, though, she's got her fingers in something else entirely. I'd love to know what, she's rolling in the dough. Say, how long are you staying?"

"I've already told Sofia, three days." Tony got a look in his eye.

"I should show you around one of my clubs while you're here. They're very nice, you'll love it." Severus looked slightly horrified.

"I really don't-" Snape began to reply, but at that moment Sofia walked back in.

"Well, I'm glad that's over. Oh, hello Tony, good to see you." She looked over at Severus. "You two have been getting reacquainted, then? I forgot how similar you look." Severus laughed; Tony did not.

"I take offence at that, sister," he said standing up and throwing his arms open, "look at me!" Though they shared the pale skin and sharp features of the Snape family, the difference could not be greater. Severus wore his usual black, while Tony sported a white fur cloak over a muggle suit of dark purple, which was complimented by a white tie and thick chain. While Severus had let his black hair grow long, Tony's was short and spiky, held in place with a Shellacus charm. Severus was still laughing.

"Yes, the similarity is almost frightening. We might be mistaken for twins, which could be embarrassing if I accept his invitation to visit his club."

"That's enough, Severus," said Sofia. "Are you going to go to the club, then? 'Cause we'll have to get you something else to wear if you are." Severus looked at Tony, who looked, as he too often did, furious.

"Yes, I think I will. And I will get something else to wear. There are wizarding shops in Brighton, aren't there?"

"They're in the older part of the city, but yes, of course. Apparrating in is forbidden because of the Death Eaters, but we can take one of my cars. I rather fancy the '74 Carrera, what do you think, Tony?"

"Sounds fine, so long as you've expanded the back seat."

"You could fit a small whale back there with all the charms I had put on it. Let's go."

Sofia's classic Porsche Carrera RS was one of her favorites; she'd bought it from an elderly uncle. Severus recalled that their father had gone over it personally to make certain it was legitimate. Sleek and powerful, it took a skilled hand to drive quickly without magic. Tony had rolled it once when they were teens; of course it had just scratched the paint, but Sofia had put the Cruciatus on him anyway. Sofia said something Severus couldn't hear, and the finely-tuned engine hummed to life as Severus lay down in one of the beanbag chairs adorning the back seat. The noise grew to a full-throated roar as Sofia opened it up on the freeway, and the cars they magically slid between became nothing but blurs.

"Why didn't you put a silencing charm on this thing?" Severus shouted over the noise. Tony answered.

"She abhors silencing charms on her cars. Says it destroys the purity of the things. It's why she's never bought a Lexus. The owner of the company's a wizard, that's how they make them so quiet. Don't know why she gets so worked up about the muggle contraptions, myself." Sofia jabbed him in the side.

"They are more than 'contraptions', little brother. My cars each have a soul of their own; more of a soul than we do, at any rate. Listen to it, it sounds like a heartbeat." To Severus, it sounded like a racket.

The Carrera squealed loudly and lost grip briefly as Sofia spun the wheel. She parked across two spaces and got out, leaving the windows open; the anti-theft device in the Carrera consisted of a vicious enchantment that caused the car's interior to become vicious and attack intruders. After muttering a Dissimulus charm to keep muggles from noticing him, Snape stepped out of the car.

"This way," said Sofia, walking into a shop advertising "Pipes, Piercing & Various Jewelry." A young woman at the service desk greeted Sofia.

"Anything I can help you with, Ms. Snape?"

"No, we're just passing through." The girl pressed a button under the counter.

"Go ahead, then. Have a nice day." Sofia led them out the shop's back door and into an old-fashioned wizarding town. The atmosphere was ruined, however, by newer trendy shops interspersed between older brick-and-mortar structures.

"I need to talk to some people while we're here," said Sofia. "Why don't you go get some stuff, Severus." Tony pointed out a good shop; it looked expensive, with pure gold letters stating "Corvallo's: Wizarding Attire for the Man Who Has Everything." Tony and Severus walked in and were met by a woman in flashy green robes.

"Mr. Snape, how nice to see you again!" she said, flashing a smile at Tony. "Is everything alright with the robes you purchased last week?"

"Yes, the robes will do nicely. Severus, this is Cynthia. Cynthia, this is my brother Severus, he's here on leave and needs some things to wear to the club tonight. Give him a good price for me, dear." He turned to Severus. "I'm going to step out for a while." Snape looked around and quickly regretted his lack of style. The Snapes had always been a stylish family; Severus remembered being a trendsetter fashion-wise among his Death Eater friends after graduating, but he'd let it lapse in the years following Voldemort's downfall.

