Smiles That Shine Through Tears

Chapter 5

The smile that shines through tears

It is easy enough to be pleasant,

When life flows by like a song,

But the man worth while is the one who will smile,

When everything goes dead wrong.

For the test of the heart is trouble.

And it always comes with the years.

And the smile that is worth the praises of earth

Is the smile that shines through tears.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

I left Hermione in the hospital wing, Crookshanks purring on her lap and Penelope fussing over her. She had apologized for shouting, claiming that she was overtired. She still looked far too pale, and vacant, as though she'd been writing for hours and hadn't quite come back to reality yet.

A class of seventh years turned to stare as I entered dungeon number 2, and I pulled my robes closer round me and sat down at the back.

"Carry on with your work," Severus said mildly, walking around the desks. He waved his wand to pull out a desk - I couldn't move it myself - and showed me where he had left off the potion he was making. The book 'Useful Medical Potions' was well-used, and written in the most obscure method possible. The cauldron started to simmer over the flames he had lit while I shredded feverfew and a couple of mint stalks. The timer told me it was time to add crushed lupin seed and finely sliced barley awns, then I raised my hand in true schoolgirl fashion for Severus to turn the flames down and stir the potion in the correct manner.

"I'll be finished with this lot in twenty minutes," he said, nodding towards the students. I looked over the rest of the recipe, but there was nothing I couldn't finish myself. The mix was a simple skin binding potion - one of the most used in the infirmary, Severus told me. I crushed a huge amount of comfrey leaves, rinsing the juice out of the bowl with lavender oil several times to reach the correct dilution.

The students were mixing potions that puffed thick, heady vapours through the dungeon, causing some of them to yawn and sway slightly as they stood.

"Finish at the end of step 9," Severus instructed, waiting until the class was silent. "Tomorrow your masks will be required to finish the potion - if you are unable to perform a simple exclusion charm, practice overnight. For homework I expect to see two feet of parchment on the use and misuse of sleeping draughts and a detailed summary of the ingredients and where to find them. Return your home-work to my office before three o clock, Friday. You may go."

The small class packed up and left, silently. A couple of them were stumbling over their feet, still yawning.

"Added far too much extract of chamomile," Severus said, watching them. "The instructions said quite clearly only 5 ¾ ounces. How long has your binding potion still to simmer for?"

"Two minutes, forty seconds," I said, checking. He leaned over to look at it.

"Touch of powdered chameleon blood there - I'll add it. You were just a little too light handed with the comfrey, it shouldn't have needed any."

"Hermione's back," I said. "She's very tired."

"Good. Those boys probably need her intellect closer to home; I don't suppose they've found out anything useful at all since she left." He stirred the potion with the tip of his wand, watching the flecks of powder disappear in a swirl. "One minute. I'll fetch some flasks. When the minute is up use the dragon-hide gloves and carefully lift the cauldron off the flames. Keep the liquid level as you move it." He picked up some scrolls of parchment - class homework - and strode out of the dungeon.

The cauldron was heavier than I expected, and I very carefully held it level when it was time to move it, ignoring the sound of the dungeon door closing heavily again. The blue flames flickered on the desk, burning without scorching the wood. I turned round, expecting to see Severus with the flasks, but it wasn't him.

"Who are you?" I asked the boy. He was about my age, with very fair blond hair and a pale face. "Severus will be here in a minute, if you're looking for him."

He tipped his head back to look at me. "More to the point, who are you? You're a muggle, aren't you; I shouldn't think you'd be on first name terms with Professor Snape." He moved closer, looking over my shoulder at the potion. "Not so easy making potions without magic, is it?" I jumped involuntarily away when he put his hand on my shoulder, glaring at him as I tried to steady my breath, the blood pounding violently into my head. The door swung open again as Severus entered.

"Draco Malfoy?"

"Well, jumpy, aren't you. Didn't mean to frighten you - muggle," he said, quietly so that Severus didn't hear. I glared at him, defiantly meeting the cold grey eyes for an instant before looking past him. Severus was carrying an armful of flasks with corked, funnel shape necks towards the bench.

"I see you've met Jane, my niece." I stared at him. Draco turned to look at me again then nodded, apparently accepting the fallacy."

"I didn't know you had any family, Professor."

"You have a message?"

"Yes, not from my father, he doesn't know I'm here."

"I thought not. He wouldn't be pleased if he did." He explained for my benefit, "Lucius Malfoy seems to think I betrayed a trust. He was wrong, but as he won't speak to me, I can't convince him of that."

"Father is very busy at present; he won't be back from Europe until tomorrow. Most unfortunate that he can't be there - Neville Longbottom has finally accepted his dinner invitation."

"Neville Longbottom? You amaze me Draco, why would your father want anything to do with him?"

"You know." The boy shrugged. "He seems to think Longbottom's got a reasonable amount of influence. The note explains it. We're not expecting any other company. I thought you might enjoy a meal for old times sake."

He turned and walked out.

"This is - very interesting." Severus was perusing the letter while I uncorked a flask and started ladling the potion into it. "Don't start making any more potions Jane, before I come back." He flicked his wand to put the fire out, tucking the note into his robes before leaving, the door shutting with a heavy thwump behind him.

Nearly an hour had passed. The flasks were all neatly lined up in a row and I was trying to scrub the ladle and cauldron under cold running water, wearing elbow length dragon hide gloves when he came back. He stopped to survey the flasks, then turned towards me.

"Leave that Jane." With a flick of his wand both the cauldron and ladle were clean and dry. He looked animated, his black eyes glittering and tension in every line of his face.

"Hermione agrees with me," he said, laying five flasks along his arm and stacking them in a cupboard. "It's a set-up. The sneakoscope was going wild in Professor Dumbledore's office. If the man wasn't so brilliant I'd be certain he had a few screws loose."

"He wants you to go?"

"Yes."

"What's a sneakoscope?"

"It's a magical instrument that spins and whines when it senses deceit. Horrible things. I had one in my office for a long time, but had to disable it because it wouldn't stop spinning."

