Nine

http://www.tvloop.com/harry-potter/show/photos/alan-rickman-severus-snape-135025

---

All Hallows Eve

"I've held your hand through all of these years

But you still have all of me"

'My Immortal', Evanescence

Severus spent the following week feeling partly amused and partly irritated by Contessa's obvious zeal for organising the Halloween feast. He knew she was hoping the evening would lift the spirits of staff and students and bring everyone together after the trials of the first half of the winter term.

It was for this reason that Severus allowed her to continue planning the feast; he appreciated the value of raising morale at Hogwarts. The best outcome for him would be fewer incidents of mutiny. And, so far, in the week leading up to the Friday night feast, the children were focused on the event and behaving themselves for fear of the event being cancelled.

Times were difficult now the Dark Lord's stronghold had increased in power; Muggle-borns were being hunted down, and the Carrows were teaching anti-Muggle propaganda at the school. Severus had to bite his tongue frequently and tell himself it was unavoidable.

He abhorred prejudice against Muggle-borns; after all, Lily was one, but he was also the Headmaster of a school that discriminated against them. It was yet another part of himself which he had to keep securely locked away.

Since Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait at Grimmauld Place had been stuffed into Hermione Granger's magically-proportioned bag, Severus had received scant news about Potter and his sidekicks. He knew the trio were still alive, but until such a time as their location could be revealed, Severus had to sit tight with the sword of Gryffindor.

Contessa had suggested that Potter may visit his parents' grave on Halloween, giving them a potential window of opportunity to hand the sword over to the boy. Severus decided the odds were slim, and indeed he hoped Potter would not be stupid enough to turn up at Godric's Hollow on the anniversary of his parents' death. However, Severus had acquiesced to the idea, in view of the fact that there were no other options available at present.

As the thirty-first of October approached, the anniversary of Lily's death loomed like a spectre before him. Contessa had tried to cajole Severus into visiting the Potters' grave with her, but he had persuaded her to go alone to cast the charm which would alert them should someone lay flowers by the headstone.

Severus had undertaken to wear the Tiger's Eye ring on his little finger instead of around his neck. This eliminated the cumbersome step of removing the ring from its chain, thus drawing unwanted attention. Now he would be able to communicate with Contessa discreetly and respond should the charm be activated.

Severus had been reluctant to perform additional charms on the rings, fearing their magic might be disrupted, but in the end he decided to Disillusion his ring to prevent people noticing that he and Contessa were wearing the same jewellery.

When Halloween arrived Severus spent the day pacing around the Headmaster's office, waiting impatiently for the summons from Godric's Hollow. He became increasingly restless, unable to concentrate and unwilling to find a task to keep him sufficiently occupied.

By late afternoon the tension was too much, and he found himself drawn inexplicably to the graveyard.

Severus pulled on his heavy travelling cloak and retrieved Gryffindor's sword from behind Dumbledore's portrait, casting the former Headmaster a brief nod to convey the sword's intended destination before he left the office.

The students were still in their final lesson of the day as Severus strode unseen out of the castle.

He Apparated to the kissing gate of All Saints Church at Godric's Hollow and concealed himself with a Disillusionment Charm, passing through the gate as though the wind had swept through it.

Severus made his way carefully across the graveyard. Although he had only been there once before for the funeral, the location of the grave was firmly imprinted in his memory. His feet crunched down on golden brown leaves as he passed numerous tombstones, and a steady breeze teased his hair away from his face as he walked.

Although it was not particularly cold, the breeze held a noticeable autumn chill. Its humidity suggested impending rain.

Severus wrapped himself snugly in his cloak as he passed the grave of Kendra and Ariana Dumbledore, and he briefly read the inscription on the headstone.

Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.*

The words tugged Severus somewhere deep in his chest.

His treasure lay only two rows away.

A lump formed in his throat as he approached from behind a white marble headstone. It seemed to shine with ethereal grace, inviting him closer.

Severus walked around the headstone and circled to face it. His eyes skipped past the engraving of James Potter's name with a nauseous surge of annoyance. Instead he focused on the second name, and his eyes devoured the inscription.

Lily Potter, born 30 January 1960

Died 31 October 1981

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.*

Severus's mouth turned dry as tightness formed in his chest and throat. He dropped to his knees, his eyes stinging with the first signs of tears, and he felt the cold, wet earth beneath him soaking into his cloak and trousers, cooling his skin.

Then the sensations in his body engulfed him; pain twisted like a knife in his stomach, and his ear drums pounded and prickled in synchrony with his heartbeat. Severus wrapped his arms around himself as tears rolled down his face, splashing his cloak and landing on the grass at his knees.

Shuddering and shaking with the agony of grief, he knelt crippled on the ground, losing all sense of space and time, cocooned in his cloak before the grave of his treasure.

Eventually the pain in his abdomen turned into a hollow ache, and he started to become aware of the breeze gently drying his face. He looked once again at the words on the headstone.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.*

Severus's insides numbed in response. The only man capable of cheating death was the one who murdered Lily.

The Dark Lord took her life, and Severus was still angry that Lily had died, despite having taken steps to prevent it. But, as ever, Lily had been the consummate Gryffindor and had bravely stepped in front of the Dark Lord to protect her only child.

Lily's love for her son was so profound that Severus was consumed with sickening jealousy whenever he was reminded of it. And that had happened frequently in recent years.

The irony of the way events had unfolded that fateful night was not lost on Severus. The Boy Who Lived survived only because Severus had tried to protect Lily. If the Dark Lord had gone to Godric's Hollow with the intention of murdering her, Lily would never have been able to cast the protective charm which had kept her son alive and ultimately defeated the Dark Lord.

Severus couldn't help but feel a glimmer of pride at her talent and ability. It was Lily who had defeated the Dark Lord, not Harry Potter.

Lily had destroyed death that day, but in doing so, she lost her own life. Her body lay cold in the ground beneath his feet, and there wasn't a day passed by when Severus didn't wish he could join her there.

He wasn't scared of death; Severus saw it as release from a painfully lonely life. Death would reunite him with Lily once more.

But he was not likely to have this wish granted any time soon; he intended to redeem himself and prove his love for Lily before that time arrived.

The hilt of Gryffindor's sword weighed heavily on his hip and reminded him of his purpose for living. Severus had a role to perform before he met his death, and he had every intention of completing his mission.

As his grief dissipated he stared at Lily Potter's name carved on the white marble and reminded himself of his responsibilities.

Severus had never told Lily that he loved her, nor had he disclosed it to anyone else. But he admitted it to himself and he knew, with steely certainty, that he would never love another. Lily was the love of his life and his deepest, most terrible regret. She had meant everything to him whilst she was alive and continued to be the focus of his world in death.

His wounds would never heal as long as he lived, but at least his anguish would be extinguished eventually.

Rubbing the salty tracks of tears from his face, Severus rose to his feet, noticing that darkness had almost descended in the time he had been kneeling at the graveside.

He didn't care that he'd been away from Hogwarts for too long; the time spent at Lily's grave had nourished him and renewed his sense of purpose.