Mr. Snape, if you'll come with me," said the girl, Cynthia. "Ah, here's a nice suit, I think it could fit you well with a few alterations. You're nearly the same size as your brother, about an inch taller, and a bit thinner," she pinched his sides, "in the middle."

"Don't do that again," said Severus.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. So what do you think of the suit?"

"I don't want to look too much like Tony. Do you have anything more along the lines of robes? Something that doesn't look like a dress." Cynthia smiled.

"Ah, you are certainly with the times, Severus. Traditional wizarding wear is coming back in a big way, with a modern touch, of course. How does this look?" It was a white cloak not unlike Tony's. Severus tried to remember his days as a fashionable young Death Eater.

"If it were trimmed in black, perhaps," he said.

"Yes, that would look good on you. I don't know if we have one like that now, but we can have one delivered quickly if you like. Here, look at some robes." Severus picked a deep green set of robes, a silver belt with an onyx serpent clasp and a new pair of dress shoes, as his own had lost their shine as a result of having far too many potions spilled on them. "I'll just take your measurements now, and we'll have those sent to you. You're staying with your family's place, right?" asked Cynthia. "We can send the shoes and belt as well if you like."

"Yes, do that," said Severus as she measured around his knees. "Thank you."

Severus met Sofia and Tony at a coffee bar just down the walk; Sofia was levitating several bags in front of her, and Tony was chatting with an American woman in the queue.

"Why did father have to marry a blonde?" said Sofia, somewhat disgruntled. "It makes color co-ordinating so very difficult. Oh, Severus, I bought something for you. You're going to love it," said Sofia, taking an object from one of her bags. It was a long silver chain with a stylized Slytherin emblem; the respected old snake held a glass pipe in its tail, and sported a sparkling grin. Severus took it with a laugh.

"My students will get a kick out of this. Thank you." Sofia waved at Tony.

"Let's go, little brother." Tony regretfully left the American woman and followed behind them.

Severus changed into his new robes quickly; they had arrived at the house before he'd gotten there. He found Sofia and Tony waiting outside, Sofia wearing a silver silk cloak that fell straight back from her shoulders, and form-fitting black robes that hung ridiculously long at her elbows. Tony wore the same purple suit and fur cloak he'd worn earlier.

"Severus, you look great! You even washed your hair," said Sofia with a grin.

"I can't tell the difference between washed and not anyway," said Severus.

"Well, I think you've got Tony beat for the style today at least. Although he does look more like a pimp."

"Well, that is what I'm going for," said Tony, who had retrieved his plumed hat and cane. "C'mon, we'll take my Seville."

Tony drove much smoother than Sofia, and they reached the club as the sun set, gilding the clouds on the horizon in flame. A long line had already formed, but everyone parted for Tony. As they reached the front of the club, Severus saw that the letters above the high double doors read "Legendary," and a velvet rope barred the entrance, though the club clearly used to be a warehouse. Tony was greeted by the man standing in front of the doors.

"Hello, boss!"

"Hey, Robbie. I'll bet you eight to one they find you guilty."

"'It's-a no good," replied the bouncer, "I can get ten to one at the barber shop. When you go in, send out Jen-O, okay?"

"Sure thing, mate," said Tony, and then to Severus, "Robbie's up for car theft, too bad. I'm gonna miss him." The club was lit in blue from the clear floor and blacklight from above, with tall columns full of reflecting, bubbling liquid placed randomly about. A staircase led up to a private deck above the crowd, and there was a space at the front where a stage would usually be. "No band today- just a DJ- so we pulled the stage out for room." Tony climbed the stairs and found a woman dressed in only a red cloak, fastened at the waist and neck with golden clasps. "Jen-O, get down to the front and let 'em in. Let's get this thing started." Music started pulsing from speakers hidden around the club as people started to filter in.

"This is muggle music, isn't it?" asked Severus.

"Most of my clientele like muggle music," said Tony. "I get kind of sick of it, but there is a lot more of it than wizarding music, you must admit. That's the problem as I see it. There's such a huge market for muggle music among wizards that no exclusively wizarding music gets through; they all have to sell out to keep the cash coming in. And so do I." Rammstein's "Mein Herz Brennt" boomed through the club, which smelled of smoke and sweat. Dancers were packed tight as sardines on the floor below, cutting off the only real flow of light in the building. Severus' cloak and pale skin shone in the black light, and he could see Tony by his tie and the feather in his hat, beckoning some girls up to the platform. Severus was occupied with two of the dancing girls, who were preventing him from moving much, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He craned his neck just enough to see James Bond.