"Kids! Always up to tricks."

He coughed and looked away. "I'll have to leave in half an hour. I expect you'll want to spend some time with Hermione?"

"Of course."

"Don't let her try to come after me; I have already assured her of Neville's safety. I don't believe she trusts me."

"Do you... do you think you might see Ginny?"

"All things are possible. Now, if you'll excuse me." He locked the cupboard door on the stacked flasks and swept out, turning left into the deeper dungeons. I walked past his office, into the Entrance Hall and back down to the Hufflepuff common room to change my clothes.

* * * *

"Come and join us, Jane. Have you been helping in potions again?" Emmeline patted the empty seat beside her.

"Thanks Emmeline, but I'm going to find my friend. I'll see you at dinner." I left the common room, hearing Renate murmuring behind me.

"She looks alright, doesn't she? Sophie always looks shattered after a detention in the potions dungeon."

Poor Sophie! Severus really doesn't seem to like children. I walked up the stairs and out from under the coconut palm. The torches were lit in the corridor, although it wasn't really dark yet. I wondered how Hermione was, thinking that she probably needed her sleep. I hesitated for a few moments, and then decided that Snape had obviously already disturbed her. If I was lucky she might tell me what the note had been about. I headed resolutely up the stairs back into the entrance hall.

"Cleo, what are you doing here?" She wound herself round my legs, and then headed off to pay similar attention to a statue, mewing loudly. "Cleo, you really shouldn't have left the common room." I tried to coax her to me, worried that she might get lost if she started roaming the castle. She looked at me warily, and darted away. I sat on the step at the bottom of the main stairs, knowing that she would come to me eventually if I didn't follow her.

The door swung open, accompanied by loud chatter. I ran towards the entrance, pushing past the students trailing in mud, each carrying a broomstick. Cleo had arched her back and hissed as soon as the students came in, and I reached the door just in time to see her shadowy form crawl under a bush. I ran to the bush, dropped to the ground and waited, trying to see her eyes. Nothing. Then I spotted a movement a few metres away. I called her name, but the shadow slunk away again. Wearily, I got up and moved closer.

"Come on Cleo, come and get biscuits." I lay down, looking through the bushes. "This isn't funny Cleo, come on out where I can see you," I muttered, under my breath. A scrabbling sound made me look up - she was heading rapidly into the dense branches of a tree. I lost sight of her, then she appeared on a low branch and jumped. I stood still for a second, hoping she'd come to me, but she was streaking away towards the lake. I followed, as fast and silently as I could.

When I stopped I suddenly realised that I was outside the grounds - the gates had been open and I'd followed the small shadow right through them. I walked along the lake, trying to see a movement. For half a minute there was nothing, then I heard a small movement behind me. I turned round, stumbling over a rock as I did so and started to say, "I'm sorry, my cat..." as the man I'd heard put his arms out to catch me.

* * * *

We were standing outside a tall, ornate iron gate, Severus glowering at me as if I'd done something really stupid.

"I'm sorry, I was trying to find my cat."

He let off a stream of oaths that might have shocked me, except, having attended a regular school; I'd heard them all before. "You're here now," he said finally. "We'll just have to make the best of it. You're my niece, remember." He stepped forward to touch the gate, muttering under his breath.

"Next time I want to apparate somewhere without you, I will see to it that you are locked in your dorm. If that was any-one else I'd think it was deliberate." He paused. "I don't think that of you."

The gate swung open. Severus took my arm and steered me through. "Stay close. Malfoy Mansion is well protected. If there is any trouble I will get you out immediately." His eyes glittered as they had done earlier, almost as if he relished the prospect of the danger that lay within the walls of the towering black house. I stared uneasily at a shrub that crouched in the middle of the lawn, eating something with loud crunching noises. Halfway up the drive, a small shadow appeared on the steps and I saw the blond boy come running to meet us.

"Professor Snape! Glad you could come." His cheeks were flushed from running. "I didn't realize you intended to bring - Jane, was it?" he asked, turning to me. I nodded.

"Unfortunate occurrence, Draco, my sister - you wouldn't have known her, the family disowned her because she was a squib - was called into hospital suddenly. Jane was looking after her round the clock until two days ago, when I brought her to Hogwarts for a rest. Problem with women, they'll kill themselves doing good if they can. I wouldn't have brought her, but she threatened to go straight back to the hospital."

"The old woman's going to die anyway," he whispered, apparently so that I wouldn't hear.

"Severus!" I snapped, feeling the colour rush to my cheeks. "You know that's not true. She - she's gonna be alright." I subsided, feeling I'd spoken out of turn, a tear of embarrassment forming - or anger, I wasn't sure which.

Draco shrugged. "If Neville Longbottom keeps his word, he should be here shortly. I can trust you to help?"

"Assuredly."

Draco led us up the steps and into a long gloomy passage. Severus seemed to know where he was going, and walked alongside him as we turned up stairs, reaching for the door handle before Draco did. As in Harry's house, the drawing room appeared to be above the entrance on the first floor. Severus showed me to an armchair by the fire and sat down in the one opposite, while Draco stopped at a highly polished table and picked up a book.

"I thought you would be interested in this," he said, showing it to Severus. "The history of the Malfoy's suggests that these little charms have been regularly used through the centuries." He pulled a straight-backed chair next to Severus, conversing as if they had both forgotten my presence.

"Armata-Rae. Has your mother ever made you one?"

"No. I've got Armata, of course, had it since I was a baby. I didn't know about Armata-Rae till I read about it a few weeks ago."

"It's an interesting little charm. Very delicate process. On completion the liquid disappears, with the ingredients condensing into a scarlet crystal. You realize of course, that when wearing the crystal the level of protection cannot be predicted simply because you'll never know what might have been. Some wizards call it superstition, but it is a noted fact that people who have Armata-Rae tend to live longer, healthier lives than their peers."

"Do you have one, Sir?"

"No. I've never known any-one who could make one for me."

"Not skilled enough?"

