Saving your life

He Disillusioned himself and waited outside the cabin, by the small window. It was still a few more minutes until ten.

The sound of apparition made him turn around, and he saw two figures standing in the forest, a few feet from the door.

“Hermione, where are we?” a deep voice asked.

“Follow me,” the other figure said, and they both walked inside the cabin and closed the door.

He watched them as they enter the cabin and then face each other. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it seemed Hermione was explaining the situation to Kingsley. After a few moments, she turned around to leave, but stopped as she reached the door and faced Kingsley again, the man walking to where she was standing. He saw him lean closer to her then, a hand resting on her shoulder as he whispered in her ear. She looked confused for a moment, then nodded and whispered something back. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt his blood boil at the gesture, at the intimacy of the situation.

He finally saw her leave and walked to the door, making sure the Auror stayed inside the cabin.

“Everything alright?” he asked as she closed the door.

She couldn’t see him well, but recognized the voice instantly. “Yes,” she answered.

“Very well. Go back to headquarters now, I will contact you again later,” he said coldly.

She looked hurt and was about to leave when his hand on her shoulder stopped her. Acting on impulse, he yanked his mask off and crushed his lips on hers hungrily for a few moments, pushing her against the door. A part of him wanted to remind her he was all the man she could need, the other part firmly denying feeling anything even similar to jealousy.

After a few seconds, he broke the kiss and muttered, “Go.” Without giving her time to answer he put his mask back on, pointed his wand at his throat for a second, opened the door, and walked inside the small cabin.

The moment he stepped inside the Auror turned from the window, his wand pointing straight at his Disillusioned figure. Smirking behind his mask, Severus stayed in place, his wand pointed back at the man as he said softly, “We are both grown men, Shacklebolt; I don’t think there is any need for this kind of hostility.”

“Who are you?” the Auror asked, not lowering his wand.

“I’m a friend, that’s all you need to know for now,” Severus said. He had used a simple spell to change his voice, so Kingsley wouldn’t recognize him.

“I wouldn’t consider a Death Eater a friend,” the Auror said coldly. Instead of retorting, Severus pointed his wand at himself for a moment, lifting the Disillusionment charm.

“So you are the one working with Hermione?” Kingsley asked after a few seconds.

“Oh, the lovely Miss Hermione Granger,” he breathed, wanting to see the other man’s reaction. Kingsley stiffened for a moment, his expression hardened, and Severus didn’t like it one bit. “Unfortunately, I’m not,” he answered calmly. “We both have a friend in common. She actually doesn’t even know who I am,” he lied.

“Then you are not the one I wanted to meet,” the Auror replied coldly.

“But I am all you are going to get. My friend wishes to remain anonymous.

“And why is that?”

“I’m surprised you even need to ask. You should know better than anyone, working for both the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix. There are too many spies at large to take risks. He is in a very delicate position, as am I, working for the Dark Lord and against him at the same time.

“I’m sure you know all about spies,” the man retorted, and Severus just sighed.

“We have a lot to discuss, and standing here, wands at the ready, is becoming tiring,” he said, as he pointed his wand to one side of the room, making a table and two chairs appear out of thin air. “So if you don’t mind.” He sat down, put his wand on the table, close enough so that he could take it again in a heartbeat, and waited for the other man to sit too.

“So why did your friend agree to this meeting if he wasn’t planning on assisting?”

“You wanted answers, and he decided to give you a few. That is what I am here to do.”

“Why are you helping us?” was his first question.

“The Dark Lord is a very powerful wizard, but cruel and vicious, even with his most faithful followers. Let’s just say some of them, of us, have grown tired of that kind of treatment.”

“So you are just doing this for yourselves?”

“Look at me,” he said, and waited a few seconds. “I am a Death Eater, and became one of my own free will, even if I don’t believe in the same things anymore. I look after myself, always.”

“How can we trust someone only interested in himself?”

“It’s easy. I will always do what’s best for me, and right now that means helping you. Why would I betray you?” he answered, and heard Kingsley snort.

“And how does Hermione fit into all this?” the Auror asked next.

Severus looked at him for a few moments, deciding what to answer. “She was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, something I hear isn’t very unusual. She was lucky our friend was there to help her, or she would be long gone by now,” he said evilly.

“She seems to really trust him, what did you do to her?”

“I am not sure what you are insinuating, but I assure you the girl is helping out of her own free will.”

“She would never trust a Death Eater, not after everything you have done to people she cares about.”

“Maybe you should ask her that. You do seem very interested in her,” he said, trying to keep his voice even. He could see Kingsley’s eyes narrow slightly.

“She is young and innocent; she should stay away from this war. She has already seen too much.”

“I can assure you, she is not as innocent as you might think. She is part of this war already. Turning her back on it won’t change a thing.”

“Everything she’s done is because of your friend. He shouldn’t use her for his plans; he can find someone else to do it, he could pass the information to me directly. There is no need to put her through this anymore.”

“You say everything she’s done is because of us, when the truth is, it is all because of you. Her friends are part of the war, and she joined the Order of the Phoenix long before she started helping us. Everything she’s done, she did it because of them, so make sure you put the blame where it belongs.”

“Still, it’s too dangerous; she could get hurt, or killed,” Kingsley said softly.