Harry Potter might still attend during the remaining hours of All Hallows Eve, but Severus knew he could not spend the evening skulking in the churchyard; his presence would be required at the feast.

Severus faced his inevitable departure from Lily's graveside with miserable reluctance.

As he stood and prepared to leave, a warm presence encircled his hand, and for a fleeting moment he imagined it to be Lily placing her hand reassuringly in his.

However, an instant later the Tiger's Eye ring cooled against the skin of his little finger.

With a sickening jolt, he knew Lily was gone. Reality was calling him home.

---

Signs and Portents

Contessa felt Severus's cold hand in hers as she Apparated beside him.

Concerned about his absence, she had used her Tiger's Eye ring to locate him. The Halloween feast was due to start, and the entire school was assembled in the Great Hall, awaiting the arrival of the Headmaster and the commencement of the festivities.

The rings had shown her the headstone of the Potters' grave at Godric's Hollow, and Contessa had Disapparated from the main gate outside Hogwarts, using Severus's vision as a guide. She had not expected to arrive literally at his side with their fingers entwined, and she noticed the ring on her little finger burning with unusual heat against her skin.

Turning to face him, Contessa felt Severus's hand twitch in hers, and she realised he had concealed himself with a Disillusionment Charm. A moment later he materialised before her, tightly wrapped up in his long black cloak, regarding her with surprise and a trace of apprehension.

Mortified by her indecorous arrival at the graveyard, Contessa whispered, "Sorry."

Severus's face was typically pale, and his swollen red eyes regarded her defensively.

He released her hand, and the ring on Contessa's finger cooled quickly in response. Slightly unnerved, she made a mental note to avoid using the rings for a purpose for which they had not been intended.

Disturbing Severus in his private moment of grief had been the last thing that Contessa had wanted to do, and now, standing next to him by the headstone, she was overcome with sadness.

It seemed that, in addition to the mask he wore as a Death Eater, Severus also wore an incorporeal mask of his own making. It was so rare to see him without it that Contessa did not want to let the moment pass by unacknowledged.

The reason for her visit was in direct conflict with her instincts, and she felt dismally resigned to the inevitability of what needed to be done for the greater good. It was painful for her to contemplate breaking this singular moment of vulnerability with the realities of Severus's position and responsibilities.

Severus watched her with wide eyes, seemingly unable to speak. Contessa returned his gaze awkwardly, wishing she had a choice in what she had to say. But the mission had to come first.

"I waited as long as I could, Severus, but you are urgently needed at Hogwarts. The Halloween feast awaits your presence; we can't start without you."

Severus's head hung low, his long black hair hanging in curtains, hiding his emotions. Contessa's heart ached as she waited for his reply.

When he looked back at her, she saw clouds clearing from his vision as his world came back into focus. Severus closed his eyes briefly and nodded.

She reached out, taking his hand once again in hers, and the rings tingled as they connected. Contessa felt a wave of grief and remorse hit her unexpectedly, and she shivered, partially aware that the feelings didn't belong to her.

Closing her eyes, she concentrated on their intended destination, and then space and time compressed as Severus and Contessa Disapparated from the graveyard together.

A lungful of biting fresh Highland air made them gasp as they arrived outside the main gates of Hogwarts. The rings suddenly felt very heavy, dragging their clasped hands towards the ground. As they let go of each other, the two silver bands touched again, and Contessa was flooded with Severus's emotions once more. Judging by the look on his face, it seemed he was experiencing her anxiety in return. Severus set off towards the school at a brisk walking pace.

Contessa groaned quietly. Having just resolved not to expose the Tiger's Eye rings to any more unnecessary magic, she had subsequently used them for Side-Along Apparition. The fading heaviness of the ring on her finger admonished her.

As she glanced back towards the castle, she noticed Severus had opened the gate and was striding swiftly across the grounds to the main entrance. Contessa passed through the gate, locked it behind her and ran to catch up with the Headmaster.

Severus cast a sidelong glance as she reached out for his arm.

"I'm sorry I had to disturb you," she offered tentatively, slightly out of breath.

He didn't reply.

They walked through the antechamber together, and Contessa cast her eyes over Severus in the candle-lit Entrance Hall. She frowned, noticing the muddy patches on his cloak and the stains on the knees of his trousers. Then she realised what they signified. Contessa shut her eyes, quelling her unease.

When she opened them again, Severus was watching her, calm and expressionless, his windswept hair hanging in black fronds against his face.

"You might want to clean your robes before you go in – you're looking rather dishevelled," Contessa said as she removed her cloak, revealing a long black dress with lacy cobwebs adorning the neckline and the cuffs of her sleeves. She glanced down at herself apologetically. "We've all made a bit of an effort, you see."

Severus nodded curtly.

"I'll enter through the back room of the Great Hall, so that we aren't seen together. You need only cast a Lumos Charm, and the house-elves will take care of the rest." With that, Contessa hurried away, hoping Severus could compose himself quickly and that his late arrival would not appear untoward.

Contessa took her seat in the Great Hall amidst low-level muttering from the students sitting at their House tables. The resident ghosts of Hogwarts glided overhead as the staff sat quietly at the top table, the Headmaster's chair appearing ominously empty in the half-lit hall.

The enchanted ceiling provided the only illumination, bathing the room in the light of a full moon and thousands of glimmering stars. Contessa caught sight of a shooting star arching across the artificial sky, passing the Pegasus constellation, before slipping below the horizon. Surreptitiously, she crossed her fingers under the table.

"What's the holdup?" Filius Flitwick asked her from the seat on her left.

"I don't know," she whispered quietly.

With a bang, the double doors at the opposite end of the Great Hall flew open, and Severus strode in, imposing and bat-like as ever. His cloak billowed impressively behind him as he swept down the central aisle, past the House tables filled with expectant students.

Halfway to the podium at the front of the hall, Severus raised his wand nonchalantly, and with a dramatic swoosh of circling air, the hall filled with carved pumpkin lanterns hovering mid-air.

Tablecloths of sticky cobwebs spread across the tables as the smaller of the candle-lit lanterns landed softly down upon them, leaving the larger pumpkins floating silently overhead, flickering as they bobbed and turned under the night sky.

The pumpkins were then joined by real-life bats, diving and swarming through the air, dive-bombing within inches of the students' heads with unerring precision.

Plates and goblets appeared on the tables, then finally a troop of enchanted skeletons appeared at the edges of the hall, arriving from the kitchens carrying mountainous plates of food and jugs of pumpkin juice and Butterbeer.

Severus reached the lectern and turned to face the students. Nodding to the nearest of the skeletons, Severus wordlessly signalled the opening of the Halloween feast.

Contessa watched Severus covertly as he walked around to take his seat at the head of the top table. His face was impassive, and he did not make eye contact. Contessa was overwhelmed with pity, knowing how draining it would be for Severus to wear his mask for this one evening.

Once the skeletons had served the feast and everyone had eaten their fill, a party-like atmosphere sprang up, and Contessa was heartened to see people enjoying themselves. Severus was deep in conversation with Amycus Carrow when the next stage of Contessa's plans for the evening came to fruition.

At both ends of the House tables, two barrels of water appeared, each containing a dozen or so red and green apples.