"Not loving enough. Armata-Rae is forged with love. That's why your mother should have made you one. It's probably too late now."

Draco glanced at the window as an alarm sounded on the table. "Longbottom. I'll bring him in; dinner shouldn't be more than another twenty minutes."

I tried to catch Severus' eye when Draco was out of the room, but he stared glumly at the fire. I didn't say anything. Armata-Rae had been radiating a warmth just slightly above body temperature ever since he'd caught me in his arms down by the lake.

The boy who followed Draco into the drawing room looked rather alarmed to see Severus there. I looked at Severus - I would probably have been alarmed too if he'd ever looked at me with his lip curling like that.

"Sit down, Longbottom," said Draco pleasantly, placing a chair opposite the fire. I watched it drift gently into place, then looked up and realized that Longbottom was looking at me watching the chair. He continued to look at me as he sat down, darting a questioning glance at Draco.

"How do you find the parchment mill?" asked Draco. "I wouldn't stand it myself - all those insubordinate minions. I hear it's been doing quite well since you took it over."

Longbottom laughed. He was slightly taller than Draco and considerably heavier, but his eyes darted nervously around the room as though he expected the walls to be listening. "We're not doing so bad. The employees work perfectly well if they're treated right, I don't have a problem with them."

"Are you saying the previous CEO didn't treat them right?"

"He caused his own problems, Malfoy. Miss Granger uncovered some research for me. Apparently productivity increases when working conditions improve."

"Really. So what changes have you made?"

"I've increased their wages, time off, lowered retirement age and we send them on Muggle courses where they learn to improve their effectiveness - you know, being proactive, putting first things first, stuff like that."

Draco raised his eyebrows, shaking his head as he said, "I always thought you had a rather obscure logic. Would you care for a drink? Jane, Professor?"

I shook my head. Draco poured himself and the other two a small glass of something that smoked slightly.

"Is she a relation of yours?" Neville asked, the first time he had addressed Severus directly.

"My niece."

He nodded. "Bit of family resemblance there, I thought so." He turned back to Draco, who had drawn up another chair beside him. "I heard a rumour that you were dating Ginny Weasley."

Draco stiffened, then smiled disarmingly. "I wish - she's a pretty little minx, isn't she? Unfortunately my father can't control himself around any-one with red hair. He seems to think they brought about the downfall of the Dark Lord single-handed."

"Hardly single-handed," Severus interrupted.

"No," Draco mused. "They breed like rabbits, always have done." He stopped suddenly, pouring himself another drink with shaking hands. I glanced at Severus, questioning with my eyes. Does he have a drink problem? He shook his head, eyebrows lowered slightly as he watched Draco.

"What are you doing these days? I believe last time I saw you..." Neville asked.

Draco's head snapped round to look at him, the distant gleam that had been in his eyes a moment ago entirely gone. "I didn't ask you here to talk about that. As it happens, I have been in training overseas and am very busy between the Ministry and the Manor. My father intends to have more time for his own interests now that I have completed my training."

"Why did you ask me here?" Neville asked. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as though he were trying not to laugh. "Hardly for old times sake."

"Not exactly - no," said Draco. "More to discuss your position at Parchment Plus. You are a man with a lot of influence, Longbottom."

"You wish to use that influence?"

Severus chuckled. Draco set his glass on the table with a sharp thud. "Subtlety isn't exactly your middle name, is it, Neville Longbottom."

"No," said Neville. "It's actually Francis"

Draco stared at him.

"My middle name," he explained.

"Let's discuss it over dinner," Draco said, as a bell rang on the wall. "I have an offer which I think you might be rather interested in..."

Severus took my arm as the two boys left the room. "Whatever I do," he hissed, "don't try to stop me. Understood?" I nodded, following him through the door and downstairs.

* * * *

The dining room was a huge, high-ceilinged hall with polished wooden floors. I glanced round at the tapestries and portraits, before noticing the small table sitting directly under a triptych surrounded by torches. The long table in the centre of the room was empty.

"I always admired that painting," said Severus, as we took our seats. Each of the three panes showed a warrior surrounded by magical creatures.

"I see Slytherin's not there," said Neville in a small voice. "He prefers to work by stealth, doesn't he?"

"Wasn't quite the type to get decked out in his armour and pose for a painting, anyway," said Draco. I looked at the man in the centre section, curly brown hair streaming out from under his helmet like a lion's mane. He had his mouth open as if shouting and beckoned forward the most terrifying beasts - lions that had scorpion tails, leathery winged horses. The women on either side looked much more pleasant.

"You say your father is in Europe until tomorrow?" asked Severus, uncovering a platter of steaming, sliced meat.

"Yes, he has to check the family interests over there." Draco handed Neville a dish of cauliflower swimming in a milky sauce. Neville eyed it warily, as though wondering if it were poisoned, before helping himself.

I ate silently, listening to the talk. Neville responded surprisingly well to Draco's suggestion that he should liaise with the Ministry of Magic in his business decisions, although he was adamant that the Ministry were not to have anyone apart from himself to provide feedback.

"I've seen the results of that before," he insisted. "As long as the Ministry is harbouring trolls like Dolores Umbridge, there's no way I'll allow them to appoint any-one to supervise the mill."

"Standards, Longbottom. Some of us believe they are important."

"If the Ministry find fault in any product produced by Parchment Plus, I will be personally answerable," replied Neville, firmly.

Finally they stood up and pushed their chairs back. "You'll both join me for a round of cards before you go, won't you?" asked Draco. Severus nodded.

"Thank you, Malfoy, but I really must go," said Neville. "It's quite late enough, and I have a couple of early appointments tomorrow."

I didn't see the signal. Severus grasped my arm and pushed me to the floor, at the same time his wand appeared in his other arm and several jets of light shot overhead, accompanied by a loud bang and a muffled thud.

"Thank you, Severus," said Draco, breathing heavily. "He's quick on the draw, I wasn't sure if I could do that myself."

