The Death Eater

Severus,

This is difficult for me. I don’t understand what is happening here. Tidus has found your Portkey. I had always suspected you for a spy, although I never spoke up, and I assume this is why you have tried to kidnap Harry – certainly I do not believe that you wanted him for yourself. I can understand why you have done this, but... I cannot forgive it. I will not, of course, reveal your deception, even if this marks me as a traitor also. I do not think you have acted against me, and I do not think you ever will, and in this same way I will respect you and the bond we once had and do the same.

Harry is out of your reach now. I have added certain wards and protections to him that mean that unless I am with him, or I remove them, he cannot be removed from the Manor without first extreme agony and then, if he is not immediately returned, death. Please tell Dumbledore and his foolish friends this also, I do not want to see Harry dead.

I cannot maintain our friendship, if this is even what we have. I cannot live with looking you in the face and knowing you once betrayed me so deeply, however I will still take your classes, and I will not allow our disagreement to affect how we work together with the Dark Lord, either; I would not bring that suspicion on you.

I will assume from this that Dumbledore and the rest of his group know I am the one who has Harry. I expect they will maintain silence on this matter, or risk alerting one of the other Loyal at Hogwarts that there is a spy in the ranks who has made them aware that I have him. I will still be keeping to my weekends, although I fear I must find an alternative route out of the Castle. Please remind your people not to do something foolish and risk our secret.

Despite what has happened, I took your words to heart these last days, and I will continue to do so. Do not fear for your boy, I will care for him well. You were the closest and best thing I had for a father, Severus, and it breaks my heart to loose you so.

Draco Malfoy.

Draco,

I realise that what I have done is unforgiveable. Please understand I had your best interests at heart also. Voldemort is unstable, and will never succeed; eventually his insanity will destroy those who are loyal to him also. I do not think you are capable of being a Death Eater; your behaviour with Harry has proved that you are too kind, and you and I are both too intelligent to fall for his lines. I fear that becoming one of his will destroy you. And if not you, then Harry. A good relationship cannot be built on rape, Draco; he will never give you what you really want if the situation continues as it is. And once you have gained your heirs from his body, Voldemort will take pleasure in murdering Harry to prevent him from influencing them, or from defeating him. You hold in your home the final key to his defeat, and he knows it. Harry will never live to see his first child past five under Voldemort’s control.

I know right now you feel you must continue on as you are; perhaps even your desire for Harry prevents you from freeing him. One day you shall understand what I mean when I tell you that if you love someone you should set them free, but not right now. Please know, however, that if anything ever happens, or if you believe it is time to forsake Him, come to me. My door will always be open to you, my son, and I will protect you both against any adversary – even Dumbledore.

I realise you may not fully trust me, but please believe that I am, in a way that tears me in two, happy that you discovered my subterfuge. I hope he conceives and wish you well in your children together. I have included with this the vitamins as I told you I would. Trust me, I would not endanger you by adding a contraceptive to them, and I would not endanger him by attempting to remove him from your care.

My Floo will be available to you in the evenings, and no one, even Mr Weasley, will make any allusions to knowing that you have Harry. We would rather know that you are with him and taking care of him than that he is languishing alone, and Dumbledore has made it clear that he would not have you endangering yourself or our secrets by attempting alternative passage home. Besides which, He will surely know something is amiss if I am not allowing you passage to Harry.

I wish you all the luck in the world, my son, and happiness.

With all my love, your father,
Severus Snape.

Severus,

I thank you for the vitamins. They appear to work well for Harry. He is already gaining colour rapidly; and his voice unfortunately. Gone is my submissive waif, now I have a true lion growling and hissing at me. He will be more than ready for tomorrow.

I am grateful for the offer of the Floo, and will take it. I will also offer you a report on Harry’s well-being, in return, although I doubt many of your people would accept it from me. Perhaps it is a good thing that my Medi-Wizard also reports to you.

I will heed your other words, also; and I offer the same to you. Should anything go amiss for you, I will always offer you a safe haven from either side.

Yours,

Draco Malfoy.

PS. Avery is plotting to murder Fred and George Weasley by blowing up their shop next week. He has told Voldemort and many others, but he has not told the inner circle. They are unaware that I know this; I overheard them on my way to offer Voldemort an unplanned status report on Harry’s condition.