A Living Secret ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 18 ~ Severus Learns the Truth

As Severus and Fawkes disappeared into the distance, Hermione and Marcus turned to face each other.

“Damn it. You got in the way and cost me twenty thousand gallons,” Marcus hissed at Hermione as she pocketed Snape’s wand. She looked as if she didn’t hear the angry wizard as she stared up at the sky.

“I wonder where Fawkes is taking him,” Hermione said, “And why?”

”I don’t know,” Marcus said, frowning at her, “But I doubt I’ll get another opportunity like this again. Damn it!”

Now Hermione looked at the wizard.

“That was terrible of you to put a tracking charm on me, Professor. I wanted to talk to him,” she said scowling at the violet-eyed wizard, who put his wand away. “You won’t be doing that again.”

Marcus smirked at her. It was next to impossible to remove an Eradicator tracking spell if you weren’t the one who invoked it.

Hermione pulled out her wand, muttered something under her breath and swept it up and down her body. Marcus felt the spell dissipate and stared at her in amazement.

“You removed my spell,” he said to her, “How did you do that?”

“A special little ‘Null Magic’ spell. I taught it to myself. It’s guaranteed to remove any magic on an individual,” she said smugly.

“Only Aurors are supposed to know that spell,” Marcus hissed, “It’s licensed for Ministry use only. It’s illegal for you to use it.”

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

“Are you going to turn me in? If you are, I’m going to have to tell how you put a tracking charm on me. A teacher tracking a student outside of Hogwarts before classes have even started? They are going to want to know why. They’re going to think you’re a lecher, particularly since I’ll say you are and have been making inappropriate advances to me since my sixth year,” Hermione said, her chin thrust out.

“What?” Marcus said, “You’d tell them I’ve been stalking you? You little bitch.”

However, there was a note of admiration in Marcus’ tone. The former Eradicator appreciated darker tendencies, and it was clear Hermione had them. He was merely trying to cow her. He had no intention on telling the Ministry anything. He didn’t want them on Snape’s trail. If they knew Hermione was in contact with him, they’d be on her constantly, watching her every move, intercepting her posts…the works. He wouldn’t get a chance at Snape again.

“Yes I would. So I suggest you think twice about turning me in,” Hermione said, “You could lose your position at Hogwarts. And before I leave the grounds, from now on I will be casting that spell on myself to make sure there’s no extra magic sticking to me.”

Marcus frowned. Shit, the witch was smarter than he thought. He knew she was book smart…but this? Hm. Maybe he could try another tack.

“How old are you, Miss Granger?” he asked her.

“Seventeen,” Hermione said, still scowling at the wizard who ruined her meeting with the Potions Master.

Hm. The age of consent. Marcus telescoped his eyes at Hermione, enlarging his pupils until they were completely black then letting them return to their normal size.

“You’re the age of consent,” he said to her, “and quite pretty.”

Hermione snorted.

“I might not be heavily experienced in these matters, Professor…but even I can tell that’s a line of dragon dung,” she said, “It’s not going to work. Particularly since you just slammed me into a wall.”

Marcus couldn’t help smirking. He had bashed her pretty good.

“You started that, witch. If you hadn’t jumped on me you would have been fine and I’d be collecting my money. Well, I guess it’s back to the drawing board for me,” he said with a shrug. Then his eyes narrowed.

“Listen, I’ll give you five thousand galleons for any information that would lead to the capture of Snape. That’s a lot of money for a witch your age,” the blonde wizard said.

Hermione shook her head.

“Ten thousand, then. I’ll split the reward with you. Now that’s a great deal,” Marcus said.

“No. I think Professor…” Hermione began, but suddenly found she couldn’t speak. She realized the oath she took not to reveal anything to anyone who could hamper Harry’s search for the Horcruxes had fallen on her hard. Obviously, Marcus could do something to impede Harry. Since she was talking about the Potions Master…it seemed that he had something to do with Harry successfully completing his mission. Wow. She turned her amber eyes on Marcus.

“No. I don’t want the money,” Hermione said, “I just want to know what happened.”

Marcus looked at her as if she were a fool.

