"Success is in the eye of the beholder. It all comes down to what you were fighting for."

-Sirius Black

Severus waited at the back of the ante chamber, praying that the Dark Lord would have no business with him that day. Since visiting Potter two days earlier, meals and sleep had nearly been forgone entirely. Texts, books and scrolls had to be read as he searched for further answers, and further protections for the boy.

Despite his exhaustion though, he was still listening to the orders being given. Few had been changed at all, but as the meeting drew to a close, the Dark Lord stepped to the center and beckoned them around him. Fearfully, they obeyed. The Dark Lord conjured the last three editions of the daily prophet. A barely suppressed rumble of laughter rolled through the assembly. “My Lord,” Lucius asked, “Shouldn’t we move in for a final strike against him?”

Severus’ breath caught in his throat, and he waited, completely forgetting his exhaustion.

The Dark Lord laughed. It was a painful, mocking, cruel sound, that scarred their minds. “He is no longer a threat. I will dispose of him at my leisure. He has no support, he has no way to learn, and he has gone into hiding out of fear. Potter means nothing. The boy cannot even cast a successful Cruciatus. For now we will move against our real threats. Leave.”

The Potions Master barely suppressed his smile. They were winning.

>=====<

“Fool. Damned, damned, thrice-damned fool. Remus, could you have been any stupider?” Lupin slammed his hand against the desk, and winced at the sting. “You could have mentioned anything else, used anyone else as an example, but no, you had to use James, the one sure fire way to win Harry’s eternal enmity. Merlin, Dammit but I’m a fool.” He had chased himself in circles, berating himself for his own idiocy, and wishing he had thought more clearly.

Most of his things were already packed, but the last of his books were still scattered over the floor. With another insult on his dropping IQ, he flung them into a chest, closed it, shrank it, and crammed it into his pocket. He picked up the scrap of paper on the desk and read it one last time.

Lupin-

You have managed to antagonize him. Do not contact him, and do not make any effort to regain his trust, it is gone. He may forgive you once the truth is put before him, but you know that event is far in the future. I have received another report, leave the Order at once.

-Snape

With a grunt of sheer disgust, he destroyed the paper, and walked out of Number Twelve Grimauld Place.

>=====<

“Harry! We can’t do that!”

“Neville, I’m sorry but I have to insist. With the new legislation the Minister—and I use that term loosely—has passed, you and your family are already under scrutiny. Please make a formal announcement against me.”

Harry was visiting the Longbottoms and was currently seated in a large parlor, begging his friend to call him a heartless murderer. Just another day in the life of Harry Potter.

“Harry, my family does support you though.”

“Yes and that’s the problem. If you support me you will be considered a traitor. Come on Nev, if you won’t do it for yourself, do it for your parents. That American witch is making progress, but if you and yours can’t be seen in public then there’s no way for you to get there. Please just do it.”

Neville had brightened at the mention of the American witch. She had received an ‘anonymous’ donation, allowing her to continue her work, and was now moving in leaps and bounds. He sighed and said quietly, “How do you plan to explain your visit today?”

“Simple, I’m going to attack your house.”

“You're going to what?”

“Attack your house. Combined with an announcement from you, it should eliminate all doubt.”

Neville stared blankly, then started and grinned slowly, “Come with me, my Gran is renovating on the other side of the house, and she really wants this one wall taken down.”

“Go tell her what’s happening. I’m going to go have a chat with this wall.”