Severus helped me to my feet before striding forward to check Neville. "He'll be fine, there's a good pulse there." He whispered a spell which levitated the unconscious Neville. "Now, where did you want him, Draco?"

"Well, Severus Snape. I thought you understood you weren't welcome here." Severus spun round. A man had appeared in the doorway, his wand held loosely in his right hand.

"Father! I wasn't expecting you," said Draco, the blood draining from his face.

"No doubt you weren't. Take your captive..." He indicated Neville's body floating in the air. "And go."

Draco glanced worriedly at Severus, who nodded slightly. Using his wand to direct Neville, he stalked past his father, the body floating eerily in mid-air in front of him.

"You are a fool, Severus. I knew Draco would ask you for help in my absence, I never thought you would be so naïve as to come."

Severus and the man stared at each other. I realized that this must be the Lucius Malfoy I had heard so much about - and none of it good. Severus' fingers were gripped tightly round his wand, and I noticed that Lucius had not lowered his either.

"I did not betray you, Lucius. That fool, Potter..."

&dquo;Did not say you did."

"He didn't?"

"Should he have done? No Severus, it is not so hard to read between the lines of an innocent witness. You've been helping Dumbledore since before Draco was born."

"You mean to say you have judged me on the basis of your son's letters home? I would have credited you with more sense than that."

"Not only, Severus, not only," said Lucius smoothly. "Dolores Umbridge was a most admirable witness, she saw much more than she understood. Overall it's not too surprising you weren't at the ministry that night - didn't want to be seen, did you?"

"I had school commitments. With Dumbledore, McGonagall and Umbridge incapacitated, you know as well as I do where my duty lies."

Lucius lowered his wand. "If you wish to explain, you can do so in my office. I have a few questions you could answer." He indicated the door. Severus reached for my hand and pulled me forward, I noticed a strong smell of alcohol as we passed Lucius. He followed behind, his wand still held ready as if expecting Severus to attack him.

Lucius' office was a smallish room, with a bright fire in the grate. Filing cabinets lined the wall behind the desk and a tall bookcase held books and bound parchment that looked several centuries old. He closed the door behind him. I noted that there was an open book, a bottle and a glass on the desk - he had clearly been sitting here for some time while we were downstairs.

"Sit, girl," said Lucius, pointing at a chair. I did so, and found to my alarm that ropes appeared out of nowhere, binding my arms tightly to the arms of the chair. They bit into my skin painfully, but nothing I did caused them to loosen.

"Don't hurt her, Lucius," said Severus, calmly. "She can't tell you anything; I just brought her to stop her running back to her mother."

I tried bunching up the muscles in my arm, hoping that the magical ropes would adjust to the change. They didn't, they merely hurt more.

"So, Severus Snape," Lucius hissed, leaning against his desk. "Arrogant enough to walk into Malfoy Manor, I see, but will you be useful enough to get out again?"

"I very much doubt it," said Severus blandly. I looked around. The door by which we had entered was the only entrance, unless you counted the windows which were obviously too high up to be safe - I could see the topmost braches of a tree moving slightly against the bottom part of the glass. A large tapestry covered most of the wall behind me, swinging slightly in the updraught of the fire.

"I know that you are fraternizing with the enemy, Severus. In fact, I have no doubt that you personally arranged to have every person and owl leaving this house shadowed."

"I did not," said Severus. I was sure he was telling the truth.

"I want you to tell me, Snape, exactly who is watching Malfoy Manor."

Snape laughed. "I can't tell you what I don't know, Lucius. We have been good friends; it is a shame to see you become so paranoid."

"We were never friends, Snape. Is that the word you use for people you double-cross?" He leaned back, raising his wand. "Perhaps a little torture will make you rethink what you know. Crucio."

I gasped, and would have covered my eyes if it had been possible. Severus had fallen to the floor, curled in a foetal position as the curse racked his body. He did not scream, but when he stood up a minute later I saw that he had bitten through his lip. A little trickle of blood ran to the corner of his mouth and down his chin.

"Did you enjoy that, Snape? Always stubborn, weren't you?"

"There is no point in this, Lucius," Severus spat. "I don't know anything that can help you."

"You know about the Order of the Phoenix though?"

"Of course I know about the Order."

"Potter and that Granger girl have joined it, haven't they? It goes without saying that the Weasley's are involved."

"I wouldn't know. What the Potter boy does is of no interest to me."

"Isn't it?"

I turned my neck to read the titles of the books shelved along the wall. Most of them were obscure Latin phrases - Hermione would have understood them, but their meanings were beyond me. I was just about to turn round again to ease the strain of twisting my neck like that when I noticed a hand drawn map on the lower shelf. Something about it looked familiar.

Several minutes later I realized where I'd seen the map before, but by that time Lucius was shaking with fury and shouting so loudly that I expected him to attack Severus again. He raised his wand sharply, and I saw Severus flinch, just before the floor disappeared with a suddenness that left my stomach in the air somewhere three floors above.

* * * *

The bindings had gone. When I regained my breath I sat up and rubbed my arms. I was sitting on a cold, stone floor in a room - or more likely, cellar, that was very black, but felt large. A few feet away I heard a movement.

"Are you alright, Jane?"

"Yes. What happened, Severus, did we apparate?"

"He banished us. Lucky he lost his temper, Lucius can be quite nasty."

"You mean that wasn't nasty?" I stood up, trying to get my bearings. A small beam of light showed me Severus, standing holding his wand. "Where are we?"

"In the dungeons of Malfoy Mansion. I've been here before, the Dark Lord found them very useful on occasion. There's no way out, with or without magic, unless a member of the Malfoy family accompanies you."

"No way out? You mean - you knew these dungeons were here, you knew you were walking into a trap." I clenched and unclenched my fists as I stared at him. "You know Severus; you can be very stupid sometimes."

"And...?"

"That's it."

"What do you mean, that's it? I get you into this mess and all you can say is 'you can be very stupid sometimes'. You're not female, are you?"

