The Last Sanguimagus

Sarah closed the door to her office and entered the corridor. She was beginning to enjoy her talks with Filius, and she thought that today she might linger for the informal staff tea as well.

A glint of gold caught her eye. She looked down to see a Galleon resting on the floor.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a Galleon. A Sickle was the largest piece of currency she'd had of late, barring the advance in her pay that had been sent directly to Madam Malkin. A Galleon could have purchased so many things for her in the last year. Food. Clothing. A night on a soft bed.

Strengthening Solution, instead of having to barter with the Polish betrayer. Her breath hitched for a moment thinking of it.

Her wand was in her hand before she remembered that she no longer needed it to perform so many of the basic actions anymore. She was more than capable of bending down to pick up the coin now, despite some issues with flexibility. Still, it never hurt to be too cautious. She was about to levitate it when she noticed that someone was approaching her in the hallway.

"Good afternoon, Sarah," said Silas, stopping in front of her. "I was just about to pop in for a chat with Firenze. Perhaps you'd care to join us?"

Chat? With a centaur? She had to force herself to appear neutral. "Actually I am on my way to the staffroom to visit with Filius."

"With your wand at the ready? Certainly he is not so threatening as to require you to arm yourself before meeting with him." Silas stroked his goatee, looking smug.

"I was actually--"

"A Galleon?" interrupted Silas, suddenly noticing the coin. "Unusual to find one on the floor..."

"I was--"

"I'll just pick it up, then," he said, bending over slowly and reaching towards it.

The coin suddenly skittered a few inches away.

"What's this, then?" he said irritably. He reached out for the coin, faster this time. Again it moved quickly. "What sort of nonsense is this?" He looked at Sarah accusingly.

"I'm not certain," she said coolly. "I had just spotted it when you arrived."

He pulled out his wand with a flourish. "Impedimenta!" Bending down, he tried again to retrieve it.

This time the coin did a passable imitation of a jig and scampered even further away.

Silas stood upright again, his face flushed. "Very well, then, you've had your joke."

"It isn't my joke," she responded instantly. "As I said before, it was here in the corridor as I came out of my office, and when you approached--"

"You had your wand out already," said Silas loudly. "You were preparing the blasted thing for its performance!"

"I had nothing to do with it," she said, a bit sharply. "Its performance is entirely its own." She heard the sound of hooves behind her and whirled around. The centaur was staring at her impassively.

"Ah, Firenze, good afternoon," said Silas, straightening his robes. "I was just investigating this coin. It seems to be enchanted." Making a few flicks in the air with his wand, he concentrated once again on the Galleon. "Leviosa!" he commanded.

This time the coin made a popping noise and began to smoke. Silas quickly sent the stinging fumes on their way with another spell, swirling fresh air around them.

The coin remained unaffected on the floor, and Silas glowered at it.

Sarah's skin crawled at Firenze's presence. "I must be going," she said quickly. "Good afternoon." She wished fervently that she didn't have to turn her back to the centaur as she walked away.

The walk through the school was uneventful, and she breathed a bit easier. A few of her students wished her a good afternoon as she walked past them. She rather hoped that Silas would find Firenze's company so engrossing that he would forget Sunday tea.

Filius was in a jovial mood, and as she became engrossed in conversation with him she felt her tension beginning to ease. He had brought an enchanted jack-o-lantern with him and was showing her his method of charming them for the Halloween Feast.

"It is the quickest method for applying the Charm," he said, spinning the pumpkin around on the table with his wand. "Perhaps you could help? Two could accomplish more than one..."

Help? Charming pumpkins? She was surprised at the thought. "I...don't see why not."

"Excellent!" he said, beaming. "I have a few new ideas this year..."

The teachers began to arrive for Sunday's informal tea. Aurora was clearly in a good mood; she was humming as she set down a plate of ladyfingers. "Good afternoon, Filius, Sarah."

Filius began to explain his idea for creating turnips that would recite Halloween-themed poems, and float aimlessly throughout Hogwarts.

Rolanda and Minerva entered, arguing about Quidditch, followed by Pomona, who was carrying a small plate of scones, and immediately set about pouring tea for them and herself.

Severus entered the room, and his eyes sought hers out for the briefest second before he took a seat next to Minerva.

Aurora gave Pomona a knowing glance. Sarah looked back at Filius and tried to concentrate on the tricky manoeuvreings of floating turnips, but Filius had turned to Minerva and began to ask her about the entertainment she had booked for the Halloween Feast.

Sarah took a sip of her tea, absently listening to Pomona and Aurora, who chatted about the Feast as well. The door opened again, and Silas entered. She tried not to grimace.

"Good afternoon," he said, taking a scone from the plate and pouring himself a cup of tea. "I've just come from a chat with Firenze...it's a shame that he can't manage the stairs...it would be delightful if he could join these little get-togethers."

