Another Dark Star

Chapter 3


Sadira didn’t return for a few days. When she finally came back, she brought Tonks with her for moral support. Tonks had already known Sadira had a relationship with an older man but didn’t know who until the story had leaked. It had made her see both parties in a different light. Sadira had been uncharacteristically forthcoming with the details of her relationship with her mystery man and reconciling that history with the knowledge that it was Snape was mind boggling.

When Sadira walked into the hall, Sirius was the first to welcome her, wrapping his arms round her immediately and kissing the top of her head.

“I’m so sorry for reacting like that love. Now we’ve found each other I don’t want to push you away.” He told her.

“Thanks Dad. Hey, I thought you might like to know. I spoke to Dumbledore and he helped pull some strings and got my birth certificate amended. I’m now officially Sadira Prewett-Black.” She informed him with a smile. He beamed at her and stepped back to look at her.

“I am so proud.” He said, winking at her.

She told everyone her stint on guard duty was uneventful, and that now she was registered as Sirius’s daughter, Kingsley had a good excuse to speak with her privately as he was in charge of the hunt for her ‘estranged’ father. She also gave information on a dangerous mission she and Tonks were involved in on the off chance it gave leads on Death Eater activity.

Ron and Ginny still avoided her and Fred and George took great pleasure in teasing her but she took it in good humour. She even went as far as defending them from Molly’s temper when she insisted they drop it.

“How shameful! Our darling cousin, the Tart of Hogwarts, sleeping with a teacher!” Fred exclaimed in mock disgust as she passed one day.

“Oh yeah! I’d roll up my skirt and bend over in Potions class, making sure I wasn’t wearing any knickers!” she joked back saucily with a wink and they shared a laugh.

Suddenly his face fell to one of guilt tinged with fear and Sadira turned to see Snape stood behind them looking less than amused.

“What?” she asked innocently.

“Is my private business now a source of entertainment for my students?” he growled, rounding on her.

“Not my doing I’m afraid. Dad was a little indiscreet. I have asked them not to discuss it.”

“I’ll just bet he was indiscreet.” He sneered looking over to where Sirius was.

“He didn’t go around telling anyone. He just forgot to make sure we weren’t overheard. He’s my father and he just wants to look out for me.” She tried to calm him. He continued to glare at his childhood nemesis.

“Look Severus, we both have a lot of unresolved issues with each other. However as part of the Order we may have to work together. I suggest we call an end to hostilities and try to remain friends. We used to be good friends.” she held out her hand.

“I suppose it would be for the best.” he replied, eyeing her warily before taking the hand.

He was loath to confess to anyone, even himself, that he had indeed missed their friendship. No-one had ever understood him the way she had, save perhaps Lily.

“But your father and I have unfinished business from a long time ago and I will not forgive him so easily.” He warned her as he followed her into the kitchen.

Snape divulged as much as he had learned from the Death Eaters, which unfortunately wasn’t as helpful as they had hoped. Sadira informed them she had been selected to go on a solo mission, a ’Honey Trap’.

She was meant to pretend to seduce a suspected criminal in a well known seedy pub in Knockturn Alley which he was known to frequent. He was a nasty individual with a penchant for S&M, and she suspected he may also be involved in Death Eater activity. Her job would be to gather as much information as she could on him for the Ministry and confirmation if he was a Death Eater for the Order.

Molly and Sirius were concerned because she would be on her own but she assured them she was up to it. Had they been looking at the pair with anything but fury or concern they would have noticed, like Tonks and Remus had, the tentative glances Sadira and Severus were shooting each other. It was clear they still had feelings for each other.

After the meeting had ended, Severus pulled Sadira to one side to speak to her alone.

“Watch out for Ben Midden. I knew him at school and he’s a nasty piece of work,” he warned her.

“Thanks, but I can take care of myself now,” she replied. He stiffened, offended at her rebuff.

“Really, thank you though. It’s nice to know you still care and are still looking out for me,” she said in a softer tone, smiling up at him. He nodded at her, then left.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he still has feelings for you,” Sirius informed her, finally catching on.

What he didn’t see was the flushed smile this brought to her face as she went to help Molly with the dinner things.


Over the next few weeks, Severus and Sadira had indeed needed to work together, collecting information for her solo investigation. They had begun to fall back into an easy friendship and both parties discovered they had missed each other’s company more than they realised. They both began spending more time at Grimmauld, talking or playing Wizard Chess while waiting, whereas before they would both Apparate immediately as they were needed and Disapparate immediately after.

This angered Ron and disturbed Harry Potter who had originally liked her when he first met her. He had been pleased to find Sirius had some family. However he distrusted her and had been disgusted in her as soon as Ron informed him she had once been his most hated teacher’s paramour. Besides, he hated all Slytherins on principle anyway.

At first he had been polite to her, and the twins loved her so she couldn’t be all bad, but anyone who would willingly spend time alone with Snape, let alone get ‘intimate’ with him just had to be a Death Eater or disturbed in some way.