I thought about that for about two seconds, wondering how Louise or SuEllen would react. Not like this. "Well - no, I guess I'm not. Not a regular female anyway."

"I should have known better than to bring that up." He sat down heavily, a sulky look on his face for an instant before the wand light snapped out. In the silence that followed I could hear his breathing and nothing else. Eventually I sat down, cross-legged on the cold floor.

* * * *

"What about Neville?" I asked some minutes later.

"Oh, he's probably being questioned right now. He can't give away anything important; they just want him on their side."

"Will they torture him?"

"You've seen how they work. Our biggest worry is that they could put him under an imperius spell - he does have a lot of influence, more than he realizes." He fell silent again.

"What's the imperius spell?"

"It gives the caster influence over the subject's brain, making them do things they might not otherwise do."

I shivered. "I'm not sure I really wanted to know that."

"It's illegal," he said, as if that helped.

"Have you any idea what they intend doing with us?" I asked, after another long pause.

"None. He obviously suspects that I'm involved with the Order, but he doesn't know and he won't find out."

"He?"

"Draco was a dupe; he wouldn't have willingly put me in danger."

"Couldn't Draco be under that imperius thing?"

"He's not. There is a discernible difference when some-one is applying their own will."

"Both boys do have one thing in their favour," he said, after a pause. "They've had extensive practice at repelling the curse in their later years at school. Once it became obvious that the Dark Lord was back, Dumbledore insisted that extra class-time should be devoted to Defence against the Dark Arts."

"Lucius had a map on his bookshelf," I said. "It showed the lower floor of the Old Marshalsea Prison."

"Why did you notice that?"

"It wasn't quite the same as the one Hermione had drawn."

"It wasn't? In what way?"

"Well." I tried to visualise the details of the map I'd seen. "It was a lot more detailed - like it showed a network of rooms instead of just the entrances and exits. And there was a lower layer indicated, just one room. And there was an exit that I don't remember being on the other map, with lots of stairs. It might have led to the lower room, I couldn't tell."

"What direction was the other entrance? Did it look like a long passage?"

"Due North. It went off the map."

"Under the Thames. Well, if we ever get out of here that information might be of use." His bones creaked slightly, a scrap of material flapping as he adjusted his position. Although I couldn't see him I knew he was lying on the floor, his arms behind his head.

"Isn't that cold?"

"It suits me. Hermione would have told you I was a cold person." There was a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Have you always been like that?" I asked, curiously.

"Do I have to answer?"

"You seem to think we'll be stuck down here a long time, we might as well talk. And I'd rather not sit here thinking about being cold."

"Come here." I heard him sit up again, as I moved cautiously forwards. As soon as I was within reach he caught me round the waist and pulled me down next to him, wrapping his cloak round us. "Still cold?" he asked, as I shivered.

"A little. You're not that cold." I leaned back against him. "You don't like people much, do you?"

"Do you?"

I stopped to think about that. "Well, yes, I think so. Not adults I mean. I like children. And I like Hermione and most of her friends, but it's good to be alone sometimes."

"I don't come on that list?"

"You're one of Hermione's friends, aren't you? I like you, I just can't understand why you have to be so horrible to people. Ron and Harry and the kids, I mean."

"I'm not a very nice person, Jane. I'm not like you."

"You think I'm nice?"

"Saccharine sweet."

"Ugh, don't say that, that's horrible. And it's not true either." I paused again. "Do you really have a sister?"

"I had once. She wasn't a squib either; she would have been a very talented young witch."

"Would have been?"

"She died young. She and Eric - her twin brother. They were only six at the time."

"What happened?"

"We buried them and my father went to Azkaban, two years before I started school."

"How did they die, I meant?"

"Azkaban's a prison, wizard prison."

"Oh." I wished now I hadn't asked. "I'm sorry. I guess I don't know when I'm well off."

"You're not well off. You've got family, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Where are they? I've known you for nearly three months, have they visited you, even sent you a note in that time?"

"No. I don't expect it though, they're busy people. I phone my Mum sometimes."

"My mother sends me a note at least twice a week, and insists on visiting at every opportunity - and I'm 46, you'd think she'd have given up on me by now. How old are you?"

"Twenty-three. Is your Dad still alive?"

"Yes. Mother visits him once a year. Twenty-three - well, that's good. I thought you were even younger."

"What difference does it make to you?"

"To me, none, but to other people, perhaps rather a lot." He didn't continue in this confusing train of thought though, as he asked, "How many were in your family?"

"Six. I'm the third, and the first girl. It was pretty noisy, growing up. All the fighting we did." I fell silent. I didn't particularly want to think of my family either.

"Why do you like kids?"

"I don't know. I just do. They're so innocent and cheerful. I've always wanted my own children, to be able to watch them growing up, and... avoid the mistakes that I see so many people making."

"I can't see Hermione fathering any children."

"There's ways round that," I snapped. "Hermione doesn't want children - yet. She would make a wonderful parent when she does."

"Possibly she would. You could do better than her though."

"I don't think so." I drew my legs up tight, trying to retain some warmth. "How did you get mixed up in all this? Being friends with Lucius and everything, he's the enemy, isn't he?"

The pause was so long I wondered if he hadn't heard, or if I'd offended him in some way. Eventually he said, "It's a long story and it's probably better that you don't know it."

After a few minutes he spoke again. "The Order is concerned that Harry Potter is heading the same way. He's fascinated with the Dark Arts - deeper than they realise. I recognize the signs because I've been there myself. Even when he was at school. It started off as defence - that illicit society he formed, although even before that it showed in his aptitude for sports whether it was quidditch, dueling, giant mazes. Defending yourself is all very well, but in some people it leads to more. Potter is one of those people. So was I.

"You wouldn't believe how many Dark Wizards started their career as aurors."

"What's an auror?"

"Aurors catch Dark Wizards, bring them to justice."