Filius nudged her, and she turned to see a look of bemusement on the smaller wizard's face.

"What are the barrels for?" he asked her curiously.

"It's an old Muggle game," Contessa replied, "called bobbing for apples."

"Bobbing for apples?" Filius repeated uncertainly.

"Yes. The game is to catch an apple in your mouth without the use of your hands."

A few children who were familiar with the game had now approached the barrels and were sticking their fingers into the water experimentally.

"Come on, Filius," Contessa cajoled the Head of Ravenclaw. "Let's give it a go!"

The small wizard looked at her hesitantly for a moment then hopped off his chair to follow her to a barrel beside the Ravenclaw table.

Anthony Goldstein was leaning over the surface of bobbing apples, making his first attempt. He had so far managed to hold a red apple up against the edge of the barrel and was endeavouring to secure it with his teeth.

The apple rotated in the water, and the crevice that usually held the stalk opened up into a mouth-like shape. The apple firmly nipped Goldstein on the chin.

The Ravenclaw shot up from the surface of the water, rubbing his chin in surprise. His friend, Michael Corner, laughed heartily at him.

"What the bloody hell...?" Goldstein exclaimed.

"The apple is bewitched, mate," Corner replied. "It bit you back!"

Contessa and Filius joined them by the barrel. "I think this is a wizard version of bobbing for apples," she said slyly.

"Not much fun if the apples bite back." Goldstein looked doubtful as he offered his assessment.

"Oh, I don't think they all bite," Contessa said, poking a passing apple with her index finger. "You've just been unlucky."

Corner stepped forward, inclining his head into the barrel. "I'm going to try for a green one – see if they don't bite."

He chased an apple around the edge of the barrel and sighed with frustration.

"I reckon you've got a better chance going for one in the middle," Filius pondered.

Goldstein looked at the tiny Charms Professor dubiously. "Perhaps you could show us, Sir," he said with a hint of mischief.

Contessa smiled encouragingly at the Professor and retrieved her wand, Summoning a stool to lift Filius up to the edge of the barrel. He raised his eyebrows at her, realising he had been skilfully manoeuvred into playing the game. With a sigh and a resigned shake of his head, he stepped up and leaned over the edge of the barrel, holding his beard against his robes and targeting a green apple alone in the middle of the water.

The apple promptly nipped him on the nose.

Surrounding Ravenclaws tried unsuccessfully to suppress their laughter.

"So much for the theory about the colour of the apples, then," Goldstein said, covering a smirk.

Contessa watched Filius make a second attempt, rubbing her thumb absently against the Tiger's Eye ring on her little finger. One of the bewitched apples attempted to bite the Professor on the cheek but became tangled up in his long beard and tugged him towards the side of the barrel.

A chortle formed in Contessa's throat, and she attempted to stifle it, closing her eyes and biting down on the inside of her mouth. As she did so, the metal of the ring cooled against her skin, and she glimpsed a vision of herself and Filius Flitwick from an angle behind them.

Realising she had inadvertently triggered the rings, Contessa immediately snapped her eyes open and unclasped her hand, turning to see Severus watching her from the top table.

She shot him an apologetic glance and turned back to see Filius stepping down from his stool, an apple in his mouth, triumphant with the cheers of his House.

Sybill Trelawney wandered over to congratulate the Head of Ravenclaw. "Well done, Filius. According to Muggle superstition, you will be the first to marry."

Filius's eyes bulged, and he almost choked on the apple. He waved her off and hurried back towards the teachers' table. Contessa chuckled at the Divination Professor, surprised to learn that Muggles had their own false notions based on the apple-dooking game.

"Are you going to have a go, my dear?" Sybill asked Contessa.

"Absolutely." Contessa smiled.

She approached the barrel of water and dipped her head confidently, knowing the secret of which apples were bewitched. With one swift, practised movement she captured a shiny green apple between her teeth and bowed to the applause of the two Ravenclaw boys. As Contessa stood up straight and took the apple from her mouth, she noticed Severus walking over to their barrel. Goldstein and Corner ceased clapping and walked away.

"Good evening, Headmaster," Contessa said formally.

"Madam Marchbanks." Severus nodded.

Sybill Trelawney nudged Contessa's arm and passed her a small silver knife.

"You should peel the apple, Tess. It's another Muggle tradition."

Contessa accepted the knife and began to carefully peel the apple.

Severus arched one eyebrow and then, to Contessa's astonishment, leaned over the barrel and deftly caught a red apple between his teeth.

"That was almost effortless, Headmaster. How did you know which apple to choose?" Contessa said, after she had recovered from the shock.

Severus's brow furrowed, and he tilted his head. "I chose an apple which still had its stalk," he said, as if the reason should have been obvious to her.

"But, how..."

Severus coolly ignored Contessa's question, choosing instead to remove a small potions knife from inside his robes. He proceeded to peel his red apple, dropping small slivers of the fruit's skin onto the Ravenclaw House table.

Contessa's knife reached the end of its task, and she looked down at the fruit, amazed to see she had peeled the apple in one long, curling slice. The green apple peel hung from her fingers in a spiral.

Sybill Trelawney smiled knowingly.

"What?" Contessa asked her.

"It's a good omen."

"What is?"

"Well, the Muggles believe the length of the apple peel determines life expectancy," Sybill said airily.

Contessa's mouth gaped as she looked at the Divination Professor. "You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. But it is only a Muggle prophecy; I don't set much store by them."

Contessa bit down on her tongue, trying hard not to laugh. She looked away, turning to see Severus's reaction, but he was staring at his pile of short apple peelings with an ironic smirk.

Sybill appeared not to notice and continued, "Now, you should throw the apple peel over your shoulder."

Severus's gaze met Contessa's briefly, and they shared a moment of amusement, before he scooped up his peel and lobbed it over his left shoulder.

Contessa mirrored his movement. "Now what?" she asked.

Sybill glided over, adjusting a flowing purple shawl which had fallen from her shoulder and peered seriously through her glasses at the apple peel on the floor. "The shavings should form the shape of the first letter of your true love."

Contessa gulped as she felt her heart leap to her throat. Suddenly, the game no longer seemed funny.

The three of them stared at the patterns of apple shavings on the floor.

Sybill pointed to a lop-sided crescent moon formation, in the top left hand corner of Severus's arrangement of peel.

"That looks like an 'L' to me," she said wistfully.

Severus did not look up. "Is that so?" he said. His voice was taut and constricted, and Contessa noticed him twitch as he covered a tiny crack in his composure.

Leaning forwards, Contessa scrutinised the suggested shape. Her insides burned.

Firenze trotted over to the small gathering and surveyed the floor inquisitively. "I'd say it's more like a 'C'," he pondered. The centaur's tail swooshed majestically as he turned and sauntered towards the Slytherin table.

A heady nausea wrapped itself around Contessa as she tore her eyes away from the stone floor.

"Yours looks like an 'S'," said Sybill thoughtfully, examining Contessa's peel.

Before Contessa could reply, Luna Lovegood appeared beside the barrel, raised her wand and said, "Immobulus!"

