Connections

Standard Disclaimer...still own nothing and make no money.

Sorry that this chapter is short, but I wanted to update every Wednesday. I may not next Wed, however...this month is going to be tough.

Please write rviews! Even constructive criticism welcome:-)
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Serveus Snape stood stoically before his adversary. His dark eyes sized it up, his face grinning with an evil malice as he realized just how simple it would be to subdue his opponent. With a careful flick of his wand and a short mutter, the stone garden gnome before him crumbled into nothingness.

As amusing as this little diversion was, he was quite frustrated with his work as of late. In his work for the Order, as a spy working with Voldemort’s followers, Snape was getting little done. It seemed as though after the battle at the Ministry this summer, he learned less and less privileged information. ~I am fast becoming as useless as that Weasley boy.~

With a wry smirk, Snape looked around and, finding no one watching, apparated back to the Order’s headquarters and to some well-earn rest.

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“You’ll be visiting Dumbledore today, Snape? Got any news then?” Moody’s magical eye focused on Snape as he placed a roughly cut piece of ham into his mouth.

“That is Order business, Moody. Perhaps it is best if we don’t speak of it in front of the children.” Snape motioned to Harry and the others with his glass of pumpkin juice.

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione all glared at him fiercely. Harry looked up from his breakfast with an unmistakable look of disgust. “Maybe if you let us children in on your little plans before, maybe Sirius wouldn’t be dead right now. Maybe we would have someone better than you sitting here at this table with us.” Harry mumbled, but it was clearly audible to everyone at the table.

Mrs. Weasley gasped softly but said nothing else. All eyes focused on Snape, who was quietly turning a soft pink.

“I’m certain Black would have found some desperately heroic scheme in which to get himself killed without your help, Potter.” Snape’s snarl barely gave away the ferocity of his anger. He had neither the time nor the patience to play Potter’s bitter adolescent games this morning.

Harry’s response was nearly instantaneous: he flew up from his seat and pointed his wand squarely at his potions master. “NEVER TALK ABOUT SIRIUS! HE WAS TWICE THE MAN YOU ARE!” Harry’s wand hand shook with his anger.

As soon as Harry stood up, Moody and Mrs. Weasley were on their feet as well. Moody had drawn his wand and had it pointed at Harry. “That was completely uncalled for, Serveus! Put your wand down now, Harry.”

Snape, now standing, gazed down at Harry with utter contempt. Taking out his wand, he causally remarked. “No worries, Moody. Potter couldn’t give me more than a nosebleed.” Snape disappeared before them, heading over to see Dumbledore an hour early.

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“I am being sent out on worthless little missions, Albus. I have every reason to believe that…” Snape paused and straightened his stance before continuing, “ that he is sending me on meaningless assignments because he suspects something.”

“My dear Serveus, if Voldemort suspected something, why wouldn’t he have either eliminated you or used you to hurt the Order?” Dumbledore paced quietly back and forth behind his office desk, thinking.

Snape had thought about that. ~Dumbledore never considered that I might have already thought of the contingencies.~ He sighed as he would have at a pathetic first-year. “Albus, something is going on. I can feel it. The Dark…he knows. What if I am simply being used in some sort of plan? What will you do then?” His voice rose in anger, something that happened rarely in front of his old friend.

Dumbledore stopped mid-pace and turned to look at Snape. His bright eyes flickered back at the younger man for a friendly instant before he turned back to continue his thinking. “That is something that I will consider when the time comes, and only then. We cannot assume that we know what Voldemort and his followers are plotting, Serveus. We must be certain. I will not allow us…any of us, to be misdirected as we were last month.” He smiled at Faulkes as he stroked the bird gently and fed him a treat. “As of now, you are our only link to his circle and we must maintain that link as long as we can.” His eyes turned to meet Snape’s and he smiled. “I am always here for you, Serveus. And we will protect you to the best of our ability.”

~Which seems considerably lacking.~ Snape was embarrassed by his thoughts and gave only a weak nod before heading back towards the door. “Fine then, I know what to do. I will send word as soon as I know more.”