“You already know what happened. Snape fried Dumbledore. That’s all that matters. He’s going to get caught sooner or later. At least I plan to bring him in alive. I don’t think the Ministry does. Too many people liked Dumbledore to let his murderer live,” the wizard said.

“I still don’t want the money, Professor Delaluci, and I don’t want you trying to follow or spy on me,” she said firmly. “If you do, I’ll know. The null magic spell isn’t the only spell I know.”

Marcus looked at her consideringly.

“I bet you could pass the Advanced Spell-Breaking course right now,” he said musingly.

“I’ve done a bit of extra study,” Hermione said shortly.

Marcus looked at her measuringly.

“I imagine you have, witch,” he said, “Well, I see this conversation is going nowhere. It’s best I cut my losses. I’ll see you when the term starts.”

He gave Hermione a smile and then disapparated.

Hermione stared at the empty spot Marcus disappeared from, then pulled out her wand and cast another null magic spell over herself just in case. She hadn’t liked that smile.

She looked up at the sky again, wondering where Fawkes and the Professor had gone. Then her eyes widened again as she realized that Severus was a Horcrux for Albus Dumbledore. He wasn’t dead. The Headmaster wasn’t dead. He could come back! Professor Snape wasn’t a murderer!

Gods, she had to tell Harry. Immediately.

Now.

Clasping the stones of her necklace tightly in her fist as if for strength, Hermione disapparated for Godric’s Hollow.

************************************************

Professor Snape dangled from Fawkes’ claws as they flew over the dark landscape, the phoenix holding him firmly. His shoulder ached horribly, but he could stand the pain. He recognized the lights of Hogwarts castle in the distance and Fawkes was flying straight toward it.

“Fawkes, where are you taking me? We can’t fly over Hogwarts airspace. We’ll crash into the protection,” he called up to the bird who trilled and kept flying.

They approached the perimeter of the gate and Severus closed his eyes, preparing himself for the crash and plunge. They passed over the gate, the wizard feeling magic slip over him as if he had been drawn through a curtain. Fawkes turned. He wasn’t flying toward the castle, but toward the Forbidden Forest. He could pass through the protection like all birds that delivered message.

Fawkes dropped lower and they flew over the trees, Severus' feet hitting a few topmost branches. The forest thinned somewhat and the Phoenix dropped below the trees, flapping a few feet off the ground. Severus could see they were approaching a large outcrop of rocks. Fawkes fluttered and gently released the wizard. Snape saw they were standing in front of a cave. Fawkes then landed on his left shoulder and trilled at the wizard.

Suddenly Severus saw an image of himself revealing his right shoulder, which had a deep cut in it where Marcus’ spell had grazed him. He realized this was what Fawkes wanted him to do and pulled his robes away. Fawkes stretched his head across the wizard and let several tears fall into the wound, healing it. Then he fluttered to the ground, looking up at the wizard, who flexed his arm experimentally.

“Thank you, Fawkes,” Severus said to the phoenix, “For healing me and rescuing me.”

Fawkes trilled then began to walk toward the cave. He looked over his shoulder at Severus, who didn’t move. That was the cave of the Acromantula. The bird nodded his head toward the cave.

“You want me to go in there, Fawkes? I don’t have my wand,” the Potions Master said.

The bird trilled again, insistently.

Severus realized this was important, but he didn’t want to end up a dried husk, his fluids sucked out of him by hungry spiders. But there was something about the way the Phoenix looked at him that made him slowly follow.

He walked into the cave, his eyes adjusting to the light given off from the fungus on the walls. He could hear scuttling and hissing ahead. He hesitated, tempted to exit the cave.

“He comes! He comes!” he heard voices hiss.

That’s right. Acromantula could speak. And it sounded as if he were expected. He entered the cave, paling at the sight of hundreds of enormous spiders scuttling about, raising their front legs at him, but letting him pass and following him closely. He moved through the creatures carefully as they clicked and hissed. Fawkes led him to the mouth of a large recess. The Phoenix trilled.

Suddenly there was a heavy noise as if something enormous were moving inside the cave. Severus tried to back up, but the spiders behind him wouldn’t let him. He jumped forward as one touched the back of his thigh with its leg.

