Harry managed to tell Hermione and Ron much of what had happened during he morning while changing classes and whispering surreptitiously behind books. What he had to report was interesting enough that Hermione didn't shush him once! By the time the three friends entered the hall for dinner they were looking forward to some free time in which to discuss the matter. Ginny was waiting in her normal place at the table, and they wasted no time telling her about Harry's conversation with Professor Snape.
"So he didn't give you detention for ruining the potion?" Ron asked for the third time, obviously finding it hard to believe that anyone could ruin a potion, set off an explosion, and melt a cauldron without earning a detention.
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, clearly exasperated with Ron's one-track mind. "Professor Snape obviously felt that there was something more important than the potion. And he was quite right about how dangerous what Harry did was. Did you know how close he came to blowing up the whole dungeon?" Hermione asked, shuddering.
Ron looked at her in disbelief. "Hermione, you've missed the whole point!"
"Well really, Ron, I don't."
"Hssst! Look who's just come in!" Ginny interrupted, her eyes on the head table.
Harry turned to look, seeing his father seating himself among the other teachers. Snape immediately turned his eyes toward the Slytherin table. Harry watched him fixedly for a moment, willing Snape to look at him, but he remained focused on the Slytherins. He turned at the touch of a hand on his.
"Harry, he is the head of Slytherin House, he has to watch over them." Ginny was watching him with a sympathetic smile. Harry smiled weakly at her, then turned to Ron and Hermione, who were still squabbling.
"Enough!" Harry said it softly, but with enough intensity to instantly quiet both Hermione and Ron, never realizing how much he sounded like Professor Snape. "It doesn't really matter what might have happened with that blasted potion now, what I'm interested in is what Snape's doing that he doesn't want me to know about!"
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Snape looked steadfastly at the Slytherin table. He could feel Harry's eyes on him, but he didn't dare look over there. Not with Draco Malfoy watching him with that smug half grin on his face. What he wouldn't give to wipe the smirk off that stuck up little prig's face. Unfortunately, Draco was a necessity for the time being. His mind moved on to the coming meeting as he helped himself to some beef stew. He had much to report from the death eater meeting last night. Snape started slightly as someone's arm brushed his.
"Severus!" Remus' voice was quiet but demanded attention.
"What is it now?" Snape growled at him.
"You look better than I had expected considering the meeting you were at last night." Lupin looked at him searchingly.
"You know I'm not going to tell you anything here, why do you always ask?" Snape muttered at Lupin in exasperation.
"Someday you are going to let something slip, and I'm looking forward to that day!" Lupin smiled cheerily at Snape. "See you later then." Snape fumed silently as he watched his fellow professor leave the hall. Turning back to his dinner, he caught Minerva watching him out of the corner of his eye. He was mildly surprised to see that she was looking concerned as she watched him. What was that all about?
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George and Fred didn't look up from the small flask they were examining as Ginny, Harry, Hermione and Ron entered the common room. As they drew closer, Hermione could see what looked like a purple, sparkly, sludge lurking on the bottom of the container. They watched in fascination as the sludge slowly oozed its way up one side of the flask. When it reached the top of the flask, Fred gave it a little poke and it slithered down to the bottom again.
"What is that?" Ginny asked, watching as it started to creep up the side toward George.
"No idea." Fred moaned mournfully, watching as George poked the sludge.
"How did you make it?" Hermione asked, leaning closer to the table.
"We didn't." George answered.
"Where did you get it then?" Ron took his turn asking.
"House elves." George muttered, watching the sludge slither back down.
"House elves made this?" Harry was surprised at that.
"No, they found it." Fred said as he fished a cap out of his pocket and screwed it tightly on the jar. "They found it abandoned in Snape's private lab..and we've no idea what it is, more's the pity."
The foursome watched in surprise as Fred put the jar in his pocket, picked up his books, and wandered out the portrait hole, closely followed by George. Hermione in particular had a perplexed expression on her face.
"Purple sparkles, I know I've seen it somewhere."
"Oh give it a rest Herm, who cares what it is if it'll keep those maniacs from blowing up the dorm." Ron had been caught in the middle of the twin's experiments once to often to view them with the scientific objectiveness of Hermione.
Ginny tossed her books on the table where the twins had been sitting, and glared at Hermione and Ron. "You two are impossible! Can't you have a simple conversation without it deteriorating into a fight?"
Both had the grace to look slightly ashamed as they quietly seated themselves at the table, while Harry regarded Ginny with a slightly raised eyebrow. Ginny rarely exhibited the temper that went with her red hair, but when she did, people certainly took notice!