"Too true," agreed Pomona. "He's very knowledgeable about herbs..."

"Yes, it is a shame," said Silas. "Centaurs have a wisdom all their own, and it behooves us all to learn from them. It is a pity, really, that certain witches--and wizards--feel so threatened by them..." He glanced at Sarah, who looked at him impassively.

"Firenze has been helping me mark the students' star charts and essays," said Aurora. "I've been so swamped this term, and with the lectures I've been attending, I really was falling behind."

"Hagrid has been saying that the centaurs in the Forest are getting quite touchy," said Pomona. "He's been accompanying me lately on my gathering walks."

"Perhaps Umbridge could return to the school and help foster centaur relations," said Filius.

Minerva smiled. "As tempting as that sounds, I'll have to refuse. Both myself and Albus have made it quite clear that she is no longer welcome here at Hogwarts." Sarah was confused. She vaguely recalled someone mentioning that the last Defence teacher had been named Umbridge. Had she been somehow involved with the centaurs? "There has been trouble with the Ministry," Minerva continued, her expression becoming grim. "They're considering legislation designed to 'brand' certain magical races."

"An outrage!" said Silas, bristling. "To deprive them of...to leave them vulnerable, easily tracked down by any wizard or witch and destroyed! Why, we'd have no giants left, no vampires...our magical heritage would be tragically lessened."

Rolanda snorted. "They're claiming it's for the good of the Wizarding populace."

"Every magical race is important for our continued existence," said Silas. "We have a duty to preserve and protect all species. Why, even the lowly doxy has a place in our world..."

She stole a look at Severus, who appeared deep in thought. She wondered at the expression on his face, touched with the faintest look of worry, and felt sorry for him. His espionage efforts must have him trapped between the two sides. It could not be easy to stand and face the Dark Lord, and lie to him. She remembered the red eyes, searching, burning her mind, and suppressed a shiver.

Black eyes met hers unexpectedly. Was he looking at her thoughts now? What could he sense? Legilimency sounded like a frightening art to her. She had always thought her mind to be inviolate, a sanctuary for her; to know that others could peer into her and know her secrets made her distinctly uneasy. She wondered who else possessed this talent. He had not looked away in this time; his gaze had, if anything, intensified. She brought up the sorrow she had felt for him in his divided life and let herself feel it. He immediately looked away.

Silas was speaking in strident tones about something involving courage and sticking to one's beliefs, and she suddenly could not sit for one minute longer and listen to him bluster while a man with bravery in spades was sitting across from him, mute.

"Good afternoon," she murmured, standing up. "Enjoy your tea." Several of the teachers nodded and replied, and she left, feeling strange. She could not understand why she would feel hurt on Severus's behalf. Yet there it was, lingering in her mind, bothering her as she walked down the stairs, deep in thought. Silas had done nothing to earn her respect, while Severus had taken on his dangerous assignment, knowing that he would receive little thanks, or, more likely, his death, and had reached out to her to make amends for what he had done to her.

"Sarah, wait!" Someone was calling, and she turned to see Severus following her, his black robes billowing.

She stopped at the foot of the stairs, and he descended them quickly to join her. "Yes?"

"I just..." He suddenly looked ill at ease. "What you showed to me there..."

"It seems that you do not turn your talent off," she said, trying to affect a light tone.

"It is better not to," he said grimly. "For someone in my situation, it is of vital importance to be prepared at all times."

"Ah," she said. He looked as if he wanted to ask her something, but nothing was forthcoming. "I have marking to finish," she said, starting to turn away.

"As do I." But his tone sounded troubled. They began to walk together towards the entrance hall, and though he could have easily outdistanced her with a few strides, he held back until they parted at the entrance of the dungeons with a nod.

***

Severus exhaled as he sat down. The night's meeting seemed, on the surface, a success. He had procured a vital bit of information about a strike at Muggle targets, and the Dark Lord had been preoccupied with the details, giving him time to overhear a few conversations between other Death Eaters. Lucius had said little to him, preferring to drink too much and insult Crabbe.

Yet underneath it all Severus was more worried than ever. The Headmaster had said very little to his report, being in haste to put into motion a plan to save the London Muggles who were threatened, and Severus had been reluctant to bring up his troubled thoughts, as they were still the same as they had always been.

Now, alone in his rooms, he could feel the pressure growing again, and he wondered how long the game would play out. Would his double life be discovered before the Dark Lord was destroyed? Yet again everything needed to be balanced against the need for a spy in the organisation. If they did too much to thwart the attack the Dark Lord would become too suspicious. But they had to do something.

He had been surprised that Sarah felt sorry for him.

That her pity did not bring on a wave of anger in him, only mild displeasure, meant something.

He rubbed his eyes wearily, hoping that tonight he would be able to sleep.