It was a wet and miserable night in November. The rain teamed down from the sky turning dirt into mud and sludge. It made walking a messy and somewhat perilous business, but the three figures that were stalking their way through the darkness along the path from Hogwarts Castle to the village of Hogsmeade didn’t appear to be bothered by the conditions. As a matter of fact the sole woman in the group looked to be rather enjoying herself. She was twirling around in the rain singing some silly song at the top of her lungs while the two tall men that followed her watched with amusement.
Jane Potter had always loved the rain; there was something so refreshing and inspiring about it. All this water falling from the sky gave new life to the earth below it. Even as she danced and spun her way along the muddy path through the grass, the flowers and trees that lined the way were being nourished by the liquid that was a source of annoyance for most people. Rejuvenation and revitalization were rife around her. Tomorrow the grass would look greener, the flowers would be more colourful and the trees would stand taller, provided, of course, that it didn’t snow. The droplets of rain felt cool against her skin and her dampened robes felt like a cold bath for her raging fever. She had been ill of late; suffering from a terrible dose of the flu that was so stubborn not even one of Madam Pomfrey’s renowned Pepper-Up Potions seemed to shift it. Her husband Andrew was adamant that it was her habit of dancing in the rain without a cloak or a Water Repelling Charm to keep the cold and wet liquid off her. She didn’t believe this though, she had danced around in the rain ever since she was a child and it had never once done her any harm.
Andrew watched his wife as she spun and swirled her way along. He’d never understood how someone could actually enjoy getting soaked, unless there was a Quidditch game involved. But that was different from a pointless one-woman shindig in the middle of a slushy lane. Jane had always been so vibrant and the years hadn’t changed her at all. Even now, in the midst of all this misery and destruction, she still found the time to be ridiculous and insane. That was part of the reason he had married her; no matter what happened Jane never lost her sense of humour. Even when her mother had passed away and everybody at the funeral was being mournful and respectful, she was the one to stand up and brighten the atmosphere. Her proclamation that her mother had been ‘nutty’ and ‘completely barking’ had shocked some of the assembly but it had put a smile on the faces of the family members that remained. The past months had cost Jane her mother, two of her brothers, a sister, six nephews and four nieces, but she refused to be eaten up by mourning.
Albus had taken the deaths much harder. Sometimes it was difficult to tell what the man was thinking. There was no doubt that he felt deeply but he rarely showed it and the devastation that was rendered during the loss of his wife, children and grandchildren was no different. There were signs of how things were affecting him, but these were all but lost on the people who didn’t know him sufficiently well. Those who did spotted the emptiness in his eyes, the absence of his smile and the slight stoop in his shoulders. But now, as he watched his youngest daughter delighting in the early winter downpour, there was the slightest trace of a smile wrinkling around his mouth. Truth be told Jane had always been his favourite. He supposed that was something that tended to happen with the youngest in the family. She was an unexpected addition to their large and already grown up family. The sister closest to her in age was already fifteen years old when she was born. For this very reason Jane had become their cherished miracle child.
They continued their progress up Hogsmeade high street to the Hog’s Head, where the warmth of the pub was a welcome change for Andrew and Albus but was depressing suffocation for Jane. They were blissfully unaware that they were being watched and had been observed from the second that they left the castle to the instant they had entered the pub.
The Hog’s Head was fairly empty, making manoeuvring his way towards the back of the room fairly easy. He didn’t want to be too close to them otherwise he might be easily discovered. He moved slowly and carefully so that the invisibility cloak that protected him from detection didn’t ruffle too much and reveal him. He stood in a spot close to the fire. The blazing heat that was emanating from it kept people from moving around too near to it. The trio that he was following ordered drinks at the bar, Firewhiskey for the men and a fanciful looking bright yellow cocktail for Jane, and then pulled up stools at a nearby table. It wasn’t long before another woman, who was rakishly thin but hiding it beneath layers of shawls, beads and bangles, joined them. This woman had enormous spectacles that acted as large magnifying glasses and made her eyes look four times their normal size; she had the distinct look of a bug about her. She approached the bar to order a large glass of sherry and the three who had previously been seated rose to greet her. The barman directed them towards a door that was at the end of the long wooden bar and the four people then made their way through it. He almost had to run to keep up with them. He followed them through the doorway, up a flight of stairs and along a lengthy corridor. Unfortunately he wasn’t quick enough to step into the room with them. Instead he stood with his ear pressed against the door to try and listen to their conversation.