The wizard watched as a huge spider the size of a small elephant moved into the light, its eight eyes staring down at him. All the smaller spiders fell silent. The Potions Master could feel a sense of expectancy surround him as the huge spider focused on him.

“Come closer,” Aragog said, “I cannot see you well.”

Severus stepped a bit closer to the spider who moved forward, its face and huge fangs only a few feet from him.

“Yes. You are he, the Dark one and the Great one combined,” the spider said, resting heavily on the cave floor. Around him the spiders whispered, “It is he! It is he! Truce! Truce!”

“Why am I here?” Severus asked the spider.

“We have something for you,” the spider said.

Fawkes flew into the recess behind the spider and after a minute or two, returned with a bowl. He fluttered over Severus and carefully lowered it into the wizard’s outstretched hands. It was a pensieve.

“The great Dumbledore left this for you to view if you were ever brought here,” Aragog said, “It will tell you what you need to know. Then you will go and return when it is time.”

Severus looked down at the swirling liquid in the bowl, scowling slightly. So this is how Albus intended to let him know the truth. A fucking pensieve. Whatever happened to good old fashioned communication? The Potions Master’s frown grew blacker. He knew why Albus did it this way…to avoid an argument. Severus would have never willingly become a living Horcrux for him. The Potions Master would have told him to use an inanimate object.

Severus wordlessly sat down on a large stone, rested the pensieve on his knees and leaned forward. He was drawn into the bowl, finding himself in Dumbledore’s office, the old wizard sitting at his desk, blue eyes twinkling and looking very much alive.

“Sit down, Severus,” he said, gesturing toward the comfortable armchair in front of his desk.

Staring at the wizard, Severus sat down. He looked so alive, so real. The wizard felt a small spasm in his chest as he looked at the man who had believed in him so greatly.

“Albus,” he began in a choked voice.

“Before you start speaking Severus, you must know that I cannot interact with you. This is a pensieve like any other pensieve. You can only see what has gone on before. Actually, I am sitting in my office talking to an empty chair. So I cannot answer you directly, but I can inform you about what is going on,” the wizard said.

Severus absorbed this, and said nothing, his dark eyes drinking the wizard in. Still it was good to see him and hear him.

“I imagine Fawkes had to rescue you for one reason or another. That is the only possible way you could have used this pensieve, which I left in the care of Aragog. His cave is a safe haven for you. No one enters the cave of the Acromantula, except for Hagrid. And he rarely comes any longer. If he should come, you will be hidden…so have no fear of discovery here.”

Severus listened intently.

“I don’t know if you have yet discovered this, but…I’ve placed my soul fragment within you, Severus. It would be the last place anyone would expect it to be…in the body of my purported murderer. I also placed it within you because there is an extra benefit of protection and I am sure that you will need it. I didn’t want you to be completely alone, my boy. I assure you, you are not…I have not abandoned you nor the wizarding world. My death was necessary to bring you closer to the Dark Lord and gain his absolute trust. I hope that you have it now.”

Severus fought back the urge to say he did, because Albus didn’t really register him. But the old wizard seemed looked at him directly.

“I didn’t let you know because I knew you would protest this idea. I’m sorry for that, but the Greater Good has to be served and you, Severus, you are the greatest servant we have. Now, I have also given you an ally. Hermione Granger, and she is not aware of it either. I connected her to myself…she can feel my magic if it is used. I did this weeks before I placed my fragment in you and she was feeling me long before my demise. I trusted her to figure out what was happening, and no doubt she has. Hopefully she has figured out a way to prove I still exist, a way that will convince Harry, who no doubt is out for your blood. I want her to serve as a liaison between the two of you until such time as you can work together.”

Severus scowled blackly. Actually work with that idiot Harry Potter? Was Albus insane? The boy was a bloody idiot who couldn’t follow an instruction if he were tied to it.

“Now, now, Severus. You have to swallow down your dislike of the boy. You’ve been blaming him for my death, but as you can see there is no need for that now. I am not dead. Just currently out of action. When he is successful, I will return to you. Harry knows the spell to restore me, having witnessed it in the graveyard on Voldemort’s return. All that is needed is a pensieve and someone to do the spell. I’m afraid you won’t be able to do it. The reason will be made clear when the time comes.”