A red apple froze in place, allowing Luna to secure the apple quickly between her teeth. She took a bite of the fruit and paused, standing next to Sybill Trelawney and studying the pattern of peel at their feet.

"Indeed, it does look like an 'S'. But then there's only a few letters that a coiled strip of peel could make," Luna said contemplatively.

With that, the blonde witch turned on her heel and skipped enigmatically from the hall.

---

Masquerade

Blistering winds arrived in November, stripping trees of their remaining leaves. Morning frosts turned the landscape icy-white, withering perennial plants holding on to the last gasps of temperate weather.

Inside Hogwarts the atmosphere was quieter and, for once, the students were held in check. Severus felt the Halloween feast had been a useful exercise; it seemed to pacify some of the more disruptive students, allowing the professors to focus on teaching.

However, after a couple of weeks of relative calm, events outside the castle started to impact upon the school.

It was clear to anyone reading the Daily Prophet that the Dark Lord had gained control of the newspaper some months ago. In the intervening time The Quibbler had stepped up to the mark, essentially replacing the Prophet as the source of real news. The editor of the magazine continued to print ludicrous articles about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and such like, in an attempt to conceal sedition against the Dark Lord's regime.

Luna Lovegood had become something of a minor celebrity amongst the students, who were heralding her father as a valiant crusader for the truth. Such was Miss Lovegood's burgeoning popularity that Contessa had to place a quiet word in the girl's ear, forewarning her to stay out of trouble.

Severus needed Miss Lovegood to be whiter-than-white for her to remain at the school; so far the editor's daughter had applied some of her Ravenclaw intelligence and kept a low profile.

Early one Tuesday morning, Alecto Carrow discovered Seamus Finnigan and Ernie Macmillan wandering the corridors of Hogwarts, affixing posters bearing the Headmaster's face on as many walls as possible with Permanent Sticking Charms. The posters showed Severus's pale, thin face, and his finger pointing sternly at the reader, aside the slogan, 'Snape wants YOU to read The Quibbler'.

Such was Severus's fury with the boys that he penalised the whole school for the offence. All Houses were confined to quarters until morning lessons began, forcing the students to miss their breakfast altogether. Severus hoped the strong message would make everybody think twice about supporting the activities of the DA.

Later that evening, Severus retired to his quarters and showered and changed into a fresh black shirt and trousers. He caught his reflection in the large dressing table mirror as he buttoned up his shirt. The Tiger's Eye ring around his neck glinted in the candlelight.

Severus had gone back to wearing the ring on its chain ever since the Halloween feast. He decided to lift the Disillusionment Charm in an attempt to minimise the undue influence of additional charms and also prevent him from losing the ring.

During the feast, when Contessa accidentally triggered a connection between the two rings, Severus suspected he had briefly sensed her thoughts. He had chosen not to tell Contessa, deciding it would be much better to have her believe his power of intellectual deduction led him to choose a stalked apple.

Contessa arrived in his quarters exactly on time at eight o'clock, wearing a knitted, black cardigan and a long flowing skirt adorned with a subtly shimmering pattern of bronze and gold autumn leaves. She too had started to make more of an effort for their shared evenings, and he was an appreciative beneficiary.

Severus sat down facing the doorway, and Contessa took her usual seat opposite him on the sofa across the coffee table. The fire blazed merrily as Severus served her a cup of aromatic coffee from the tray provided by the house-elf. Contessa slid the plate of biscuits over the table and selected a garibaldi.

"I might take a stash of these in a napkin tonight," Contessa said wryly, "just in case you decide to pull another stunt like the one this morning."

Severus watched her closely, expecting criticism.

"I was starving all morning, you know," she continued. "Horace was really annoyed with me; I'm hopeless if I haven't been fed."

Severus caught his breath. "The teaching staff didn't get any breakfast either?" he asked.

Contessa looked at him, surprised. "You didn't know?"

Severus shook his head, feeling a slight flush rising in his cheeks.

"I thought it was a bit harsh, even by your standards," Contessa said, a trace of a smile gracing her lips. "Maybe next time you'll ensure the staff are provided for and don't spend the entire morning snapping at students and handing out extra homework."

A smirk curled Severus's mouth, and he paused before replying. "For a moment there, I thought you were trying to dissuade me."

She chuckled and Severus relaxed, held rapt in her bluish, slate-like gaze.

"It certainly worked," Contessa said. "Some of the students are ready to turn in the culprits, next time something happens."

"So, the punishment was effective, then."

"It was," Contessa replied. "Though I'm not sure I want my behaviour to emulate a certain Potions master again."

Severus smiled as he watched Contessa fiddling with the laces on her ankle boots, eventually removing them and placing her slender feet on the cushioned sofa.

"Filch has been dusting off his collection of chains and shackles today," Contessa said darkly. "The man is incorrigible; he's getting all excited at the prospect of using his thumbscrews again."

"I might be tempted, next time there's a revolt," Severus replied.

Contessa frowned at him. "I hope you don't plan to use them on the staff as well."

"Only the ones who misbehave and talk back to the Headmaster," Severus replied, unable to hide a grin.

"I'll bear that in mind," Contessa replied, one eyebrow raised.

Severus felt a ripple of amusement at her feigned seriousness. He took a deep, anticipatory breath. "I'm glad to see you've finally learned your place."

Contessa turned with mock annoyance, reached for a teaspoon and threw it across the table, intending to hit him on the shoulder. Severus ducked out of the way. His eyes glittered as she grinned back at him, laughing.

The moment was broken by a loud gong chime; the Doorbell Charm on the Headmaster's office had been activated. Contessa looked completely bewildered by the sound.

Severus sobered instantly, and leapt to his feet.

"Who is it?" Contessa asked.

"One of the Carrows," Severus replied. "We don't have much time."

"The Carrows? Why would they..."

"They've started to drop in at all hours, so I've taken precautions. We have about twenty seconds to look convincing."

Contessa looked at Severus, frozen with horror.

He bent over and lifted her legs off the sofa, ushering her to one side so he could sit down next to her. Severus turned his back to the door. "You need to look more alluring," he said urgently.

"Excuse me?"

"Here," he said, extracting his wand and pointing it at her buttoned-up cardigan.

Contessa flinched as he Transfigured the garment into a black silk blouse. She looked down at her new clothing, stunned.

"Undo the first few buttons," Severus instructed, thinking it would be prudent to unbutton the blouse by magic, but not wanting to risk provoking her. "Quickly!" he pressed, stowing his wand away.

Looking into her frightened eyes, Severus heard the footsteps of one of the Carrows ascending the stairs to his quarters.

"My apologies," Severus said, hoping fervently that Contessa was ready for what was about to happen.

He slipped his right hand around her waist and pulled her closer. Ignoring her gasp, he slid his left hand into the V of her blouse, pushing the silk aside to expose her creamy-white collarbone and a black bra-strap. Severus inclined his head towards Contessa's neck and felt her body tense.

His lips met the soft warmth of her skin, and he inhaled the lingering aroma of her perfume.

Severus's heart thumped loudly as the uninvited guest burst through the door.