"What are you doing here?" Snape shouted loudly over the ending riff of Bon Jovi's "One Wild Night."

"I'm gathering intel on the younger Antony Vittorio. He's down there, with the two Korean girls. Why are you here? You're certainly dressed for it."

"My brother owns this club. He wanted to show it off while I'm in town." Bond tried to say something, but was cut off as Pantera's "Immortally Insane" began to play. Conversation proved to be useless, so Bond gestured for Severus to follow him back down to the floor. Snape saw Vittorio and followed Bond towards him.

"Antony!" shouted Bond over the noise, "can we find somewhere to talk?"

"There are soundproofed rooms up above," shouted Severus. "My brother uses them to conduct business." Once again, Severus had to struggle through the clustered club-goers. He noticed a young man who'd obviously had one too many cheering charms swaying as if in a trance, his eyes glazed and smile wide. Severus hadn't danced; he couldn't get in a good groove with muggle music, and his lack of dancing made him a target for pushers.

"Wanna buy some relaxation potion, love?" asked a woman carrying several vials on a leather collar. "Double the cannabis amount." Snape ignored her; he knew that doubling the cannabis rendered the potion useless. A quick word with Tony gave them permission to use the room, which was furnished with a number of armchairs and a bottle of Crown Royal, and the three men sat down.

"Antony, this is Severus Snape, you might have met him already," said Bond.

"Ah yes, Snape. I have heard my father mention you personally, and of course I know of your family. A good name, Snape. A very good name."

"I could say the same of yours," replied Severus. "How is Don Vittorio?"

"His health is not as good as it could be. Many of his duties have passed to me, and I do what I can. It is well that the Death Eaters chose this time to return, is it not? They draw attention away from the likes of us." Vittorio smiled.

"Yes, I suppose they do. You know, however, that I do not follow in my family's business? Sofia has inherited the cares of my father and uncle, and Tony does well for himself as well."

"That he does, I agree. What is it that you do then, Severus?"

"I am the Potions Master at Hogwarts, and head of Slytherin house," replied Snape.

"Ah, Slytherin. I've heard so much about it. How is Hogwarts, then?" said Vittorio.

"Its

"No, my father insisted I attend one of the Scuole di Magia. I was at the Istituto Magico Della Gioventù in Sicily; I knew a number of Snapes there. Our families go back a long time, if I remember the genealogies."

"Yes, if I remember it was Victor Snape who returned to Italy in the 1600's and married Claudia Vittorio. I know the first records of the Snapes is during the Roman occupation of Britain." Vittorio smiled.

"It's good to see people who appreciate the value of family, and of blood. Those ways are dying out, you know. My father tells me you were a Death Eater before the...defeat. Have you returned?"

"Yes," said Snape. "The Dark Lord does not fully trust me yet, which I understand and accept. After all, I have been working for his enemy since even before the incident with Potter. However, he has found some of the things I find out to be useful."

"Of course. And I know about you, Mr. Bond, we have spoken already."

"Yes," said Bond. "Our Lord is...generous to accept me into his ranks." Vittorio smiled.

"My father has appointed me to represent my family amongst the Death Eaters. It is a high honor indeed. And I have messages, for each of you should I find you."

"Indeed?" said Snape. "From Lord Voldemort himself?"

"No, they come through Lestrange. Mr. Bond, you are to come with me to one of our meeting places in two days; there will be a discussion of strategy. And Severus, our Lord knows you cannot be present, but he asks that you take a letter to a student in your care."

"Indeed?" said Snape. "And who would that be?"

"I do not know. The letter is enchanted to seek the student out when it is near enough to him. Here it is," said Vittorio, taking a mottled envelope from his pocket. The seal bore the Dark Mark in black wax. Severus tucked it away quickly and stood up.

"Thank you, Antony. I am going to speak with my sister before we leave."

"It was good to meet with you, Severus. We'll probably see each other again before this is over."

Severus left the room and was immediately buffeted with the sound of the club. He found Sofia not too far from the meeting room.

"Sun's going to be coming up in a couple of hours," she said, throwing her hair back. "Tony's going to have to start getting people out of here; that usually takes a while." The younger Snape appeared about ten minutes later, having lost his cane but gained a large group of women who were clinging to him.