The majority of it was drivel. This woman Trelawney was applying for the post of Divination teacher up at the school and Dumbledore was obviously trying to determine whether or not she had any seeing ability; evidently she didn’t. She garbled on endlessly about her great, great grandmother or something like that, but it was obvious that the woman was no more a Seer that a Firecrab was a Flobberworm. He heard the sound of several chairs pushing back from a table and was ready to draw away from the door when he heard a dark and macabre voice tear through the air. He knew then that he was about to get what he was here for.
“THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD APPROACHES…BORN TO THOSE WHO HAVE THRICE DEFIED HIM…BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES…”
This was all he heard because there was an abrupt tapping on his invisible shoulder.
“I’m sure you’ve got a very good reason for standing there,” said Aberforth Dumbledore’s dangerously gruff voice.
“I got lost looking for the bathroom,” he said quickly as he pulled the invisibility cloak off him properly.
“Strange that, especially since I never saw you downstairs and we’re not exactly busy tonight. I recognise you; you’re a student up at the school.”
“It has been almost two years since I was a student at Hogwarts!”
“As long as that is it? You’re….Severus Snape. Always in here with your nasty little friends, weren’t you? Rumour has it that most of them are Death Eaters now. Are you?” Aberforth asked conversationally, as if he accused people of being murderers quite frequently.
“No.”
“I don’t believe you,” he said with the danger seeping back in to his voice. He flicked his wand and Severus’s sleeve shot upwards to reveal a dark black skull with a snake protruding from its mouth emblazoned on his pallid skin. “Get out of here now!” he roared. He slung Snape back against the wall so that he could get a better grip on the young man and drag him from the premises. The door to the room where the interview was being held shot open and revealed Jane Potter with her wand held menacingly in her hand.
“What’s going on, Uncle Aberforth?”
“He’s trying to eavesdrop, but I’ll soon sort him out!” her uncle replied manically.
“Jane, is everything all right?” asked Albus’s smooth and gentle voice.
“Its fine, father, I’ll deal with it. Just go on without me,” she answered as she slipped into the hallway. Aberforth already had Snape halfway down the stairs; he took the Death Eater and threw him roughly out the back door and into the rubbish covered back alleyway that ran behind the pub.
“I won’t have stinking, lousy Death Eaters in my pub!” Aberforth shouted as he began to rain a hail of curses down on Severus. To give the young man his due he managed to dodge most of them.
“Uncle Aberforth, stop!” Jane shouted. The old man halted and gave his niece a questioning look. “We need to determine how much he knows.”
“Well, if he knows everything then I want the first shot at killing him,” Aberforth sneered.
“I really don’t think that’s necessary,” she scolded. Snape looked at her with keen interest.
There was no denying that Jane was a beautiful woman. He remembered her from school and even then she had been a vision to look at. She was petite with only the slightest hint of a frame to her, she had long auburn hair that she could almost sit on, and it flowed in slight waves down the length of her back. She was incredibly clever, one of, if not the smartest witch in her year and she was kind. She was always hanging around that god-forsaken werewolf, laughing and joking with him, and helping him with his homework in the library. All the boys fawned over her, even he, Severus Snape, had to admit he’d thought about what it might be like to hold her hand or kiss her lips. He remembered the one and only time that she had ever spoken to him. He’d just had one of his regular humiliating run-ins with James Potter and his merry bandits and was rushing down a corridor on his way to the library with his nose stuck in a book when they had walked smack into each other. She had been too busy rifling through her bag for something and had taken the corner rather quickly only to walk into him with a fair bit of force. She was Head Girl by then and what a Head Girl she was, she seemed to think that it was her duty to know the name of every student under her rule.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, with genuine regret. She immediately kneeled down to start picking up his books and her scattered bits of parchment.
“I wasn’t looking where I was going…” he stumbled. He looked up from the floor to find her looking straight at him; she had the most striking eyes that he had ever seen. They were almond shaped and brown with a little golden twinkle dancing around the centre and they were set in to a lovely long face with a rosy complexion. Thankfully she hadn’t inherited her father’s nose so hers was perfectly straight and sort of button shaped.
“You’re Severus Snape, aren’t you?” she asked politely. He found himself at a loss for words and simply nodded at her. “My sister Mae went to school with your mum,” she smiled.
“Your sister!” he said more stridently than he had meant to. She was so shocked by his sudden outburst that she rocked on the balls of her feet for a minute before she regained her balance.