Sirius was also concerned that his daughter was again on friendly terms with the ‘greasy git’ and this served only to fuel further spats between the schoolboy rivals. Not that Snape helped. He noticed Sirius’ attitude and correctly deduced the reason for the increase in hostility. He took every opportunity to goad Sirius by standing too close to Sadira and leaning over her to reach for things or whispering their in-jokes to her, insinuating closeness between them.

At first it had been purely to see the look on Black’s face but he soon realised that he was doing it because he enjoyed being close to her again. He wasn’t sure how she felt about him, but after the way he had treated her he was sure he was damn lucky that she was even speaking to him. Women were unforgiving creatures after all; he had learned that from Lily.

Sadira was glad that she and Severus were back on good terms. However it also served to remind her what they had lost and exactly what she was missing out on. Oblivious as she was to Severus’ inner turmoil, she shook the idea from her mind. He was happier on his own clearly and he had shown no indication that he wanted anything more that friendship from her. She wasn’t an idiot, she knew very well how Severus worked and his little flirting comments and actions were aimed at annoying her dad, not at her. That didn’t stop her from enjoying every little touch and whispered comment though.


The night of the ‘Honey Trap’, Sadira had been in the room Sirius gave her. It had been the best guest room as it was bigger than the others, with a double bed instead of a single or twins, decked out in Slytherin colours and crests. She loved it because, apart from House pride, they happened to be her favourite colours anyway.

Her father had also presented her with an heirloom diamond brooch in the shape of a coiled serpent with black diamond eyes which had been his mother’s. He learned of her love of snakes when she tried to stop Molly from throwing out a serpentine candelabra and she recounted the time Sadira had adopted a wild grass snake she found in the garden till her mother made her get rid of it. Sirius told her that she could keep anything she wanted but she would have to get it before Mundungus did. This meant most of the Black family antiques ended up in her room. Consequently, Kreacher had stopped being hostile to her and chose to avoid her instead.

The others were waiting in the kitchen for her to prepare. Sirius and Snape had grudgingly agreed to ignore one another as this meeting was important to Sadira and neither wanted her to come to any harm.

They heard a muffled “Bloody Hell!” from the twins before she stepped into the Kitchen. Everyone’s jaws dropped. She was posing as a ‘witch of the evening’; a whore catering to specialised tastes, and she had researched the part well.

She was dressed in a skin-tight short leather skirt and a matching corset pulled tight so her large breasts crowned over the top in moon-like white orbs, exaggerating her small waist and wide hips. She teamed these with a studded collar, long fingerless black lace gloves, fishnet tights and over-knee boots. Her hair was straightened and smoothed up into a French Twist. Her long nails were painted blood red to match the lipstick on her porcelain white face, and plenty of black mascara and thick black eyeliner made her green eyes look darkly seductive. Tucked into her boots was a riding crop.

“How much, luv?” asked Mundungus Fletcher crudely.

“That’s my daughter, you slime!” growled Sirius threateningly.

“Merlin, Dad. I’m glad you never met any of my ex-boyfriends,” she joked, perching on a chair and swinging her legs onto the table.

At the mention of ex-boyfriends, Sirius shot a dirty look at Snape who was trying hard not to stare at her. It was hard for him to keep up his imperturbable facade when his ex-lover was so close to him, dressed up like a birthday present. He had been incredibly attracted to her when she was eighteen, but now she was a mature woman he was barely able to control his feelings. He still desired her greatly, and cursed the day his pride allowed him to let this treasure walk away from him.

“So, what time do we expect the creep to be there?”she asked the assembly.

“I ‘eard ‘im say to Angus ‘e’d be there at twelve.” Dung said, leering at her.

“Yes, but as I said earlier; Midden never could make it anywhere on time. I believe it more likely he’ll arrive at one thirty.” Snape cut in.

“Well, that gives me a window of an hour and a half, useful!” Sadira said sarcastically.

“This isn’t funny Sadie, we need to get this right,” Tonks admonished her.

“Chill Tonks, how do you suggest we do this? I need to be there before twelve in case he’s on time but otherwise detained in case he’s late.” Sadira mused.

There was an uncomfortable silence as the order pondered the predicament they found themselves in.

Finally; “I’ll come with you.” Severus offered with a resigned sigh.

“What?” asked Sadira, snapping out of her thoughts.

“Simple, I will arrive a little before you. If he isn’t there, I will keep you company until he arrives. No-one will interrupt if you are with me.” He explained. She mulled it over before replying.

“That sounds like it’ll work. Unless anyone else has a plan?” She looked round for suggestions.

No-one said anything but Sirius looked like he’d swallowed a wasp. He continued to shoot evil glares at Snape, as did ‘Dung who looked extremely jealous. The Order members concluded their meeting and filed out.

“Thanks Severus.” Sadira said in a low voice as he passed her chair on his way out. He smiled almost imperceptibly before sweeping out of the kitchen to await her in the pub.