"Alright Severus, Sofia, I think it's time we started to shut things down." He took advantage of the end of a long rave song to cast a Sonorus charm and speak to the crowd of dancers. "It's almost morning, so we'll be shutting down soon. You've been wonderful," he turned to the dancers clustered behind him, "especially you ladies. I'll see you again tomorrow, when we have the Magic Beans playing. Good night, and good fortunes!" Ozzy was singing "War Pigs," and a trickle of people started to exit the club into the pre-dawn light, Robbie and Jen-O assisting those either too intoxicated or too unruly to go under their own power. Severus saw Jen-O blast one girl out the doors with a spell; it seemed quite funny to him at the time. Finally Tony left the club with Sofia and Severus, leaving the bouncers to clean up.

As he'd had quite a lot to drink, he charmed the car to drive itself home, leaned the seat back and immediately fell asleep. Severus and Sofia amused themselves by trying to carry on a conversation with their heads out the car windows on opposite sides until they got home, where Severus went straight to his room and promptly fell asleep in his new clothes.

"This is so much bloody work!" snapped Blaise when Draco entered the dorm. Books and loose parchments were scattered on the bed and floor across the floor

"What are you guys dong?" asked Draco. "I was just seeing off Roland, Dumbledore sent him home. He says it's unfair for me to have a secretary doing all my work for me. Oh well, it was worth a shot."

"Well, now that you've got to do work again, you might want to join us. We have to write four sheets detailing the Celebration of the Lizard for DADA, and study for the Transfiguration test tomorrow, and do our Ancient Runes busywork. It's just not fair, the way they pile on all the work at once." Blaise picked up a heavy tome and began to read.

"I've got my DADA essay done; I can help you out," said Draco. He rummaged around in his duffel and pulled out a stack of parchments. "What part are you at?"

"This book is old, and it's missing an entire chapter. We've got up to "I am the Lizard King." Let's hear what you've got."

"Let's see, here it says: "Now I have come again, to the land of the fair, and the strong, and the wise. Brothers and sisters of the pale forest, o children of night, who among you will run with the hunt? Now night arrives with her purple legion. Retire now to your tents and to your dreams; tomorrow we enter the town of my birth. I want to be ready." Blaise and Crabbe wrote furiously as Draco read. "Got that?"

"Yeah, thanks Draco. You can copy my transfiguration stuff if you want."

"And the giants attacked in exactly the positions your information said they would. Thanks to you, the Ministry was able to control the situation and prevent any deaths. I fail to see why you believe you have been compromised, Severus." Dumbledore pushed his glasses up and leaned back in his chair.

"You have heard about this muggle bomb the Death Eaters stole? They acquired it the very same day as we defeated those giants. It's too much of a coincidence. And the letter I told you about, the one Vittorio gave me, he wouldn't say who it was for. If Voldemort truly trusted me, he would have told me about the bomb, and the letter. He is using me to feed us only what he wants us to know!"

"I agree it is a risk, Severus, but nothing is certain. Even if he does suspect, some information is better than no information. At least now we know there are students involved. And without you, the giants Voldemort released could have caused far more damage, even killed some muggles. The Ministry's resources are taxed as it is, they may not have been able to deal with the repercussions." Snape scowled.

"We were convinced, Albus! We thought we had it worked out, that we could counter this move of theirs adequately. It was just a cover. They wanted us to do what we did, to believe that we had won this battle. We got lucky; the muggle agent Bond saw them taking the bomb. Who's to say we will get so lucky again?" Snape pounded his fist on Dumbledore's desk. "I do not like being used, Albus. I will not be used! I will find out what we need by my own devices, not by pandering to Voldemort and his lackeys. We must take the initiative in this battle, not wait for the Death Eaters' next move. For all we know, it might be the kill shot."

"You may be right, Severus," said Dumbledore with a sigh. "I am afraid my mind is not what it was. I cannot see as clearly as I once could...it is time you and Minerva began to share this burden. And you have reminded me of something else, as well. I must speak to Minister Fudge soon. I hope he has been notified of the threat this muggle bomb poses?"

"Yes, he knows about it," replied Snape. "But the man is a fool. He is a good politician, but we need a true leader in times like these. Say what you will about Crouch's methods, at least he kept the Death Eaters on their toes. They fear the law far less than they should. It is high time the Aurors stepped up and took their place. Perhaps you should speak to Moody as well? I admit I do not like the man, but he is an ally we must have."

"I had thought of Alastor, of course. He is still rather shaken from the events of last year, but I believe he will want revenge. The Aurors, too, must be organized. I will leave at once."

A flustered Minister Fudge was waiting for Dumbledore when he apparated in.