“I’m the baby of the family, my brother Othello was thirty when I was born,” she said embarrassedly. “What about you, do you have any brothers and sisters?”
“No,” he said shortly, his family was a touchy subject with him.
“Oh, right,” she said gently; accurately sensing his discomfort. “Why were you in such a rush?” she asked looking over his shoulder suspiciously, as if she expected the culprit to jump out form behind a statue and yell ‘It was me!’
“No reason,” he said hastily but she had already spotted his expression.
“Hold on a second. Aren’t you the boy that James Potter keeps picking on?” When he replied by looking at the floor harshly she continued. “Has he been at you again? I’ll kill him! He can be a real prat sometimes, leave him to me, I’ll soon sort him out. I’m going out with his big brother, you see…”
“I know.” He felt the heat rising up into his frozen cheeks; he found it so endearing when she blushed back.
“Well I suppose we don’t exactly hide it. What was it you were reading anyway?” She changed the subject quickly and picked up the book on the top of his pile. “‘Moste Potente Potions’. Its a little bit advanced for you isn’t it?” she asked suspiciously.
“Potions is my favourite subject,” he covered quickly.
“Really? I’ve always found Slughorn a bit creepy to be honest, but I suppose he’s not a bad teacher. I should really let you get on. You’ve probably got homework to do.”
“I have.”
“Well, be careful. Remember to look where you’re going and don’t let James get you down. Take care, Severus,” she said in a friendly tone of voice.
“And you, Miss Dumbledore,” he said shyly.
“Call me Jane. Bye.” She waved as she raced on down the corridor. From that moment Severus had a very intense crush on her. He tried to find reasons to walk closely to her in the corridors and tried to think up reasons to talk to her but could find none, after all he was a fifth year Slytherin and she was a seventh year Gryffindor. What could they possibly have to discuss?
Today she stood before him completely unchanged from that day, except that she looked like she could use a good night’s sleep, but she still had that same compassion in her eyes.
“Why did you come here tonight, Severus?” she asked kindly. His breath caught in his chest; she remembered his name.
“I came…to collect information for the Dark Lord…” For the first time in his life Severus Snape actually felt guilty about who he was and what he was doing.
“Your master?” she asked more sternly this time.
“Yes, I was to come here tonight and observe the movements and conversations of you and your father.”
“And what did you overhear?”
“Nothing,” he lied.
“I would advise you not to lie to me, Severus. It is on my whim that you are still alive. What did you overhear?” She asked forcefully There was a hint of anger brewing in the back of her eyes.
“I heard your father interviewing that woman for the post of Divination teacher,” he stated. His ribs ached; Aberforth had managed to throw him against some solid object that had been lying scattered in the alleyway.
“And?”
“I heard the words that she spoke in that strange voice, a prophecy if I’m not mistaken?”
“Indeed, you always were very clever. Exactly what did you hear? I want to know word for word.” All the friendliness was gone from Jane’s demeanour. She was now demanding and looked rather frightened.
“What does it matter? He’s heard some of it. I say we get shot of him and have done with it!” Aberforth added his bloodthirsty voice to the debate.
“Nobody is going to die tonight, Uncle Aberforth,” Jane scolded.
“I wouldn’t stake your life on that,” said a strange voice from the end of the alley.
“Sounds to me like Nott,” Aberforth commented casually. “Petrificus Totalus!” he shouted before the other man even attempted to cast a spell. “Is that it? Two pathetic specimens?”
“There are more around,” Snape said quickly. He wasn’t sure if that was the case. He hadn’t even known that Nott was hanging around.
“Tell me what you heard,” Jane ordered.
“Something about the one who can destroy the Dark Lord is approaching and he’ll be born at the end of the seventh month to those who have escaped him three times,” he said quickly.
“Is that all?”
“Yes, I swear. I heard no more than that.”
“You have two choices now, Severus. We can clear your memory and send you on your way or we can discuss the prospects of you joining the Order of the Phoenix, which would you prefer?”
“A Death Eater in the Order? Are you insane?” Snape hissed incredulously.
“I’m a Dumbledore, I believe that covers the issue of my sanity. I will only ask you once more, Severus. Do you wish to join the Order?” She looked at him beseechingly.
“No, I cannot and will not join you.”
“Think carefully, this is a decision that could change your life forever. All it takes is one small word…” Jane implored.
