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Two Sides Against the Middle by Rose of the West [Reviews - 2]

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“Mr. Snape, we have some bad news,” Auror Shacklebolt said in his deep voice. “Your mother was killed by Death Eaters, today.” Severus looked toward the other man with the emptiest face Emily had ever seen. “We've gathered what information we can about what happened. It appears to be a break-in, although they clearly intended to harm your mother, too. We will contact you when the full report is ready and then we will meet with you at the ministry discuss our findings with you.”

“I understand,” said Severus with no emotion.

The Auror described the arrangements that would be made for her body and what would happen next. “Finally,” Shacklebolt summed up, “We have sealed the house as securely as possible. If you need to get back in, let us know.” He held out a card.

“Thank you, Auror Shacklebolt,” responded Emily, taking the piece of paper. “We do appreciate what you have done.”

“Is there anything else we can do for you? Anything you need?”

Emily said nothing but simply looked at her husband.

“Dumbledore. We need to speak with Dumbledore.” His voice was barely audible.

“Emily finally saw something in her husband's eyes and nodded. “Can you help us arrange it? No one can know.”

The Auror nodded and stepped around to an alley to Disapparate.

When Emily went into the apartment, she found her husband carefully going through the entire flat. She realized he was checking for curses or spells that might have been used against them and stood quietly in the sitting room. The baby started to fuss and Emily realized she must be hungry. She sat in a chair and loosened her robes in order to nurse. About half way through the feeding Emily realized that Severus was casting new protective spells.

Emily was patting a sleeping baby on the back when Severus came into the sitting room and slumped down into the couch.

“Are you hungry? You haven't eaten dinner yet.”

“I couldn't eat right now. This was a message, Emily. I should have done something sooner. They're coming for me next and if I don't...” he trailed off, looking defeated.

“Why don't I get something, anyway, just in case?” Emily persisted.

“If you insist.”

“Can you hold Hope? She's just gone to sleep but she may sleep all night.”

The child's father put his arms out mechanically, but when she was lowered into them, he tenderly pulled her close and held her head under his chin. The tension in his body lessened and he sat back on the couch.

Emily heard voices when she came out of the kitchen to put some simple food on the dinner table as well as some drinks. Peeking into the sitting room, she saw Albus Dumbledore brushing ashes from his robes.

“Ah Emily, I thought it best to come by Floo. The Death Eaters are not watching the network yet, and I didn't think your husband wanted me to be seen.”

Emily signaled the men to come into the dining room. Albus Dumbledore sat at the table and looked at the small family in front of him. They were shocked by the evening's events and grief stricken, but they must be able to act quickly. There was no time at the moment for mourning or silence.

“I am guessing,” he said, “that your story involves what Severus was doing on New Year's Eve, but please begin at the beginning.”

Emily blushed but felt it was up to her to describe the offer she had made to Severus in the fall of their seventh year.

“Ah. That explains the one Occlumency lesson. That was quite a creative solution to the problem, Emily. Do you realize what happened?”

Severus spoke up. “Not at the time, but we have since learned that this pact appears to be as binding in its way as an Unbreakable Vow. As your Order has no doubt surmised, I have met the Dark Lord and he agreed on that point.” He described the meeting he had with Voldemort.

Dumbledore sat forward. “May I see the child?”

Emily held Hope up in her lap. She woke up and gravely looked at the professor with her dark blue eyes. His own twinkled kindly over his glasses.

“She's a charming little girl. I haven't seen eyes quite that shade of blue since... it's eighty years, anyway.” His eyes became misty for a bit and then he cleared his throat. “Has she already exhibited magic?”

“Yes. She rearranges the objects in her bassinet. She can barely lift herself up on her arms so I know she's using magic,” said Emily. She suddenly leaned forward and looked straight at her former Headmaster. “He will want to kill her, won't he? Would he do that in order to try to break the vow?”

“He could, but if Voldemort has already remarked upon her magical potential, I think his interests run otherwise. The child of a wizard for whom he has high respect and a witch whose family tree is impeccable, a child born as a result of magic such as you invoked, would be irresistible to him. At any rate, he knows that killing the Bonder wouldn't break the vow.”

“Am I supposed to trust my daughter's life to that?” asked Emily, shrilly.

“No, no, Emily. I have other thoughts.” He looked at Severus. “We never did have our interview.”

