Dumbledore ended the school year by throwing him a celebratory party. They never again spoke of Dumbledore’s proposition. Violet was noticeably absent from the year-end festivities. Snape did however receive a beige-colored, vanilla-scented piece of parchment, with the words ‘Congratulations with love’ scripted across one side. This he folded up carefully and placed next to the first letter on the bottom of his trunk.

On the last day of the semester, Snape wandered around by the lake, keeping one eye on the main entrance. Violet was one of the first seventh year students to leave. Snape paused in his wanderings to watch her intently. Even from far away, she looked withdrawn…thinner. He scowled at the figure of a man who walked beside her, surprised that Lily and James did not come to get her themselves. As if she had heard his dismay, she stopped walking and turned to stare in his direction. The man, whom he now recognized as Sirius Black, stooped to say something to her. She turned quickly and marched away. Snape spat angrily on the ground; his heart pounded in his temples.

Severus Snape moved from Spinner’s End to a private wing at Malfoy Manor. Lucius was instructed to keep an eye on him until he received his orders. In June, Narcissa gave birth to a tiny baby boy named Draco.

During the month of July, hostilities between the Death Eaters and Ministry personnel seemed to become more common. Muggle tourist sites were targeted, as many Muggles became the unknowing recipients of Lord Voldemort’s campaign.

Snape watched these things with an apathetic eye. He still felt the killings would stop once the Dark Lord came to power and cut the magical world off from the Muggle world altogether. Professor Dumbledore sent two owls requesting a meeting with Snape. Snape ignored both of them.

At the beginning of August, Snape was summarily attacked by another owl at Diagon Alley. He felt sure that this was another note from Dumbledore but the beige-colored parchment stilled his breath. He brought the scroll to his nose and breathed in deeply. The smell of vanilla was like a soft caress on his skin. He unrolled it slowly and read two lines:

It’s a boy!
Harry James Potter

Snape scowled but folded up the parchment carefully and tucked it into his traveling cloak. He returned to Malfoy Manor and was going to head to his rooms when he was stopped by Dobby the house-elf.

“Master waits for Mister Snape in the study,” Dobby told him.

Snape strode into the study, entering quickly. Malfoy turned and looked at him appraisingly.

“Why do you look so dour?” Malfoy asked condescendingly.

“What do you want?” Snape retorted impatiently.

Malfoy frowned. “I have your orders.”

Snape heard a piercing infant’s cry from down the hall.

“Do go on,” Snape encouraged Malfoy, who seemed suddenly distracted by the wail.

“The Dark Lord wishes you to present yourself at Hogwarts,” Malfoy replied cryptically.

“Why?”

“To get a job, of course,” Malfoy smirked.

“Doing what?”

Malfoy rolled his eyes. “Even you aren’t that big of a dunce.”

Snape blanched.

“Oh, come now, Severus, those little kids won’t hurt you. Just remember – sticks and stones…”

Snape glared as Malfoy trailed off, and turned in a swirl of black to stomp out of the room. He heard Malfoy’s silky laugh behind him.

Reluctantly, Snape sent Dumbledore an owl the following morning. He drank his tea and looked at the beige piece of parchment again before placing it into the bottom of his trunk with the others.

Snape intended to spend the day brewing a number of elixirs requested by Malfoy specifically for the Dark Lord. He checked his stores and was just beginning to set out the ingredients when he heard an owl hooting in his bedchambers. He quickly went to retrieve the letter: a reply from Dumbledore, who had set a meeting for lunch. Snape called for Dobby to relay the message to Lucius and then returned to set up. He could not begin, however, until after his luncheon.

Since he could not continue at the house, Snape decided to make a stopover at Diagon Alley on his way to meet with Dumbledore. He intended to make a quick visit to Flourish and Blott’s to see about a new Potions reference for his personal library. He decided to Floo directly from his room, so he arrived at the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron with about an hour to spare before his meeting.

Snape walked quickly to the bookstore and browsed, making a mental note of a few titles he would like to add to his collection. He found the book he was seeking and brought it to the clerk. After a few moments of small talk, he was able to take his purchase and go.