"Hello Albus, good to see you. I've been wanting to talk to you for some time." Dumbledore made no move. "Things are worse than I think even you know. I should have gone to you, and much sooner. I'm sure I'm not the man for times like these Albus, it's just too much." Dumbledore cracked a smile; he seemed more sympathetic.

"We can't choose the times we are given to live in, Cornelius," he said reassuringly. "We can only do what comes to us in any situation. I am sure you are doing everything you can."

"I'm glad you're sure, but I still wish I was. Can we talk in my office?"

Fudge's office was quite messy; loose parchments were scattered about his desk and several boxes had been left open on the floor.

"Tell me what's troubling you, Cornelius," said Dumbledore calmly as the Minister conjured a nicely padded chair for him.

"Well Albus, it's like this. The Ministry hasn't told the whole truth about what's been going on to anybody. Understand, what we've been trying to do is keep the public from panicking any more than is unavoidable. I remember the last time You-Know-Who threatened us...it was horrible. Noone trusted anyone else; everywhere you went, you could feel people's fear in the air. It's not like that this time. The people are living their lives, as they should, even with this shadow hanging over us-" Dumbledore cut Fudge off.

"I don't need your explanations, Cornelius. Tell me everything, everything, that has happened regarding the Death Eaters." Fudge wiped his brow with an embossed handkerchief.

"Very well. Early this summer, I had just left on my tour of the Europe and Asian Ministries. We had arrived in Paris by portkey when an aide told me...Azkaban had fallen." Dumbledore sat up quickly; he looked intent. "We have no concrete proof, of course. However, there has been no word from the prison since mid-July. There have been seventeen confirmed sightings of Dementors in Scotland and, more recently, northern England." Dumbledore looked very serious.

"There hasn't been a loose Dementor in England for twelve years, Cornelius. How many were in Azkaban? And how many prisoners?"

"One hundred and thirteen Dementors were present at Azkaban, last count. Of course, they won't function as well in the outside world. They will have to merge in order to survive, but our assumption is at least forty can live free, and they are moving south. Seventy-five prisoners also are presumed to have escaped, but there's no word on any of them. Only forty-some were Death Eaters, the rest were organized crime or solitary dark-arts types. No doubt You-Know-Who freed them all so they could go back to whatever they did before we caught them."

"Was this all you wanted to tell me, Cornelius?" asked Dumbledore.

"No. That's just the tip of the iceberg. You-Know-Who has a large following, at least as many as last time. What intelligence we've been able to gather, with your help, indicates at least seventy Death Eaters, or loyal supporters, call them what you will. Dark beings are flocking to him as well; we know he has werewolves, vampires and even a few elves with him. What few giants remain in Britain have sided with him. His forces total at least a hundred and fifty, nearly as many as we have Aurors, and his are more centralized."

"Yes, I've been thinking about that," said Dumbledore. "The Aurors are far too independent of the Ministry. They should be integrated into the MLES, at the very least."

"I'm not sure Conneley or the other heads would stand for that," replied Fudge. "I have tried before, you know. Perhaps the situation we face will change their minds...they certainly haven't put a scare into You-Know-Who's supporters yet. You wouldn't have heard, but there were more deaths last night; a half-blood couple and their children. And they don't bother putting the Dark Mark above muggle killings, so we have no way of knowing whether they did it or not. The muggle Parliament had little enough confidence in us before; now with all these deaths, they want the Ministry to stop it. Their populace has noticed something, there just aren't enough Obliviators to keep up with it, and their government is under the same pressure as we are. I fear the Parliament might break the Code; they could tell all." Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"I think it is you who should tell all, Cornelius. Call a press conference. Tell our people what you just told me; come clean. Do what you have to do to combat this threat, and fight with everything you can. Give the muggle government something they can see, let them know you are taking action. You need to stop hiding here in your secret locale and make a bold stand. Move back to the Ministry and inspire the people, Cornelius. And for goodness' sake, bring back the Aurors!" Fudge's face paled.

"Bold stands are not my forte, as you know, Albus. But you are right, as always. I am going to tell the people what has been happening, and I am going back to the Ministry in Diagon Alley. And I will declare a State of Emergency." He heaved a sigh. "Damn it, it will be just like the old days..."

"Just like the old days," said Amanita LeStrange, stroking her wand slowly. "Isn't that right, Croaker?" The figure at her feet gave only a gurgling sound in response. "Now, I want to know where your Department of Mysteries is."