“I overheard a prophecy and then the innkeeper grabbed me and you know that I left.”

“Yes, Aberforth can be a bit protective of some of his guests.”

“I think the Death Eaters know that there was a prophecy and that I heard it.”

“What exactly did you hear?”

Severus told him.

Dumbledore pondered a moment “That wasn't all. This can still work.”

“What was the rest of it?” asked Emily.

“I am not going to tell you, now. Suffice it to say that it could be about any one of several children who might be born at that time.” Dumbledore looked at them and pondered the recommendation he was about to make.

“I'm going to offer you a teaching position at Hogwarts.”

“Defense Against the Dark Arts?” Severus looked hopeful.

“No, and for several reasons, the first of which is that terrible things happen to the professors in that position and your family has suffered enough for now. I also want to make it look as though I don't completely trust you. Finally, Horace has been after me to find him a replacement for years.

“You are the perfect candidate for Potions Master, Severus. You will come to Hogwarts and work with Professor Slughorn for the next year or two as his assistant. This will allow you to find out all you can from him about a student named Tom Riddle. Then Horace will retire and you will have the position.

“Meanwhile, and this is the hardest part, Severus, you will act as a spy. If this was a recruiting visit that was paid to your mother, then Voldemort has realized that you can help his cause as a fellow traveler of sorts if you cannot be an actual Death Eater. You will need to practice Occlumency so that you can hide the fact that you are actually learning what we need to know.”

Emily opened her mouth but the Headmaster held up his hand. “We will set it up so that Emily can continue her training at St. Mungo's. Then it is my hope that she will act as an associate of sorts for our school infirmary during the times when Poppy is most busy. After she is certified, she can continue at the hospital or work as a Healer in Hogsmeade.

“Finally, with the three of you living at the school, we have some ability to protect your Hope. Now, Emily, you are going to yell at me for putting your husband's life in danger when you worked so hard to protect him.”

Emily opened and shut her mouth several times, trying to formulate what she was thinking.

Dumbledore looked at her kindly. “You have exhibited great love and daring. You have given much and, even so young, you have lost much. Before this is over, many witches and wizards will have to make similar sacrifices. I hate to ask it of you, but you may be required to sacrifice more, yourself.”

Severus recognized the color of his wife's eyes and was prepared for her to argue or yell at Dumbledore. Instead she closed her eyes and nodded. “I understand.”

“Severus, can you do this? It will take a great wizard, one who can master all of the subtleties and craftiness of the situation; in short, it calls for a member of Slytherin House.

“He's going to demand the prophecy.”

“And you will tell him what you know.”

“What about those children?” asked Emily.

“We will know in August who the likely candidates are and we will take steps to protect them. At this time, I see no other way. If Voldemort already knows about the prophecy, he will try to find the Seer otherwise, and I would rather that person remain hidden. If he accepts what Severus can tell him, the Seer, and the full prophecy, will be protected.”




Emily put the baby down and went over to where her husband was resting on the bed.

“Are we going to take his offer?”

“I don't see another way.”

Emily sat on the bed near her husband, waiting. She wasn't sure what she was waiting for, but she knew there were many things on his mind. She put her hand close to his so that he could touch it if he wanted to.

“It wasn't a happy childhood. They fought, and he drank, and sometimes there was violence. She managed to bring magic into it. Not just the magic of her being a witch and raising me as a wizard, but the magic of making me believe there could be something in this world that would make it all worth it.

“She worked and struggled, so hard. The happiest moment in her life since I've known her was the fifteen minutes I told her about you and why she was coming to tea at Margo's house. It was the sort of thing she'd been wishing for. The day that she was the first person to hold Hope was pretty high on her list, too.

“She wasn't particularly likable, any more so than I am. Shush, Emily, I know, but you're the only person I know who enjoys my company unreservedly. She was my mother and now she's gone. Emily, if I didn't have you and Hope, I would be alone in the world.”

He reached for her then, pulling her beneath him and kissing her in desperation. She kissed him back and gave what he needed. Severus watched the reflection of the stars in his wife's eyes and he knew that he needed to protect her and their daughter. Instead of rolling to his side to look at Emily as he often did, he folded her beneath him for a moment, as if to hide her from those who would hurt her. As Dumbledore had said, they had already given up too much.

Two Sides Against the Middle by Rose of the West [Reviews - 2]

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