"Snape! Yeh've got to see this!" Amycus Carrow wheezed. "That ridiculous little man has done it again!" The wizard paused when he caught sight of the scene unfolding on the sofa.

Severus sighed, causing Contessa to shiver at the sensation of hot breath on her shoulder. He removed his lips from her collarbone and turned to cast Amycus a look of tested patience. Severus's right hand held Contessa firmly as she squirmed beside him.

"Oh," the Death Eater managed, rolling the copy of The Quibbler in his hands and gently tapping the paper cylinder with his fingertips. "Sorry to disturb yeh when yeh're..." The man halted, mouth gaping open at the sight of Severus and Contessa canoodling on the settee. "Busy," he finished.

"Perhaps next time you could knock," Severus said testily into the silence.

"Err. Yeah, I s'pose so."

When Severus turned back to face Contessa, she had pulled her blouse over her exposed shoulder and was starting to fumble with the buttons. He couldn't allow her to re-assert herself in front of Amycus Carrow; she was meant to be at Severus's beck and call.

"Who told you to cover up?" Severus said in a low, sneering voice.

Contessa recoiled and looked back at him with wide, angry eyes.

Severus eyeballed her for a long moment, mentally crossing his fingers. She had to realise she must play along with the masquerade.

Eventually she capitulated to the request, dropping the silky blouse to reveal a length of collarbone. Her jaw was set firmly as she stared back at him with a hint of defiance.

Severus blinked, and let out his breath. "What do you want, Amycus?" he said, without turning around to face the Death Eater. Instead, Severus placed his fingertips on Contessa's jaw and ran them slowly past her ear and down her neck. She shuddered, but did not pull away.

"Yeh've got to see this copy of tomorrow's Quibbler, Snape," Amycus drawled. "This time Lovegood's gorn too far. He's run another article on Potter, claimin' he's still alive and urgin' folks to support the boy."

Severus's hand dropped from Contessa's shoulder and he turned around to reach out for the magazine in the Death Eater's hands.

"Give it to me," Severus instructed him.

He perused the feature briefly, realising the editor of The Quibbler had no understanding of the difficulties his daughter would face if he persisted in printing the truth.

"It's high time his kid was expelled from Hogwarts – she's a rallying point for them mutineers. Every day she spends under this roof undermines yeh as Headmaster," Amycus said firmly.

"The girl has done nothing wrong and will not be punished for the misdemeanours of her father. She is better off here, where we can keep an eye on her," Severus answered evenly.

Contessa shifted against his arm, and he turned to see a look of discomfort on her face and a glint of rebellion in her eyes.

"You are an impatient little tease at times, Marchbanks," he whispered at a level audible enough for Amycus to hear.

Severus pulled her blouse back over her shoulder and removed his hand from her waist. None too gently, he pushed her upwards off the sofa, stopping short of tapping her behind.

"Go to my personal chambers and warm the bed for me," he told her smoothly. "I'll deal with you later."

Contessa shot him a contemptuous look. Severus maintained steely eye contact until she turned to leave.

"Yes, Headmaster," she said through gritted teeth.

One hand clenched in a fist at Contessa's side as she walked away and opened the door into his bedroom.

---

A Beautiful Lie

Contessa closed the door inside Severus's personal chambers and rested her back against the solid oak panel. Her knees were close to giving out, and she fought the urge to slide down and collapse into a quivering pool on the floor.

It was the second time she had felt Severus's breath lingering on her neck, but this time her skin had been softly kissed.

Her collarbone still tingled with the memory. She almost couldn't breathe.

Contessa tried to recover her composure as her clenched fists gently banged against the door. Years of ingrained resistance to Severus's authority mingled with the exquisite sensation of his lips brushing against her skin and the delicate caress of his fingers against her jaw and neckline.

She was annoyed with his ability to demean her and dazed by his power to make her literally weak at the knees. And there was also a feeling of awe.

Severus had been able to act out his role convincingly, undaunted by the sudden appearance of an adversary and unfazed by the part he had to play. Contessa envied his ability to detach himself from his emotions. She knew the unrequited feelings she harboured had hindered her ability to play along.

Amycus Carrow's muffled voice was discernible from the outside, and Contessa placed her ear carefully against the wooden door.

"She's still got spirit, that one," Amycus was saying. "Are yeh sure yeh're controllin' her completely with the Imperius Curse?"

Contessa heard the clinking of china and pictured the Death Eater taking a seat and helping himself to her cup of coffee.

"She is controlled at precisely the level I require," Severus replied.

There was a slight pause.

"She didn't seem that submissive just then," Amycus remarked.

Another pause.

Contessa imagined Severus raising his eyebrows, planning his next words with great care. She wished she'd pretended to be more compliant and hoped Severus had an answer which would easily explain her insubordination.

As usual, the falsities dropped from his lips with practised ease. "I don't want her to be too meek and subservient – otherwise where's the challenge?"

Contessa shivered. The lie sounded so beautiful, wrapped in the velvet timbre of his voice. She closed her eyes as butterflies fluttered upwards towards her throat.

Amycus grunted. "Yeh always did get a kick from them power games."

Severus's reply was smooth, steering the conversation away from their deception. "I believe you wished to discuss Miss Lovegood?"

Contessa sighed and slowly breathed in the air of the bedroom. There was a noticeable medicinal smell, much like that of the dungeons, and its sharp, herbal aroma suffused the room.

She opened her eyes and cast a Lumos Charm. The candles sprang into life as Contessa walked cautiously into the chambers.

The bedroom was oak-panelled and held an air of understated grandeur. A large four-poster bed with emerald green velvet curtains dominated the room.

The space was fairly tidy, with the exception of Severus's cloak, frock coat and assortment of crumpled robes strewn across the bed, and the usual towers of books at his bedside. It seemed the house-elves were curbing some of the Headmaster's untidier tendencies.

Contessa looked around for somewhere to sit down and noticed a dressing table opposite the foot of the bed. There was no stool. The only place to sit was the bed, and she was loath to follow Severus's instructions to warm it for him – he was already pushing his luck, as far as she was concerned.

Staring at the bed, she started to entertain the notion of slipping underneath the sheets. The stone-coloured pillowcases glowed in the candlelight, and she was drawn to run her fingers across the material. Crisp cotton slipped under her touch, and Contessa's hand teased the warm brown quilt where it met the paler sheets. She envisioned herself sliding underneath, surrendering to...

A pop sounded suddenly, yanking Contessa brutally out of her daydream. Binky the house-elf appeared at the opposite side of the bed, and without looking up he proceeded to collect Severus's discarded robes from the bed, presumably taking them to be laundered.

Contessa snatched her hand away from the bed linen and took a step backwards. The elf flinched and looked up at her, eyes wide with panic and surprise.

"Good evening, Madam Marchbanks," he squeaked. "Binky apologises for the intrusion." He looked around furtively. "The Headmaster's personal chambers are usually unoccupied at this time of the evening." Binky's face was full of remorse as he bowed apologetically. The house-elf then removed the belt from Severus's trousers and began lashing himself in punishment.

Contessa ran to the other side of the bed and extracted the leather belt from the elf's hand, holding Binky still in her grasp to prevent a further attempt at self-harm.