Severus absorbed this. Yes, he did blame Harry for his having to kill Dumbledore, but as the old wizard said, it was senseless now. Albus had this planned the entire time.

“Severus, I cannot impress you enough how important it is that Harry be the one to destroy the Horcruxes. I am of the mind that Voldemort will now trust you enough to reveal them to you and you will be tempted to destroy them yourself. That could be an answer and if not for the special circumstances, would be a good thing to do. But Harry is connected to Voldemort. I didn’t realize it at first but eventually my mind came around. When he destroyed the diary in the Chamber of Secrets, there should have been some damage done to him because of his proximity to the release of power. There is no other explanation for it than he has an innate protection because of the powers Voldemort passed to him as a child.”

Severus listened to this, an eyebrow raised. Albus continued, looking a bit contrite.

“I have to admit I lied to you concerning the source of the damage to my person. I lied to everyone. My body was not damaged by a spell cast at the Ministry, but by my releasing Voldemort’s soul fragment from Marvolo’s ring. I am not connected to Voldemort, and so suffered from the release. Harry will not be harmed when he destroys the Horcruxes. In fact…in fact I believe he will be strengthened by each, absorbing a small part of the fragment’s essence before it dissipates. It is only a theory, but I believe it could be true. If it is, then when he goes into Voldemort’s presence, it will be as if the Dark Lord is in the presence of a Horcrux of his own making, and it will weaken him sufficiently to be overcome. So you can see how important it is that Harry be the one to actually destroy the items. But you cannot let him know the truth concerning this. Harry will not be pleased to know he is taking on a bit of Voldemort’s soul. He will worry over it…worry he is being possessed. For all we know, there may be some darkening of his nature in the process, but still he must not be told. At least, not until he faces off with the Dark Lord. Make sure it remains a secret, Severus.”

The Potions Master hoped Albus’ theory of Harry having protection against the Dark Lord was true. The wizard didn’t believe the boy-who-lived could destroy Voldemort on his own. The Dark Lord was powerful and more experienced in magic than the young wizard. A brave heart was not enough in this case.

“No doubt Miss Granger has figured out there is more to my death than meets the eye. I want you to use her in whatever manner necessary to get information to Harry and hopefully arrange a truce between you so this mission can be completed. I have every confidence you will be able to do this without arousing the suspicions of the Dark Lord. You’ve been a spy for years. There is no possible way the despot would ever think you and Harry were working together on account of my death. Swallow down your dislike of the boy and do what you must do. I am counting on you now more than ever Severus. You are the real key to the Dark Lord’s downfall. Do your best. I would like to walk in the sun again, my boy, and I am sure you would like your body back. Good luck and the gods be with you.”

Suddenly Severus found himself sitting on the rock again, blinking down into the pensieve.

“You return,” Aragog said to the wizard.

“Yes,” Severus said, looking up at the spider.

Suddenly the pensieve fell to dust in his hands. Severus gingerly dusted them off, and brushed at his robes. Fawkes trilled at him and walked past him, the spiders parting.

It was time to go.

“This is your safe haven,” Aragog said, “You can summon Fawkes at anytime by saying his name and be transported here, but use it sparingly. Only two others have protection in this place. If anyone else accompanies or follows you, they will not leave.”

Aragog clicked his mandibles together meaningfully.

Severus thought he knew who those two were. Harry and Hermione. If it wasn’t…bon appetit, spiders.

“Thank you,” Severus said, bowing to the spider. Obviously he was the leader of the spiders and deserved the proper deference. Better safe than sorry.

“Thank Dumbledore. We have never been so immersed in the lives of men. We will be glad when this is over,” the spider replied, rising and shuffling back into his recess. “Goodbye, Severus Snape.”

Aragog disappeared into the depths of the recess.

Severus turned and followed Fawkes out of the cave, the spiders scuttling all about him. Even though he had protection, it was still quite unnerving. Finally he and Fawkes re-entered the forest. The bird looked at him and trilled.

“Any private place will be fine, Fawkes,” the wizard said.

Fawkes fluttered above the wizard for a moment, then gripped his shoulders. Together they flew off into the night.

Severus had much to consider.