I was stunned at this piece of information. Severus continued talking. "When the twins died I was nine. We didn't have a particularly easy home life, but Mother and I and the twins, we'd stuck together. It seemed such a waste of young life. Mother was distraught for several months and it was just me and him a lot - my Father - until they carted him off to Azkaban. I've never seen him since. I hated him, for what he'd done to the twins, for how he abused my Mother. She had no self-esteem, when he left she didn't think she could do anything, but she got better, and she learned. She's fine now, a cheery old woman."

I could feel him relax as he thought of her, relief for the peace that the passing of years must have given her - but apparently, not him.

"It was while she was upstairs - she lay on her bed and hardly ate for weeks and weeks, I decided I was going to learn defence. I was scared, you know how little children can misunderstand things, and I thought that with the twins gone it would be me next. And with only one of me, rather than four people to pick on, I probably wouldn't last long. When Mother came back downstairs she helped me. I read everything I could get my hands on, practiced every curse I could find, so that I could protect myself and the people I loved - if I ever found any-one else now that the twins had been taken.

"That was my mistake. It started out innocently enough, but there is a fascination in the Dark Arts that draws you in, enticing you to find out more, gain a little more. At Hogwarts I was put in Slytherin House, the house of which I am now Head, and there I met Lucius Malfoy. He was in his final year when he admitted me into his little band, one of the youngest of the group, and we kept in touch with each other when we left school.

"I'm shouldn't be telling you this, Jane. Professor Dumbledore is the only other person who knows this."

I turned to look at him, just able to make out his face as a slightly lighter shadow.

"It's alright. Hermione always says that it's important to talk."

"Do you take her advice?"

I shook my head, but didn't answer.

"I don't need to tell you about those terrible years," he continued. "To start off it was great, I was serving the Dark Lord and he taught us lots of things. It felt good to be part of the group, to feel the exhilaration of being in control - no, I don't want to think about that. My conscience started to nag me, reminding me that I was doing this because I wanted to learn self-defence. Eventually I began to be sickened by what I was part of - the baiting, the murder."

He fell silent again.

"Dumbledore sought me out. I was too proud to go to see him - as I should have done when I realised I wasn't happy with what I was doing. The Dark Lord kills Death Eaters who try to leave him. Dumbledore gave me a second chance - and more. He gave me the chance to make amends for some of the wrongs I had done. I didn't leave the Dark Lord, though I was so disgusted at what was happening that I would rather have died than stay with him. That is when I became involved in the Order - as a spy."

"You spied for Professor Dumbledore?"

"I was his most important source of information. No-one else was in almost daily contact with the Dark Lord, and willing to report to Dumbledore. I saw everything - more than any one would want to think about." His voice trailed off again.

"When the Dark Lord - well, he didn't die, but he had to go into hiding. That was it for me. Lucius Malfoy claimed to have been acting under imperius, and insinuated himself back into high society. I went underground. I didn't want to be recognised, knowing what I'd done and that every-one knew it. My mother chased me down with owls, insisting that I go and see her. I did, and she encouraged me to get myself a proper job, and when I saw that there was a teacher's vacancy at Hogwarts I decided to apply. Dumbledore had been very good to me, and I knew I was qualified for the position, over qualified really."

"So you became the potions professor?"

"I did, but that wasn't the post I'd applied for... hush, he's coming."

A trapdoor had opened, throwing a rectangle of yellow light down a set of steps. Severus edged away from me, drawing his cloak round him. Lucius Malfoy stood in the square of light at the bottom of the steps, coldly surveying us. I shivered. He strode into the dungeon and stood in front of me.

"I see you got down here no problem. Sometimes my banishing curses have a slightly - wider - range than intended. I think, Severus, we shall try this little one. How long do you think it will take to break her?"

He put a rough hand on my face, stroking it. I willed myself not to shudder.

"Leave her," barked Severus. "She knows nothing."

"No - but you do." He took my hands and pulled me to my feet.

"A little muggle - and a pretty one too. Why would you travel in company with a muggle?" He leered at me. "Come, my dear."

I didn't move. His face started to go blurry, his voice fading into the distance as I shut myself away. They shall not have my spirit. In a few minutes I would neither care, nor fear what they do. It is only my body, not me.

The dungeon rocked sharply backwards. A voice, far away echoed, "...already broken." A muffled bang was the door slamming - he had gone.

When I opened my eyes I was sprawled on the dungeon floor, Severus kneeling beside me, his wand emitting a faint beam of light.

"What did you do that for?" He looked as if he was trying not to smile.

"Do what?"

"You closed your brain down. Do you always do that when you're scared?"

I shook my head. He helped me to my feet and spread his cloak on the floor for me to sit on.

"Only sometimes, I see. You saved us both. I would not have enjoyed watching him torture you." He looked at me keenly. "The irony is, because you believe you are worth nothing, you have convinced him you are not worth killing. Who hurt you badly enough that you learned that response?"

"Why would you want to know?" The sharpness of my answer surprised me. I hadn't meant to insult him.

"Why? Because when we get out of this place I am going to kill him."

I stared at him until he started pacing. Lucius wants to kill me? I felt the familiar anger rise - at men who will stop at nothing to achieve control, using their strength and skills to abuse others. This time some of my anger was on behalf of Severus, who had suffered so much it made my little complaints seem like nothing. Getting up, I took the cloak to a corner and sat there, knees drawn up to my chest, silently rocking. Severus paced back and forth with light steps as I tried to make sense of the situation, feeling the stone wall at my back every time I moved. Hunger and fear gripped my insides, like a noose drawing ever tighter.

No-one disturbed us. The hours passed. I tried to think of happy things - the children taking holidays at the beach, the glorious display of flowers in Hermione's window boxes - but every thought led to a sad one because I didn't know if I would ever see them again.

At length Severus returned to my corner. "Spread the cloak on the ground," he said curtly. "We'll get some sleep before daylight." He turned away to unbutton his robes before lying down and throwing the garment over us both. "I won't hurt you, Jane," he said, but I had already known that he wouldn't. I curled up slightly as he threw his arms around me, sharing what little warmth we had in the black dungeon.