Once outside the store, however, Snape froze. The scent of vanilla hung heavily in the air. Snape looked around suspiciously. He caught sight of Violet walking, her back to him, with a man a few feet away. He immediately identified the man as Sirius Black. He struggled for a few moments, turning to leave and then turning back to watch the couple walking down the street. He stepped as if to follow them and stopped dead in his tracks as he realized that Violet had her arm looped through Black’s. Neither was aware of him.

Snape watched as they smiled and talked together. The rage rose like bile in his throat; every muscle in his body tensed. It was all he could do to not physically drag her away from him. As if on cue, Violet looked over her shoulder and gave a start when she caught Snape staring at them. She turned to Sirius suddenly and spoke to him earnestly. Snape watched as Sirius entered the ice cream parlor alone, and then Violet turned on her heel, rushing toward him. He stood transfixed as the crowd parted and flowed around them.

“Severus!” she exclaimed, reaching him.

Snape stepped back, a look of pure loathing on his face.

Violet stopped short and her wide smile turned into a frown.

“It has been a long time,” she said awkwardly.

“Apparently,” he sneered, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest.

“It is so good to see you,” she tried again.

“It would have been better if I had not seen you…with him!” he replied hotly.

Violet did not respond at first.

“He is my friend,” she attempted.

Snape’s laugh was forced. “Watch your back.”

Violet looked incensed.

“And what would you have me do?” she demanded, echoing his question from months before.

“I would rather see you dead than with filth like that,” he said between clenched teeth.

She flinched as if slapped.

“This is my life now,” she said softly.

He looked at her in disbelief, snorting in disgust.

“You can’t have it both ways,” she said. “I wanted you, Severus, and you showed me the door. I needed to get as far away from you as possible.”

“So you go to him?” he questioned angrily.

“I didn’t go to anyone,” she said defensively. “Sirius is my…”

“Save it, I’ve seen it,” he retorted.

“Let me stay with you then,” she challenged, reaching out quickly and grasping his forearm.

He stepped away from her hastily, breaking her grip.

“Then get off my back!” she shot at him.

“Pity,” he sneered, motioning toward Fortescue’s, “I can’t stay and chat. My regards to Black.”

The sarcasm hung in the air as he whirled around and disappeared into the crowd on the street.

Snape paced back and forth in front of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron, waiting his turn to Floo. He could not contain the images of Violet and Sirius walking together, smiling and laughing. At his turn, he stepped into the fireplace and commanded, “Hogwarts,” in a gruff voice. He arrived in Professor McGonagall’s office which was empty and made his way quickly to the Headmaster’s office.

Snape was surprised to see Dumbledore waiting for him in the hallway.

“Severus,” Dumbledore greeted him kindly.

Snape inclined his head. “Sir.”

“I am sure you will understand if we take our lunch in the staff room,” Dumbledore explained.

Snape nodded, realizing suddenly that Dumbledore had just drawn the line and Snape was now on the other side of it. He followed as Dumbledore walked quietly down the corridor.

“You seem preoccupied,” Dumbledore suggested finally.

Snape let out a low breath. “It is nothing.”

Dumbledore stood aside to let Snape pass into the staff room. Snape walked over to the table set with a light lunch of sandwiches and fresh fruit. They sat facing one another. Dumbledore spoke first.

“I was disappointed you did not answer my letters.”

“I did not think it wise,” Snape commented.

“I see.”

Snape helped himself to a watercress sandwich. He noticed that Dumbledore looked suddenly much older than the last time he had seen him.

“I was hoping to inform you that I had assigned someone to protect Violet,” Dumbledore explained.

Snape put the sandwich down on his plate instead of in his mouth and leaned low across the table.

“So you picked Sirius Black?” he thundered.

“That answers my next question,” Dumbledore remarked.

Snape’s eyes grew hard and his back stiffened in his chair.

“I had wanted to let you know,” Dumbledore told him quietly. “I knew it would upset you.”

Snape took a deep breath and abruptly changed the subject.

“Would you have need of my services for the term, Headmaster?” he asked formally.

“What are you proposing?” Dumbledore questioned, now leaning toward Snape.

“A teaching position, perhaps?” he suggested.