"There is no need for that," Contessa told Binky. "Besides, we have a delicate situation unfolding. One of the Carrows is with Severus in the living room."

Binky's eyes narrowed, and his ears twitched. "Binky understands, Madam." His eyes flickered once again to the leather belt in Contessa's hand, clearly fighting the urge to continue chastising himself. He licked his lips.

Contessa coiled the belt in her hand and opened the dresser drawer nearest to her, stowing the makeshift weapon out of sight.

Binky slumped in relief. His saucer-shaped eyes searched the room, taking in the rumpled edge of the sheet where Contessa had been standing.

"Binky can turn down the bed for Madam, if required."

Contessa eyed the bed, and her cheeks burned; she hoped her stare alone would return the sheets to their former pristine state.

"That won't be necessary, Binky," she said, trying to appear nonchalant.

Binky gathered up the remaining clothes, straightened the sheets and bade Contessa goodnight.

Standing alone once more in Severus's bedroom, the thought of the Headmaster expecting to find her waiting underneath the covers became a real predicament. Contessa wondered if he would choose to humiliate her with a mocking smirk or praise her for her pragmatism. It was, after all, unlikely that he would join her in the warm bed.

Wasn't it?

Of course it was. She shook herself again.

Contessa collapsed to a sitting position on the edge of the bed, her feet nudging one of the teetering piles of books by the bedside table.

With a sigh, she realised she had no appetite for reading and wondered how long Severus would be occupied. The patterned rug at the side of the bed held her attention for a while as she waited.

A quarter of an hour later, lost in a trance, Contessa jumped at the sound of the door snapping open. Severus strode into the room, his boots clicked sharply on the floor until he stopped a few feet away from her. His fingers entwined as he clasped his hands together, and despite wearing casual clothing, he appeared stern and imposing. Contessa leapt to her feet tremulously.

"Has he gone?" she asked.

"He has."

"Thank God," Contessa exhaled.

"And what exactly have you been doing for the last fifteen minutes?" he snapped, raising his chin slightly and looking down his hooked nose at her.

"I beg your pardon?" she replied indignantly.

"I specifically told you to warm the bed for me. Instead you saw fit to tidy the room and perch on the edge of a bed like a Bowtruckle camouflaged in its tree."

Contessa felt a hot and heady flush envelop her. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" Her hands moved to her hips.

Severus's eyebrows arched and he looked down at her imperiously. "I am talking to a shameless temptress of a Potions Assistant who cannot be trusted to maintain a charade."

The words 'how dare you' never quite made it out of Contessa's mouth; they were superseded by the swift movement of her clenched fist. Her punch landed on Severus's cheek before he could mount a defence.

He looked back at her with mild surprise and caught her wrist to prevent further blows. Severus winced as he rubbed his face with his free hand, flexing his jaw experimentally.

"Temper, temper," he said patronisingly into the awkward silence. "You really need to learn to control your emotions. You almost gave the game away."

Contessa suppressed a low growl forming in her throat. "Pardon me for being distracted by your vampiric tendency of going for my neck..."

"Not then, Contessa. You just about held it together when Amycus entered the room. But if he'd decided to barge into the bedroom, he'd have found a sheepish-looking slip of a woman staring pensively at the floor. Hardly a vision of Imperio'd lust and temptation." Severus's low voice was scolding as he continued to hold her tightly by one arm.

"If you thought I'd actually warm the bed for you, then you're seriously deluded," Contessa retaliated. Her chest heaved with her ragged breath but, deep down, she knew the untruth of her words.

"For God's sake, woman," Severus replied, exasperated. "I didn't expect to find you draped across my bed in your underwear, but I did hope you would think to close the curtains around the bed and pretend to be ready and waiting for your Headmaster."

This time the growl escaped from Contessa's throat, and she snatched her arm away from him, stalking out of the bedroom and into the empty living room.

She hated him for it, but Severus's logic was sound. Contessa realised her romantic feelings for him were still clouding her judgement.

Reaching the back of the sofa upon which Severus usually sat, she stopped and hunched over. Her hands stroked the worn fabric as her mind processed the evening's events. She heard Severus's footsteps following her out of the bedroom, and sensed him standing quietly behind her. Eventually Severus reached out, and Contessa felt the reassuring warmth of his hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't think."

Severus removed his hand and gestured for her to sit down on the sofa. As she did so, he took out his wand and cleared away the debris from the coffee table. Two mugs of hot chocolate appeared before them. Contessa couldn't help but smile when Severus tapped his wand against her cup and marshmallows suddenly bobbed on the surface of the steaming liquid.

She watched Severus sit down opposite her, on the sofa which usually belonged to her. Her heart-rate slowed, and her breathing returned to normal. She picked up the cup and prodded the marshmallows with a spoon. "Thanks."

Severus took a sip of his drink. "I know certain situations can be hard if you're not accustomed to play-acting." His features were softer now as he stared at the mug in his hands. "It's even more difficult since we've become friends." He didn't look up.

Contessa had a sense of Severus's personal struggle to verbalise the latter sentence, and one word resonated through her, removing any lingering animosity or uncertainty.

Friends.

Rendered speechless by a spiralling mixture of joy and sadness, Contessa wondered how long it had been since Severus had a friend. Certainly, in all the time she spent in his company, Contessa had never once heard him talk about having friends, in either a past or present tense.

Although she longed for more, she also realised that friendship alone was a compliment of some magnitude and not something which Severus gave readily.

She watched him shifting uncomfortably across the table and for the first time wondered how he felt about their masquerade. Contessa supposed it must be incredibly difficult for him when he felt no attraction towards her. She was shocked and slightly ashamed to realise she was not the only one who suffered.

Contessa cleared her throat. "Maybe, if it happens again, we should have a plan thought out in advance. If we hadn't had to cobble it together at the last second, you wouldn't have needed to cover up for me." Their eyes made contact again. "Your explanation of the strength of the Imperius Curse was inspired, by the way."

Severus seemed to relax a little, and his eyes widened slyly. "Yes, well, you've always been a bit of a challenge. Recently, once or twice, I thought I might Imperio you just to keep you quiet, but I decided you're much more interesting company when in possession of all your faculties. Whilst you are often rather irritating, you are also entertaining by equal measure."

"Funny. But you wouldn't stand a chance at Imperio-ing me." Contessa smiled. "Of course, I could have Imperio'd you if I'd chosen to."

"I doubt that very much; it has been over twenty years since anyone has successfully placed me under the Imperius Curse."

"Doubt all you want, Severus, but I could've done it. Luckily for you, I quite enjoy your quick-witted, acerbic nature. You wouldn't have been much fun, otherwise."

Severus regarded her suspiciously. "I am intrigued. I'd like to see you attempt the impossible and fail spectacularly. Perhaps you would like to place me under the Imperius Curse now?"

"Oh, I would very much like to, but I don't think I'll be able to do it at Hogwarts; the opportunities here are few and far between. However, there were numerous chances at Squirrel's Leap. I'm quite disappointed that I let them pass me by, now that you mention it."