* * * *

The morning brought no change to the light, yet I woke. The air was chill in the dungeon as I turned to face Severus. He was awake already, and staring upwards. I laid my head on his chest, unwilling to move from the little source of warmth we had. This was definitely the closest I'd been to a man in a long, long time. "You smell different to Hermione," I said, curiously.

"I do?" He didn't seem to mind the comment.

"Yeah, I thought..." I stopped. The only man I'd ever been this close to reeked of sweat and alcohol, and his skin had been hot and clammy. Severus smelt manly, but not in an unpleasant way.

He threw the garment aside and walked over to a far corner of the dungeon to relieve himself. Finding it pointless to remain lying on the floor, I got up and stretched my muscles, trying not to shiver in the damp air.

"Do you think they'll feed us here?"

"Lucius won't, he'll probably be thinking along the lines that if I get hungry enough I'll tell him something."

I paced round the dungeon morosely, considering the reality of a future in a very dark place with no food. I'd only done a couple of circuits when the trapdoor opened again. It was the blond boy. He held a whispered conference with Severus, then left, shutting the light out behind him.

"Food, Jane." I walked over. Severus had a tray with some bread and butter and cold meat.

"All going well, we've got a few more hours to endure," he told me. "Draco wants to see me out of here, and he obviously isn't prepared to let either of us die of starvation."

"Is he going to help us?"

"He won't help us. Not in the way I'm thinking, at any rate. You had your eyes open when you were in Lucius' office last night, did you see anything else of interest?"

"There was a drawer in the filing cabinet labelled for the Order of the Phoenix, and a letter on the table with the name of that guy - Peter something or other, the one that can turn into a rat. I don't know if there was anything else."

"Lucius didn't expect to have any-one who would recognise those things in his office, clearly. So there was a letter for Peter Pettigrew was there?"

"About him. I didn't read all of it; I can't read very fast upside down."

"In that case, he probably is still alive. He should have received a lifetime term in Azkaban, if he is."

"Tell me about Armata-Rae," I said, once we'd eaten. "How did you make that one you gave me?"

"You don't need to know that."

"What about Armata? Why is Luna's daughter called that?"

"I can't say why any-one would name their baby one name rather than another, but I do know what it means. Armata means protected. It's not a known child's name. There are other, stronger protections but specific conditions need to be in place for them to work. Armata - the blue charm - is specific to the person who wears it and gives a level of protection in all situations."

Hours later the trapdoor opened again. Draco and Neville waited at the top of the stairs for us to approach.

"You'd better stun me," said Draco. "Story is that you overpowered me when I came to throw Longbottom down the stairs."

"Is he under imperio?"

"He's safe, he won't talk. Father was going to let him go in another hour anyway."

"Lucius is still in the manor?"

"He will be shortly."

"Stupefy." Draco keeled over next to the open trapdoor. Severus glared at Neville as I tried to brush the dust off my jeans.

"Uh, I have to go. Meetings," said Neville, and ran.

"Dumbledore has some good ideas in his head at any rate," said Severus. "Longbottom's no more under imperio than I am. It's questionable whether he'll actually get out of the grounds though." He set off at a run.

"Where are we going?" I gasped when it became obvious we weren't heading for the front door.

"Lucius' office," he replied, leaping up the stairs. His eyes were gleaming, enjoying the danger. I heard cries from downstairs - a servant had discovered Draco Malfoy. Another set of footsteps clattered up the lower stair. Severus increased his speed.

"Alohomora!"

He dashed into the office and slammed the door behind him. I heard the footsteps reach the door, then walk away again muttering.

"Shit!"

'Severus Snape, spy extraordinaire.' 'Well, you've done it now," I said. "Lucky he's asleep, really."

"He's more than asleep. Is that letter still there?"

I eased it out from under Lucius' lifeless hand. He grunted and snored, causing bubbles to rise in the puddle of alcohol slowly soaking into his papers. Meanwhile Severus opened the filing cabinets, searching for and removing papers. I pocketed the map I'd seen the previous day.

"These, I'll take," he said, stuffing a roll of documents under his cloak. A larger pile he tipped onto the dying fire, sweeping and turning the ashes so that they burned thoroughly.

"There's some-one coming," I said, hearing footsteps on the corridor outside. We'd already been there at least half an hour.

"They won't come in," he said confidently as the handle started turning. A second later a spell was uttered outside the door. Severus grabbed my arm and pulled the tapestry aside on the far wall, pushing me behind it. There was an alcove the size of a cupboard hidden there, and by the time the door opened we were both there and Severus was touching the tapestry lightly to stop it swinging.

"Oh shit! I thought he was out."

"Don't worry about him, he's sozzled," said a voice I knew. Ginny! I peeked through a worn patch in the tapestry. It was her alright, looking as healthy as ever. Severus was doing the same, looking to see what they were doing. Draco was opening the filing cabinet, searching through it while Ginny looked over his shoulder.

"It's not here."

"Look under G."

"Shouldn't you be under V.?"

"No, it's Ginevra, really. Is that it?"

"That's your record. Ginevra, it's a darling name." Draco kissed her on the cheek, moving closer to her so that he could read it too. I squirmed slightly; I didn't really want to be watching this.

"How do they know all this? Even the fake broomstick I left in the shed when Ron was ten - it was so funny watching him trying to ride it. How does he know this stuff! Draco, I don't like this." She threw a look of loathing at Lucius, still completely unconscious.

"Do you want to keep it, or burn it?"

"Burn it. I don't want this." She put it in the fire, carefully sweeping up the ashes over it. She knows. Draco was looking out of the window while she concealed both her ashes and ours.

She walked over to him when he was done and he turned round, and kissed her on the lips, deeply. I don't want to see this. I screwed my eyes up, hearing Severus draw breath sharply beside me. When I opened them again she was leaning back, supported on his arms while he kissed the bare skin just above her neckline. Severus snaked an arm round my waist.

"Draco," Ginny said breathlessly. "Can we take this upstairs?" He released her, and stood for a moment, looking into her eyes and smiling soppily. I breathed again when the door clicked shut beside them, and removed Severus' arm from my waist.