“Do you realise what would happen to me if I was discovered? Death would be a welcome release from the punishment the Dark Lord would inflict upon me. I would rather you killed me now,” he yelled defiantly.
“There you go, Jane. It came from the horse’s mouth; he wants to die. The least we can do is help him on his way.” Aberforth once again pointed his wand at the young man before him.
“That is quite enough, Uncle Aberforth. Do you have to be so bloodthirsty?” Jane scalded her uncle angrily.
“Him and his friends are the filth of the earth. Getting rid of them is doing the world a favour!” Aberforth shouted. His wand never moved from its target. For a moment Snape considered saying something at this point but reconsidered when the other man’s wand twitched ever so slightly.
“Killing them all isn’t the answer,” Jane snapped. “But, Severus, please reconsider. In return for your allegiance we could offer you some degree of protection, there are things we could do to help you…” Jane continued.
“What sort of things?”
“That is something we can discuss at a later time. The safest thing for you to do would be to join us. Will you?”
“The Dark Lord will be furious…” he muttered.
“Is this really what you want to do with your life?” Jane asked him.
“What do you mean?”
“Is this what you had hoped for? Did you want to be a murderer? Did you dream of killing defenceless people in the name of a cause that isn’t your own?”
“What are you implying?” Snape bit back with offence etched into his voice.
“I know that you’re a Half-blood. Your father is a Muggle, isn’t he?” she asked softly.
“And what a fine specimen of those creatures he is. He has treated my mother like a worthless piece of rubbish, and has dealT with me no differently. He looks upon us as infected, diseased by the magic in our veins…” Severus raged as many years of anger finally found some release.
“Not all of them think that way. Do they all deserve to die for the mistakes of one or their number?” she reasoned. Snape knew that he could not honestly say yes and therefore remained silent under her watchful stare. “You can stop this, all you have to do is say yes.”
He considered her for a moment. Her cheeks were flushed and she was looking at him hopefully. Her proposition was certainly interesting. They would offer him protection, how could they protect him from the Dark Lord? He thought about his most recent outing with his fellow servants. He had come with in a whisker of being arrested by one of the Aurors. The idea of spending the rest of his natural existence in Azkaban with the Dementors did not sit well with him. Perhaps there was some help that Dumbledore could offer after all. “Y-yes,” he said slowly. He still held some doubts about the situation he would now find himself in.
“You dare to swear allegiance to another master?” asked Augustus Rookwood, who was now stood at the shadowy end of the alley; he had a handful of Death Eaters with him.
“I was…” Snape faltered.
“You disgust me!” Rookwood shouted.
A short battle ensued with curses thrown in all directions; the large rubbish bins that were lying in the lane came in useful as shields but when Mulciber shouted ‘Avada Kedavra!’ and shot green light down the alley towards Snape he had no bin to hide behind. Daringly Jane darted from her hiding place, which was in the small recess where the back door to the Hog’s Head was, and bulldozed into him, knocking him clear of the curse. With a few more curses the Death Eaters retreated and Snape stared up from the floor where Jane had knocked him over. A strange combination of gratitude and bitterness swept through him. The bitterness was attributed to the fact that he hated being so vulnerable that he required another’s help.
“You saved my life,” he muttered in disbelief.
“I’m sure you would have done the same for me,” she said. As she said those words the bitterness died away and the gratitude won over. Yes, he thought to himself, but not for the same reason. She had saved his life because she thought that nobody deserved to die. He would only have saved her because he loved her. He did love her; she was clever, kind, caring, forgiving, and beautiful. What was there not to love?
“I’m a Death Eater…and you saved me,” he once again whispered in amazement. No one had ever shown the slightest inclination to protect him from anything. Although Lily Evans had often shown him great kindness, that was more through pity than anything else.
“You may be a Death Eater but I don’t believe that you’re a bad person, Severus, just misguided, I’d like to help you,” there was compassion once again back in her voice.
“I owe you my life, thank you,” he said in what he hoped was a grateful tone.
“I’m sure that you’ll have a chance to repay me before the war is out. Let’s go inside and meet with my father.” He nodded and followed her in. No one in his life had ever really given him a chance, with the exception of the Dark Lord and admittedly he wasn’t exactly the person you wanted to offer you chances. Nobody had ever treated him with respect; no one had ever shown him kindness. He owed her his life and it was a debt that would be repaid.
A/N: So there you go, that is why old Snapey owes Ellie a life debt.