"Now then, it seems to me that the most interesting thing Professor Snape said was that he has to be out of the castle at times, and that Harry is not to ask for him. What do you think that's about?" Ginny asked, seating herself demurely between Hermione and Ron.
"He wouldn't tell me any more than that." Harry said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.
"Tell us exactly what he said Harry, maybe there's something you've forgotten," Ron suggested.
"Uhm, not sure I'll get the exact words, but I'll try. 'The mannequin you saw in the infirmary provides me with an excuse should any suspicious person go looking for me.' I think that was it."
Hermione leaned forward in her chair, eyes intent. "Are you sure he said 'suspicious person'"?
"Yes, that's one of the few things I'm sure he said, because it was such an odd thing to say. Suspicious person."
"Did he mean suspicious as in the person had suspicions or the that the person was suspicious." Ginny mused, looking down at the books piled on the table in front of her.
"That's just it Gin, it could mean several things, and I don't know which it is. He didn't say enough afterward to make it clear." Harry responded. watching his friends thinking through the words Snape had said.
"You know what I don't get?" Ron leaned his chair back on two legs and laced his hands behind his head. "Why would Snape have to leave the castle in the first place? And why is it so important that no one know where he is?"
"All good questions Ron," Hermione complimented him. "Maybe for work? You know, to do research or maybe report on the results of research? Most scientists present papers and things, and we know he's published papers in some of the wizarding potion journals."
"We do?" Harry muttered, wondering just how much about this man who was his father he didn't know.
"That's all true, but why would it matter that no one know he's gone?" Ginny asked.
"Hmmm." Hermione agreed, her gaze softening as another thought ran across her brain. "I'll be right back," she tossed over her shoulder as she ran for the door to the girl's dorm.
"Ten knuts says she's got a book when she comes back." Ron offered.
"Ron! That's awful!" Ginny chided.
"Besides, who'd take that bet?" Harry wondered.
The door banged against the wall again as Hermione flew through it, a small piece of parchment in her hand.
"I thought so! I found a list of witches and wizards who completed auror training during the time of Voldemort's rise to power, and wrote some of them down to do further research on when I had time. Harry, your Mum is listed here, but what really surprised me, was Snape! He was in the same training class she was!" Hermione slapped the parchment down on the table between Ron and Harry.
"Uhm, quite interesting Hermione, but I don't quite see," Harry started to say only to be interrupted by Ginny.
"That's it!" Ginny was practically hopping in excitement. "What do you mean that's it!" Ron exclaimed, watching the girls in confusion.
"This explains what he's doing! He's off rounding up Voldemort's supporters!" Ginny squealed excitedly.
"Will you keep it down!" Harry cautioned, glancing round the room to see if anyone's attention was being drawn toward them. "Have you forgotten that we know for a fact Snape's a death eater? How could he possibly be an auror?"
"Ginny, I don't think he's off being an auror when he disappears, I think he's playing a much more dangerous game." Hermione said quietly, a look of solemn respect on her face.
"I don't follow," Harry admitted quietly.
"That note from your mum, what did it say about Snape? I mean about what happened before you were born."
"That she wasn't surprised when Snape disappeared in October, that the ministry told her he was dead.uh..it was dangerous for Voldemort to find out about me. I think that's about it, why?"
"Why would the ministry tell her about Severus' death if he were just another dead Death Eater? Wouldn't it have been trumpeted all over the paper?" Hermione looked at the others intently.
"What are you suggesting Hermione?" Harry asked.
"I don't think Snape was a death eater." Hermione sat back in her chair triumphantly, obviously feeling she'd made her point.
"Hermione, the man has the mark on his arm, and has admitted he was a death eater. what are you on about?" Ron asked, trying to speak in a reasonable tone.
"Oh Ron, don't you see? I don't mean that he's not a death eater, just that he's not JUST a death eater! I think he's a spy! What better place to find out 'inside information' on the ministry's doings than here at Hogwarts where Dumbledore is? You know how often the Minister seeks his opinion! Snape's double game gives Dumbledore the opportunity to know what Voldemort's planning and to give him incorrect information at the same time!"
"I'm not convinced, but it would explain why Snape would tell you not to come looking for him again." Ginny mused.
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Dumbledore surveyed the people gathered in his room. Once again the Order of the Phoenix was working it's hardest to thwart Voldemort before he could gather enough strength to dominate the wizarding world. He sighed, thinking momentarily of those already fallen from their little circle. A sharp click from the doorway brought him from his reverie, and he looked up to see that all had assembled and were sitting in their places at the long council table.