"Please - don't Severus."

"I'm sorry." He looked shocked - whether because he'd reached out for me or because I rejected him, I didn't know. He climbed down from the alcove, holding the tapestry out so that I could follow.

"We could solve most of our problems with one simple spell," he mused, fingering his wand and looking at Lucius.

"Severus, no!" I grabbed his arm. "Let's just get out of here."

"Do you realise what he is, Jane? What was in those papers we burned? If any-one deserves death, he does." His eyes flashed as he turned back to Lucius.

"No, Severus! If he's that bad he'll get his justice sooner or later. I just want to go."

He followed grudgingly. On the way out I saw his spy skills in action - twice he pushed me against the wall or into another room before a servant approached, then in the garden we crept behind rows of hedges, trying to avoid touching any of the individual plants. "They bite," Severus explained. At the gates we found Neville, crouched on the ground staring at him. He nearly jumped out of his skin when we turned up.

"You'll never get through them by looking at them," Severus barked, obviously impressed that Neville had got this far without getting eaten or poisoned or lost. He led us on through higher, darker hedges till finally we came to a dead-end. The last plant growled and gnashed its teeth, making Neville jump back in fear.

"Don't be silly boy, just walk underneath it and tickle the roots."

"He'll get his head sliced off," I whispered, as the trembling Neville walked forward.

"If he does, you're going next." The tree had stopped moving almost before he finished speaking. Neville slipped through a crack that had opened in its roots, and we followed, finding ourselves in a roomy earth tunnel. The trees roots creaked around us as it started moving and flailing its limbs again.

"Architect," explained Severus. "There's hardly a secure house in the country because they always leave these little loop-holes. No designer will lock himself out of his work of art."

The tunnel emerged some twenty feet beyond the mansion walls and Neville disappeared with a loud crack. Immediately he had gone Severus took my hands in his and, as before, we disapparated.

* * * *

When I opened my eyes we were standing in the drab London square again. Severus led me into the house, slipping quietly past the covered portrait of Mrs Black, and into the kitchen.

"You know how to give some-one a heart attack! Is something wrong?" Remus, who was sitting alone at the table, had jumped up as we entered.

"No, Moony. Although your friends have been rather - indiscreet." He sat down. "Very interesting what Lucius had in his filing cabinet. Your movements - in both human and animal form have been recorded in far greater detail than I would ever wish to have read."

"They have?"

"You are part of Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, I believe?"

"How long has he known?"

"Oh, that shouldn't concern you now. I burned that file, and several others. These might be of concern to you." He threw the bundle of documents onto the table. "Where are the boys?"

"Tracking. Ron is still at his parents'"

"Well tell them that rather more than rats can get into the old Marshalsea basement. I suggest they look for an entrance in the region of the Cannon Street Station." He slapped the map down on the table as well.

Remus' face lit up. "That makes a lot of sense. Harry was surveying the area yesterday and said he was sure there were more people than Wormtail using the basement. Won't you stay for something to eat?"

"No thankyou, Lupin. I have missed enough classes already." Severus gathered his cloak around him and turned to go.

"How is Hermione? Has she turned up yet?"

"Arrived at the school yesterday," said Severus, already at the door.

"Thank goodness for that. We've been worried. Tell her to get in touch with us when she can."

Severus nodded and left. I followed, smiling apologetically at Remus Lupin. Back out in the square Severus took my hands again.

* * * *

"Are you alright?"

"Just dizzy. I'll be fine in a moment." I sat on the ground, waiting for my head to stop spinning.

"You probably shouldn't apparate so much. That's twice in one day, and it's not as if you're a witch. I'll bear that in mind in future."

Hogsmeade came back into focus, allowing me to stand up safely and start walking. It felt like going home, excited at the thought that I was going to see Hermione again, and spend more time with Emmeline, Renate, Helena and Sophie, pretending to be eleven. Perhaps I was still confused because it really didn't occur to me that someday it would have to end, that my place was in the muggle world.

* * * *

"Good luck Severus. You deserve it - and so does she."

I overheard Dumbledore as I walked passed the staffroom. It was near the end of the Easter holidays, and Hermione was at headquarters, helping the boys access the basement room Wormtail was using. Not more than a few minutes later Severus caught up with me. I smiled at him, we still spent a lot of time making potions together and he had relaxed a little since the students left.

"A word in my office, please Jane."

He swept ahead of me. I followed; slightly annoyed that he was treating me like this.

"Severus, I'm not a student you know."

He opened the door and gestured me into his office, levitating a seat from the corner of the room to sit across from his desk. He moved towards the other seat then, apparently on second thoughts, lifted it also so that it came to rest alongside the desk, in full view of the other. He appeared to have developed a sudden liking for spring flowers - flasks full of daffodils decked the shelves, a tray of primroses brightened the desk and colourful flowering cacti were suspended from the ceiling rafters in place of the usual dried creatures.

"Sit down please. You are an honoured visitor."

I rolled my eyes up to the ceiling, and took the seat he indicated, but his next words astonished me.

He had tapped his fingers together, he'd looked at me, at the floor, at the walls. Finally he said, "Jane, I would tell you that you are beautiful, and it is true, but others have probably told you that before. I would tell you that I love you to distraction, but I know that others have told you that before and then hurt you."

I flushed red at what I was hearing. It was true, I had heard all sorts of endearments before, even promises and they had meant nothing, less than nothing.

"Nothing I can say will make you believe this, however true it is. You are a truly good person. I love you and will honour you always. I would never willingly hurt you. Please Jane, listen to your heart and if you feel willing - if you are prepared to give up the life you have known and join me at Hogwarts - I would be greatly honoured if you accept my proposal of marriage."

"Marriage?" I felt as though the room was starting to spin. The dizziness stopped, and I looked at him. He was looking directly at me, his black eyes gleaming with honest emotion. Severus is not a liar.

"Can you give me time to think about it?" I asked.