"Excuses, excuses."

Contessa picked up her drink and took a sip, determined not to rise to Severus's bait. If she was going to have a chance at Imperio-ing the Headmaster, it would be easier if he didn't know the method.

She covered up her conniving with a smile and settled back into the sofa with the cup of hot chocolate resting against her new silk blouse.

---

The Unforgivable Curse

As the end of winter term approached, the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black reported Ronald Weasley's departure from the golden trio. The news caused Severus some consternation. The Weasley boy would be unable to return to the wizarding world and, forced into hiding, he was placing Potter in greater danger. At least Miss Granger had sense enough to remain behind; the Boy Who Lived had a better chance of surviving the winter months camping in the freezing outdoors with her around.

The Quibbler continued to cause a nuisance at Hogwarts. Severus had been forced to ban the publication from the school, but he knew copies were still in circulation. He was resolutely ignoring the Carrows' suggestions and, because Miss Lovegood maintained her low profile, Severus had not needed to resort to remedial action which would place the girl in jeopardy.

During the last week of term, Contessa had informed him she would be spending the Christmas holidays at the Marchbanks' family home in the Brecon Beacons. As there were very few students remaining behind and all but one of those were Slytherins, the majority of teaching staff had decided to vacate the castle. Only the Carrows were staying, along with Severus, and Argus Filch.

Contessa had asked Severus to keep an eye on the sole remaining Gryffindor student, and he couldn't fathom why Contessa had made it her personal responsibility to look after Robert Selwyn. The boy would have the whole of Gryffindor Tower to himself over Christmas, and there was nothing Severus would've liked more than to spend time at Hogwarts all alone; the solitude greatly appealed to him. However, when he expressed this to Contessa, she seemed a little upset by his assertion. He could not comprehend why.

On the last night of term, the students and staff enjoyed the traditional Christmas feast, and the children went back to their Houses to pack their trunks ready for the Hogwarts Express, scheduled to depart the following morning at ten o'clock.

Contessa met Severus in his quarters, and they spent the diminishing hours of the evening with a bottle of port, talking about new advances in potion-making. Severus had watched his glass being refilled by his guest several times. He couldn't remember falling asleep.

He awoke quite late on the Saturday morning but felt strangely unconcerned. He was sure that the Carrows would oversee the students' journey to the train station without any difficulty.

Severus got out of bed and padded to the dressing table mirror, staring at his unshaven reflection. He ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt at taming it then rummaged in the wardrobe for a particular item of clothing. He found a dark green silky dressing gown embroidered with strikingly coloured dragons on the lapels.

Severus lifted the robe from its hanger and shrugged it over his shoulders. His feet found a pair of slippers on the floor.

He wandered into the living area of his quarters and clicked his fingers to Summon his house-elf. Binky appeared next to the fireplace, carrying a tray of two servings of scrambled eggs on toast and a pot of tea. For some reason which Severus couldn't ascertain, this didn't seem unusual.

Severus threw a handful of Floo Powder onto the fire and took the silver tray from the elf. When Binky popped out of existence, Severus took a careful step onto the hearth, green flames tickling at his bare legs, and pronounced his destination.

His old quarters in the dungeon.

The Headmaster's personal Floo Network transported Severus instantly, and he arrived gracefully without a drop of tea being spilt. Holding the breakfast tray in his hands, he stepped out of the fireplace and looked around the room. It looked much the same as always, but he noticed extra candelabras dotted around and a distinct floral aroma... Was it freesia, or jasmine? The smell was out of place in these quarters which, now that he thought about it, no longer belonged to him. So what was he doing here?

His hands began to shake slightly on the tray as consciousness pervaded his mind, and the false sense of calmness dissolved. He caught a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye and turned to see Contessa at the doorway to his old bedroom, grinning from ear to ear.

Severus felt his nostrils flare as realisation dawned with a sickening crunch. The contents of the tray started to slide around, and he looked down at the breakfast which Contessa had compelled him to deliver. A low growl escaped his lips.

He placed the rattling tray of food on the table as Contessa skipped into the living room and landed on the sofa, gleefully crossing her legs like a pixie.

He turned to leave.

"Good morning, Severus," Contessa said, barely able to contain a giggle. "How lovely of you to bring me breakfast!"

Severus's lip twitched, and a hot shudder ascended his spine.

"Mmmm," Contessa continued, talking to his back. "Scrambled eggs."

Severus could practically hear her mouth watering and, to his dismay, he noticed his salivary glands respond in kind. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"How did you know they were my favourite?" she asked him with fake innocence.

Severus turned around to face her, his jaw set tight and hands clenched into fists.

"You Imperio'd me," Severus said in a low, croaking voice. Acid rose in his stomach, quelling his appetite.

Contessa watched him closely for a moment.

"I did," she said, her voice almost a whisper. The smile that formed on her face did not goad; in fact Severus thought he saw a glimmer of sadness in her eyes.

Unconsciously, Severus's posture relaxed. His fists unclenched, and his hands slipped against the silky material of his dressing robe. Except that it wasn't his robe; he'd never seen it before in his life. As he looked down at the shimmering embroidered dragons adorning his chest, his eyes narrowed. He felt cool air circulating around his ankles, and a moment later his stomach flipped, sending a rush of blood to his cheeks.

He spun on his heel and stepped towards the fireplace.

"Please don't leave," Contessa said despondently.

Looking back over his shoulder, through a haze of conflicting emotions, he saw Contessa perched on the edge of his old Chesterfield settee, fidgeting with her bare feet. Her brown hair fell in unkempt waves across her shoulders. The last vestiges of sleep clouded her eyes, and the pallor of her skin suggested dehydration and a possible hangover.

Severus turned slowly and noticed her cotton pyjamas were patterned with a black and orange cartoon-style duck. Her attire was almost as ridiculous as his. Could that be intentional?

Suddenly he found it harder to feel anger and humiliation. Severus's fingers rubbed his chin, taking in the prickly texture of his stubble. His tongue felt dry against the roof of his mouth.

Contessa's eyes met his, blue-grey and hopeful.

"You little minx," he said into the silence, with a hint of regret and perhaps amusement.

Her eyes widened and she smiled again. "Well, I had to prove my point. That'll teach you to throw down the gauntlet again."

"I didn't think you had it in you," he replied.

"Thanks a lot," Contessa said, eyebrows arched.

Severus paused. She had misinterpreted. "I didn't mean you were incapable of performing an Unforgivable Curse – I never doubted that for a second. I just didn't believe you capable of deceit and coercion."

"I learned from the best," Contessa replied wryly.

"So it seems."

Severus's heard a rumble emanate from his stomach, and his hand covered it surreptitiously.

"Sit down, Severus," Contessa said gently. "The eggs are going cold." She picked up the teapot and poured two cups of tea. "Besides, if you leave now, you won't find out how I managed it."

Severus knew instantly he was caught on a hook, about to be reeled in. He would exact his revenge another time, when she least expected it. Now was not the time to be a sore loser.

Reluctantly, he sat down at the other end of the sofa, feeling the cool leather of the sofa through the thin material of his robe. He picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. The warm liquid slid down his throat, calming and soothing in the way that only tea can.