“Death is part of life, more so in times of war. However, my friend is rather fond of the girl, I hardly believe he will let anything happen to her, not willingly at least.”

“Fond? What do you mean?”

“What do you think?” he asked with a sneer. “You do seem very interested in the young lady,” he continued. “Of course, it is quite understandable. She is a lovely young witch, pity she is a Mudbl…” Before the last word even left his lips, Kingsley was on his feet, his wand aimed at him. His reflexes kicking in, he was standing the next second, his fingers wrapped around his own wand, ready to fight the Auror if he had to.

“If you ever say that in front of me again, you won’t have to worry about your Master anymore. Hermione is an incredibly powerful witch, as are many other Muggle-borns, and if you want to work for the Order you better…”

“I do believe we met here to discuss more important matters,” Severus interrupted, trying to remain calm. He found Kingsley’s protectiveness towards Hermione quite annoying, especially coming from the usually calm and quiet man. What gave him the right?

The Auror nodded in agreement, his eyes still flashing angrily, and he continued,
“During the raid to our headquarters the other night some important information was left behind,” he said. “I’m sure you have the rolls of parchment from the library.”

“That’s right,” Kingsley answered curtly.

“Have you found the lists?”

“What lists?”

“Don’t play with me, Shacklebolt,” he shot back, his own anger rising dangerously fast. “The ones with the names of our targets.”

“Yes,” he finally answered, after taking a deep breath.

“Are they under protection?”

“Of course.”

“I believe there was also information on some of our spies in the Ministry?”

“What kind of information?”

“Don’t test my patience, or you’ll leave empty handed. There were names as well.”

“Only four names.”

“What will you do about them?”

“That’s confidential.” Severus sighed but decided to continue.

“Make sure you check the books from the library as well; they have information on the Dark Lord’s allies abroad. A simple Revealing spell should be enough to get it. Also, you might want to send someone to the giants again. The Dark Lord’s negotiations with them seem to be at a weak point; you might have a chance of getting them on your side.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Kingsley said.

“Is there anything else you need to know?”

“Where are the new headquarters?” Severus laughed aloud at the question.

“You can’t honestly expect me to answer that.”

“You helped us capture many Death Eaters, but not enough to give us the necessary advantage. What is it that you want to achieve?”

“You’ve weakened the enemy more than you think. You have some of his best men. Just make sure it stays that way.”

“The attacks last night showed us that he’s still powerful and dangerous, and you didn’t warn us about them.”

“You got all the information I could provide,” he said, and noticed Kingsley’s eyes narrow at the use of the first person. “The locations were chosen at the last moment for safety. Miss Granger told you there would be attacks; you were ready and able to respond fast enough, to minimize the damage.”

“That’s not enough, many Aurors and Order members were hurt, along with a lot of innocent witches and wizards.”

“Then you will have to be more careful. Our information may not be enough, but it is all you will get.”

“I just wonder who will take the blame next time.”

“Excuse me?”

“Mulciber. You killed him to protect yourself.”

“I did what I had to do. He was a murderer; you had captured him when he was trying to kill the Order members. Why do you care about what happened to him?”

“Because you made Hermione arrange it, and now she has to live with that on her conscience.”

“You have no idea what you are talking about, and you should keep her out of this.”

“Looks like I’m not the only one who cares,” Kingsley replied smugly.

“You are right about one thing, though.”

“And what is that?”

“We have to find another way to pass information.”

“Why?”

“It would be easier, and she is in enough danger as it is.”

“So what do you propose?”

“Arrange an Order meeting for tomorrow night.”

“What for?”

“You will have to wait to find out. Just do as I ask.”

“I won’t let you or your friend into our headquarters.”

“There will be no need; Miss Granger will take care of everything.”

“Who are you?” Kingsley asked again.

“You will find out soon enough,” he said, and easily blocked a spell suddenly sent his way by the Auror, trying to get Severus’ mask off.

“You should know better than to attack a Death Eater,” he said as he shot back, and after a few more spells and curses shot both ways, the Auror fell to the floor.

“Consider this proof of my intentions,” Severus said as he lowered his wand and stepped back. “Next time you try to attack me, you won’t be so lucky.”

Kingsley got up in silence, and made his way to the door.

“If you betray us, or harm Hermione in any way, I will kill you,” he said as he opened the door. Without another word, he stepped outside and Apparated away.

Reaching inside his robe, he took out a small roll of parchment and walked to the table.

‘Are you there?’ he wrote.

‘Yes. What happened with Kingsley?’

‘That’s not important right now. Remember the bottle I gave you the other day?’

‘Yes,’ she answered after a few moments.

‘It’s time to use it. Get everything you will need, it has to be ready for tomorrow night.’

‘Tomorrow?’

‘There will be an Order meeting.’

‘What do you want me to do with it?’

‘Let everyone see it.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes. Just one thing.’

‘What?’

‘Whatever they say, or ask, don’t tell them you knew it was mine. Tell them you were working with someone else, that you didn’t know I was involved.’

‘Why?’

‘I will explain soon, but for now just do what I ask.’

‘What does Kingsley know?”

‘Nothing important, keep it that way. Good night.’

‘Good night,’ she wrote back after a few moments.

He rolled the parchment again and put it away, before leaving the cabin and Apparating to his house. He had a lot to do.