“I see,” Dumbledore remarked sadly after appraising Snape for a moment and leaning back in his chair. “Well no, Severus, I have all of my positions currently filled.”

Snape nodded, pushing back his chair.

“Do finish eating,” Dumbledore insisted.

“I believe I have,” Snape countered.

Dumbledore nodded slowly as Snape stood up.

“Severus,” Dumbledore said as Snape turned away.

Snape glanced back over his shoulder but did not turn fully around.

“I am always available to you.”

“Almost always,” Snape remarked coolly, meeting Dumbledore’s eyes.

Dumbledore regarded him sadly as Snape turned and left the room.

Back at Malfoy Manor, Snape apprised Lucius Malfoy of his meeting with Dumbledore.

“Your reception is not unexpected,” Malfoy told him. “The Dark Lord had hoped to continue to take advantage of Dumbledore’s incessant generosity.”

“Who has hassled Violet Evans?” Snape demanded suddenly.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. “Still on about that girl?”

Snape scowled. “I have seen her in the company of Sirius Black, supposedly for her own protection?”

Malfoy smiled knowingly. “Breaks your heart, doesn’t it?”

Snape glared at him and he laughed.

“Come now, Severus, spending time alone with Sirius Black is not a fate I would wish on my worst enemy, but it is best we let their kind stick together. If you are looking for a diversion, I am sure that could be arranged,” Malfoy suggested.

Snape frowned.

“Was it you?” he persisted. “Was it Bellatrix?”

“Bella just wanted to shake her up a bit. She is Lily’s sister, you know. Those Potters have been causing a great deal of trouble as of late. Twice now they have disappeared at the last moment,” Malfoy told him.

“Violet is uninvolved in all that,” Snape remarked assuredly.

“Violet is involved with the enemy,” Malfoy reminded him. “What you do in your free time is your business, Severus, just don’t go and lose your head over some pretty little Mudblood. Your focus is needed here.”

Snape’s eyes narrowed and with a snort of disgust he spun on his heel and quickly left the room.

---

Violet found Lily alone in the kitchen late that afternoon. Lily was preparing dinner and looking rather tired.

“Let me help you,” Violet said. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” Lily assured her with a tired smile. “The baby was fussy last night.”

Violet took over chopping some vegetables and Lily took a seat at the table.

“Guess who I ran into at Diagon Alley?” Violet asked, glancing over her shoulder toward Lily.

Lily looked up at her, startled. “Severus saw you with Sirius?”

Violet nodded.

“And?” Lily prodded.

“He didn’t take it well,” Violet replied, her attention on the vegetables.

“What did you tell him?” Lily asked.

“That Sirius is my friend and I needed to get on with my life.”

Lily shook her head.

“He was livid,” Violet told her, a hint of a smile in her voice.

“You realize that trying to make him jealous will get you nowhere,” Lily pointed out.

Violet scooped the vegetables into a waiting pot and then turned to Lily.

“It’s not as if I expected him to be there,” she countered. “How should I know his schedule?”

“Have you spoken with him at all?” Lily asked.

“I sent him a note to congratulate him on his naming and to tell him about Harry,” she replied.

“You told him about Harry?” Lily demanded.

“He knew you were pregnant, Lily,” she reminded her sister.

Lily scowled.

“He never answered either one.”

“Don’t antagonize him, Vi,” Lily warned. “He isn’t someone to mess around with.”

“Well, I won’t just pretend he doesn’t exist!” Violet exclaimed. “I’m telling you, he still cares about me.”

Lily shook her head slowly as Violet joined her at the table.

“Dumbledore has not made any progress with him either,” Lily said quietly.

“I don’t care about any of that,” Violet replied. “I still believe in him. He’s just lost, Lily, and he needs to find his way.”

“Don’t wait forever,” Lily said reprovingly. “There are other fish in the sea.”

Violet looked at her intently. “Do you mean Sirius?”

Lily did not reply, but just looked at her innocently.

“That is the reason,” Violet said, standing quickly, “that I did not want Dumbledore to ask him to protect me. I like Sirius, Lily, but he will never replace Severus. No one will.”

Violet turned her attention back to the stove and Lily sighed softly, getting up from the table to answer the baby’s cry.