"So," Severus began. "You got me drunk enough to fall asleep..."

"Yes. I had to wait an hour or so until you fell into the rapid-eye-movement cycle."

"When I was dreaming... Why?"

"Because that's when your mind is active, and you're more susceptible to the influence of the curse. It slips in as part of your dream."

Severus looked at her for a long moment, impressed. The theory made complete sense.

Contessa picked up her plate of scrambled eggs and started to tuck in. Severus found himself doing the same.

"How did I get into bed?" he asked in between mouthfuls.

"I left the suggestion to go to bed if you awoke during the night," Contessa explained.

"And to undress myself?"

"Yes."

Severus paused. "That's a relief."

Contessa laughed. "The Sobriety Potion I took last night reined me in a bit. It's a shame it didn't prevent the hangover, though."

Severus's head tilted as he appraised her. "So that's how you managed to out-drink me, and still have the ability to perform the curse." His forehead creased, and he settled the fork against the plate with a clink. "You are surprisingly devious, Contessa. Perhaps you could've been in Slytherin after all. Thinking up methods of Imperio'ing people in their sleep, who'd have thought you capable?"

Contessa's eyes narrowed as she reached out for her cup of tea. Her frown bemused Severus.

"I know you mean that as a compliment," she said, "but I can't take full credit."

"Pity. Why not?"

"Well, it wasn't my idea originally. When I was younger I had the trick played on me by my cousin for a dare, although to be honest, at the time I thought it was a fluke. Your goading motivated me to try it; I never imagined it would be so successful." Contessa smiled at the plate of food. "The eggs are excellent."

"I assume you gave Binky his instructions?"

"Indeed I did," Contessa replied. Her eyes twinkled as she looked at the pattern of dragons on Severus's dark green robe.

Severus suspected Contessa must have asked the house-elf to place the dressing gown in his wardrobe. He wondered if she was retaliating, following his Transfiguration of her clothing a few weeks ago.

Severus exhaled with a tight laugh. "Your foresight is noteworthy; however, I'm more intrigued by the ease with which you cursed me. I've never heard of that method, and now that I come to think of it, I wonder why it hasn't been tried before."

"Well, generally speaking, it's almost impossible to break into a wizarding home whilst the owners are asleep. Everyone protects themselves with various alarms and deterrents and would be awake before anything untoward could happen. It was only easy for me because I have access to you."

"Hmmm. I might have to reconsider that," Severus said contemplatively.

Contessa pursed her lips, but her eyes shone. "I wouldn't blame you. But I'm not planning a repeat performance." She dropped her empty plate onto the table and cradled her cup of tea in her lap. "I've been thinking though, about the Imperius Curse. There are so many people under its influence at the Ministry – it would be useful to have a potion which could identify or release them."

Severus studied her intently. "Some sort of curse-breaker?"

"Yes."

"Veritaserum would be a good place to start," he pondered.

Contessa's nose wrinkled. "The problem is Truth Potion only reveals what people perceive to be the truth, so it wouldn't necessarily help." Her fingers traced the circumference of her teacup. "But Veritaserum would be a good place to start."

Severus felt a spike of interest. "What are you planning?"

"I've been thinking for a while that I might attempt to create a potion which reveals people as they truly are – something which breaks through and releases them from the Imperius Curse."

Nodding his head, Severus replied, "It sounds like a worthy research topic."

Contessa's excitement became palpable, and her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Perhaps I'll raid the library at Hogwarts before I leave this afternoon."

"There are a few books in the Restricted Section which would be useful," Severus advised. "But you should drop in at Spinner's End; I've got a couple of books on the history and application of the Imperius Curse. They are a little more, shall we say, informative than those in the library."

Contessa grinned broadly. "I'll do that, thanks." She took a final sip from her cup and placed it down on the table. "Do you want anything brought from home?"

"No. Why?"

"I just thought you'd get bored. You know, three weeks in the castle almost alone."

"I'm looking forward to it," Severus said.

"Oh."

Severus observed a change in her countenance. He didn't understand it.

"Well," Contessa said gloomily, "I'll stay away for the full three weeks, then." She stood up and wiped her hands absently on her pyjamas, avoiding eye contact. "Breakfast was nice."

Severus placed his tea cup on the table and stood up to leave. "Perhaps, next time, you'll provide it?"

At that, Contessa looked at him and smiled again. "Not if I can help it."

---

Severus spent the afternoon wandering the corridors of the deserted school checking everything was in order. It was times like these when he quite enjoyed being Headmaster. Roaming the hallowed halls of this magical place, all alone, was a source of great comfort.

He reflected how much easier it was to control the place when it was empty. But, like a shop with no customers, a school would not survive without its students.

The occasional Hogwarts ghost drifted by along the way, and several portraits stood to attention as he passed. The more frequently used hallways were decorated with festive holly sprigs and garlands, and Severus was reminded that he would have to plan the Christmas Day banquet and entertainment for those residing in the castle over the festive season.

Contessa had organised the Halloween feast with efficiency and flair. Suddenly Severus wished she hadn't gone home so soon – she would've arranged the affair with enthusiasm, and been pleasant company for him during the tedious occasion.

The sound of footsteps broke into Severus's thoughts, and he turned to see Filch trotting towards him with his cat in pursuit.

"Headmaster!" the caretaker wheezed, gasping for air.

"Mr Filch," Severus replied in a clipped voice. "What can I do for you?"

Mrs Norris circled Filch's feet, her tail curling softly around the caretaker's leg as she watched the Headmaster with wide, amber orbs.

"We've just received news from the Hogwarts Express. Dementors stopped the train somewhere south of Fort William."

"What?" Severus exclaimed incredulously. "Why?"

"The train came to a halt in a remote, deserted station, and two Death Eaters boarded it. They took the Lovegood girl."

Severus's stomach lurched in protest. He had spent the last month protecting her, and now, as soon as she was beyond his reach, Miss Lovegood had been snatched.

More footsteps echoed up the corridor, and Severus watched the Carrows approaching with ugly grins suffusing their fat, squat faces.

"Who was responsible for the abduction?" Severus asked Amycus.

"Selwyn and Travers," the wizard answered with satisfaction.

The back of Severus's neck prickled. He wouldn't put it past the Carrows to have engineered the kidnapping.

"They didn't have my permission to board the Hogwarts Express," Severus said austerely. "Staging this high-profile abduction is counterproductive to our strategy at Hogwarts."

"But it sends out a strong message to the pupils, Snape," Alecto chipped in. "Them kids will behave themselves next term, for fear of the consequences."

Severus felt a ripple of disgust. "I suspect the contrary, Alecto. Selwyn and Travers have just made our jobs infinitely harder."

Turning swiftly, Severus stalked back to the Headmaster's office, brooding on the implications for the school. The repercussions were serious. He knew things would be different when Hogwarts reconvened in January.

As he uttered the password and stepped onto the moving spiral staircase, Severus felt Contessa's absence like a hollow pit in his stomach.

---

Author's Note:

Where I have quoted from the original Harry Potter books, I have marked it with an asterisk.