"What was so urgent Albus?" Alastor Moody growled.
"Severus has just returned for a meeting, I thought his report important enough to be made directly. Severus, if you would be so kind?"
Severus Snape stood up slowly; regarding those seated around him. His life rested in the hands of these people, which was an unsettling thought. "Voldemort is readying his forces for an attack on January the first." Snape sat back down, noting with some amusement the expressions on the faces before him.
"Just that laddie? Where is this attack happening? What time of day? Who will be involved?" Moody fired his questions at Snape quickly.
"Voldemort didn't see fit to tell any of us the where or when, he often does that on the day of the attack itself, I don't know yet who will be involved. I assure you, none of the deatheaters would dare ask Voldemort for more details, the results can be quite..unpleasant." Snape finished with a grimace.
"Dumbledore, why did you call us here?" Arabella Figg queried. "There must be more going on than this rather imprecise warning."
Severus glanced at Dumbledore. Better to let him handle this one.
"Yes. It appears we can no longer trust the Minister of Magic's office." Dumbledore said evenly. "There seems to be someone sympathetic to Voldemort highly placed in Fudge's office. Whoever it is has been giving Voldemort sensitive information about our people. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing which people have been compromised."
Pandemonium filled the room as this information sank in.
"SILENCE!" Dumbledore's voice quelled the babble instantly. "We need answers, not panic! Now, those of you who are gathering information, I would like you to question all your people regarding .
Severus tuned out the rest of Dumbledore's comments, choosing instead to contemplate what his next mission was likely to be. When he'd started down this road it had all seemed such an adventure. Doing his best to get information about Voldemort's plans, treading the careful line between giving too much information to the deatheaters, and not enough to Dumbledore. Lily was always waiting to console him and cheer him on, reminding him of how important his role was, even if it was a hidden one. James bloody Bond of the Wizard world, he thought with a cynical twist to his lips.
"Are you awake, Severus?" The quiet words from Dumbledore jerked him from his reverie. "You've been quiet for quite awhile."
Snape realized that most of the room had cleared, only he, Remus Lupin, and Minerva McGonagall were left. He must be more fatigued than he thought not to notice everyone leaving.
"Would you please tell Minerva and Remus about your conversation today with Harry?" Dumbledore regarded him kindly through his half-moon glasses.
"We have a problem. Harry knowingly caused his potion to explode during class so that he would be sent to the infirmary. So that he could check on me. When I asked him to promise me not to go looking for me again, he refused. I am concerned that he will compromise a future mission."
Silence filled the room as each professor contemplated the situation. It was Dumbledore who finally broke the silence.
"We knew it would come to this, given Harry's lively curiosity. I think the time has come to tell him some of what is going on."
Surprisingly, it was Snape who protested first. "Think Albus. The boy already throws himself into dangerous situations," Severus paused, thinking of several near misses that he knew about.
"I must agree with Severus in this, he's not ready to be a member of the order." Minerva chimed in.
"I think you are both underestimating Harry. If we don't give him a logical reason for what we are asking of him, he will continue to blunder into dangerous situations. Severus, we weren't much older than Harry when we were asked to join the Order, were we any less prepared to handle the situation than he is? Remus asked, staring first at Minerva, and then at Severus.
"What exactly did you have in mind, Albus?" Severus asked, resigning himself to the inevitable.
"We need to give him a concrete reason as to why he can't go after you when you disappear. The most logical explanation is the truth. Severus, you'll need to tell him what you really did in the fight against Voldemort. You may use my office."
Severus Snape stared in disbelief at his mentor.
"You expect me to tell him I'm a spy for you against Voldemort, putting at risk everything we've worked for? And you expect him to believe me? Albus, he sees me as his nasty, greasy, old Potions teacher. He hates me, just as all the students here do, and I can't really blame him." Severus ended quietly, a haunted, wistful look on his face.
"For what it's worth, Severus," Remus said quietly, "I don't believe Harry hates you. He wouldn't have come looking for you today if he hated you. In fact, I would guess that the reason he refused to give you his word was that he's starting to at least regard you as someone to be trusted."
"What about Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley and Miss Weasley?" Minerva asked.
"I've had my eye on them for quite a while now. I believe they are to be trusted." Dumbledore said.
"Should we invite them to the meeting too?" Snape asked snidely.
"No, I don't believe that's necessary." Dumbledore smiled at Snape. "Just be sure that Harry knows that he can tell them and no one else when you meet tomorrow. Was there anything else?"
Professor McGonagall paused on her way to the door. "Oh yes, I almost forgot in all the excitement. