Paying the Fiddler

Christmas, 1997

As winter approached, Alissa heard more news about the problems Hogwarts was having with their new Headmaster. All unofficial gatherings of students were disbanded; certain students were even forbidden to go to Hogsmeade. Nevertheless, the mutiny hummed along quietly, never fully dying out. The group known as "Dumbledore's Army", or the D.A., was still gathering secretly.

Severus came back to the manor to get away from the school for a few days. He was brought before the Dark Lord and reported on the activities of the dissenters. The Dark Lord was not happy. He had control over the Ministry and The Daily Prophet, but this moronic bumbler, Xeno Lovegood, who for years ran a rag of a magazine called The Quibbler, was printing out information the Dark Lord wanted kept quiet. Something was going to have to be done. Severus knew what that meant: Alissa.

***

The Hogwarts Express went along its journey as it had for so many years, bringing Hogwarts students back and forth from London to the highlands of Scotland. There had been few incidences over the years, the worst most likely being when the Dementors of Azkaban halted the train to search for Sirius Black at the start of Harry Potter's third year. Well, all that changed when the Express took its journey back to London for the Christmas hols.

Alissa Apparated onto the train, wearing her Death Eater weeds, with the Lestrange brothers directly behind her.

She immediately saw a group of first-years who started screaming and scrambling into the various cars to get out of their way. The din caught the attention of the older students, and Alissa immediately recognized Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom in the group running down the walkway opposite them.

Ginny yelled, "Stupefy!"

Alissa was already prepared with a nonverbal "Protego."

The rebound from Alissa's Shield Charm knocked many students backward. Another group came forward, trying to defend their territory. But they were no match for Alissa or the Lestrange brothers.

She let the Lestranges loose on them and grabbed the Weasley girl from off the floor. She was bleeding heavily from her head. She grabbed her handkerchief and held it to the girl's wound.

"Where is Luna Lovegood?" she demanded harshly.

"Nowhere. I won't tell you anything!" Ginny growled back at her.

"Fine," Alissa snapped. "I shall find her myself." She grabbed the girl by the hair and yanked her up. She dragged Ginny from car to car as she screamed and students shrunk back in terror from the sight. The youngest Weasley tried to wrench out of her grasp, but Alissa only gripped harder. She finally came to the correct car and threw Ginny onto the floor, sealing the room shut. Luna sat still and serenely in her seat. She was not going to fight. Alissa had a great deal of respect for her steady head. Ginny tried to attack her again, and Alissa performed a Petrificus Totallis Hex on her, grabbed the Lovegood girl, and Apparated back to Malfoy Manor.

***

Alissa and Severus spent a couple of days together in the warm seclusion of her bed, rarely leaving the room, and just enjoying the warmth of each other's arms. It was all happening so fast now. He had not been pleased with how the Lovegood abduction played out. They had a horrible row over it, and Alissa told him he should have been grateful she had not performed the Cruciatus Curse on the Weasley girl.

Severus looked at her in disgust. "What has happened to you? Now you are condoning Unforgiveables against children!"

She stood up to him and said, "Firstly, that girl is no child. She is a woman and, if you haven't forgotten, she was Harry Potter's girlfriend. A woman faced with a potential threat towards the man she loves will do anything she must to protect him! Secondly, if she had the ability, she would have killed me. It was in her eyes. So, I think I demonstrated a great deal of restraint by not hurting her anymore than I had to!"

Severus sat down at his desk, wearily, unable to process the things she was telling him. This was an area with which he was not familiar. This was the type of primitive magic that was very powerful amongst only witches. It was the kind of ancient magic that saved Potter from the Dark Lord...the desire to protect the one a person loved most that led Lily to conjure such powerful magic that she had shattered the Dark Lord with its intensity. For such a powerful force to be directed to protect him was scary, but somewhat humbling. He knew Alissa loved him, but until this moment, he had not realized the depths to which she would go in order to protect him.

Alissa saw the conflict behind his black eyes, and she interrupted his thoughts softly, "I do not condone what the Carrows are doing at the school. I do not believe in taking unfair advantage against an opponent who is no match. These children had no ability to harness the magic needed to cast nonverbals in a time of crisis. But that Weasley girl, she has been saved by my hand more times than I can count. If it had not been for me, she would have been tortured, beaten, raped, and murdered. That is the depth of her willingness to fight for Potter. I, for one, cannot wait to fight with her, not against her."

Severus let out a breath. "Well, at least I know you are not completely insane. Just enough for this job," he said sarcastically, now in control of his emotions.

"The job of loving you and keeping you safe," Alissa said saucily as she exited his office through the Floo.

"Cheeky witch!" he snarled.

***

On New Years' Eve, word reached Severus that the Dark Lord, as Nagini, had failed to obtain Potter through the husk of Bathilda Babcock, a Godric's Hollow resident and author. Apparently, the Granger girl blew apart a great deal of the house in attempts to save Potter from Nagini's death grip. Severus spoke incessantly about the Trio he had once taught over the past year so much, Alissa felt as though she knew them intimately. That New Years', she and Severus sat curled up in his bedroom at Hogwarts, wrapped up in a warm blanket, in front of a toasty fire. All had been going well, and the evening was perfect for romance and making love. Then, suddenly, his Mark burned, and they hurriedly dressed and Flooed directly into Malfoy Manor.

She was going to wait outside when the Dark Lord caught sight of her and told her to come and join them. The news was shocking to Severus and Alissa but for different reasons.

"What now, my Lord, can I do to serve you?" Alissa said after a minute of silence.

"My dear child, you have been such a faithful servant. I will soon let you know of my plans. Until then, stay close. You may stay here or spend time with Severus as you wish, just know I may be calling you at a moment's notice."

They left the Dark Lord and went back to Hogwarts. As they went through the Floo into the Headmaster's office, Alissa felt a tremendous feeling of guilt. Was she doing enough? She had not contacted the Order in weeks. But she did not want to upset anyone with false hopes and shaky information. If only he would get on with things!

She slipped back into her nightgown and whined to Severus, "Why is he taking so damned long to go to Nurmengard?"

"Because Nurmengard is in a country that is not under the power of the Dark Lord. He has to find a way to infiltrate. I wouldn't worry about it, honestly. I don't think you will be joining him on that particular mission. The Dark Lord does not give boons on a whim, nor does he allow his henchmen freedom to roam about for no apparent reason. There is a reason he wants you here, Alissa. It just so happens we get to enjoy one another during the wait. But know this: he knows we are lovers and are taking the time you are here to pleasure ourselves. However, one day, Alissa, you will have to pay the fiddler. We dance so very well together," he whispered as he took her into his arms and kissed her.

The next days were again full of talk about the latest development on the progress, or lack thereof, on the Potter mission.

"Weasley is a strategist. From what I've been told, there is no one who can best him in Wizards's Chess. He is very loyal, but academically, as smart as a rock. However, he is a true soldier, the kind I would not mind by my side in battle. He is brave and fearless, but reckless. He takes incredible risks and does not care for the cost to himself. If he lives to see the end of the war, I shall be shocked," Severus said cruelly.

"Obviously, you have no use for Gryffindor courage?" she asked haughtily.

"Only if it is tempered with a bit of Slytherin. You used to be such a little cub, but then you went into the Serpent's nest and have become more of an anomaly than I first took you for. You are now definitely a cross-breed!" He smirked at his own comment.

Alissa shook her head at the smug bastard in bed with her. If she were a cross-breed, then so was he...for no true Slytherin would ever, ever do the work he did, or place their life in mortal peril for someone else, especially for someone not of their own.

Severus became uncomfortable with her gaze upon him. He started to feel uncovered and vulnerable, so he continued, "Miss Hermione Granger is the brains of the outfit. She is a powerful witch whose intellect has only been matched or surpassed by perhaps three or five witches and wizards in the last one hundred years. She is truly the most clever and intelligent witch of her generation. Now, that being said, she is the most annoying little chit I have ever met! She is an insufferable know-it-all that cannot stop from trying to prove herself over and over for her teachers. She is an insecure girl, I believe, because she is so bookish. Nevertheless, she has a fascinating mind. If you ever find yourself in dire straits and need a solution, she would be the one to go to. Insufferable, but she has the brains to back it up."

"Now, Potter, he is the most fortunate child in creation for having these two friends. They have saved his worthless hide time and again...as have I. The boy is fool-hardy, reactionary, and average at best. One thing I will say, although grudgingly, is that he is brave. Very brave and has proved it time and again over the years."

"So, our Miss Granger blew up Bathilda's house to save Potter? Well, this just makes a person want to rejoice!" he spat venomously. "What in the name of all that is holy was he doing out there? This is no time for a family reunion, or to cry over graves of people long dead!" he stopped talking at that point, his fury almost overtaking him.

Alissa watched as he paced up and down, running his hands through his hair. He was mumbling something about fools who wear their hearts on their sleeves. He was becoming increasingly stressed as the months slowly moved along. Alissa hated what it was doing to Severus. When was the nightmare to end?

A/N: Thanks again to my wonderful beta, MadBrilliant! Please review!

Up Next: The Death Eaters face Voldemort's wrath for allowing his prisoners to escape. Severus and Alissa are separated for a time and have an argument once they are together again.