"I told you, I don't know. Can't you put Veritaserum on me?" LeStrange gave him

"Yes, I could. But I don't want to. Crucio!" Croaker screamed, his back arching and head lolling about, until LeStrange removed the curse with a jerk of her wand. "Now talk. I want to know everything about your Department. What projects you are working on, who your personnel are, everything. Cooperate, and you just might not live up to your name..."

Draco reclined in the plush chair on the back of the yacht. The luxurious vessel rocked softly on the waves; he recognized the coastline of Sardinia from past family holidays. The wind blew fiercely in his hair, and the rocking increased. The boat gave a shudder. When had the weather changed, wondered Draco as he fell out of his chair. A house elf came across the heaving deck towards him.

"Up, up!" it squealed. "Up, Draco!" Draco looked up, but saw nothing but storm clouds. The house elf continued. "Up, up!" Draco continued to lie prone on the deck of the yacht when a spray of seawater

"Sorry, sorry. Just a minute, let me get dressed." The team backed away a little and stood on the other side of the room. "Erm, I haven't got anything on here." No one moved. "So get the hell out!" shouted Draco. Baddock led the rest of the team back down the stairs, accompanied by laughter.

The Slytherin team stood on the field as the sun rose, listening to Tia Baddock assign teams for a scrimmage. All the reserves had been called out in order to make even teams, but they were still four people short, so there would be no Keepers and only one Beater a side. Draco rubbed his eyes to keep them open.

"Exsuscito," he said, holding his wand under his chin. He felt his tiredness ebb away, and started to pay attention to what Tia was saying.

"...and I'll go with Chelsea, Simon, and Andrew. When Draco catches the Snitch, the team with the high score at that point gets the score from the Snitch; the other team's Chasers have to do as many sit-ups as they have points against. Remember, this practice is so that the Chasers can work on their skills, that means you, Julia. Let's go!" Tia tossed the Quaffle to Jason Montague and the scrimmage began. Since he had no competition, Draco hovered above the goalposts on the east end of the pitch and watched the game. Tia had certainly given her side the short end; Jason Montague beat her out in a race to the goals and scored easily.

"See Tia, it's not so easy being a Chaser," he shouted as he flew back to the other end of the pitch.

"I know, that's why I'm Keeper!" she responded. The teams were somewhat confusing; Chelsea Warrington was easily the best Chaser Slytherin had, but she was paired with Tia, usually the Keeper, and Simon Palffy, a reserve. They were matched by Julia Hammond and Jason Montague, the other two regular Chasers. They'd been joined by Jenna, who wasn't even a reserve; apparently Tia had convinced her to come out so the teams would be even. Draco laughed as she tried an over-the-shoulder drop pass to no one in particular. The two Beaters, Shannon Derrick and Andrew Bole, offset each other's skills well. Shannon was weaker, but had a better aim. Draco remembered when they'd been dating two years earlier; it ended badly after they bloodied each other up during a heated scrimmage. Draco tried casting a nosebleed hex on Jenna as she flew under him, but it missed.

"Are you even looking for the Snitch?" she shouted up at him.

"No," he responded. "I'm just going to fly around for an hour or so and run up the score. That way there'll be more sit-ups to go around."

"If we lose, I'll hex you in your sleep. I'm still mad about that thing with Davies."

Draco grinned. "I'm surprised you remember anything about that. I'm fairly sure he doesn't, you should've seen how much Firewhisky he drank."

"I may not have seen, but I could sure smell it," said Jenna. "Can't you hurry up and catch the Snitch? It's right over there." Jenna pointed at a glittering speck halfway across the pitch.

"I don't feel like it."

"Oh, come on. If the game's over, maybe Tia will let you go back to sleep."

"Good point," said Draco. She probably won't but it's worth a try." He leaned forward and his Firebolt accelerated rapidly. With no one to challenge him, he chased the Snitch down easily. The teams returned to the ground.

"Tough luck Tia, you lose," said Julia with a grin.

"Yeah, you'd better start on those sit-ups. I believe it was 260-70."

"But the Snitch doesn't count," Tia said sullenly. "It's only a hundred and ten." She turned to her team. "Alright, let's get started. Draco, I want you to practice while we finish this. Shannon, Andrew, hit some Bludgers at him if you want, just to make it interesting." Draco sighed.

"Ha, no sleep for you," said Jenna pleasantly as he took off again.

"That's alright, I have History of Magic first class," replied Draco.

When Draco saw the headline in the Daily Prophet, however, he lost all thought of sleeping. Bold letters above a picture of Cornelius Fudge proclaimed: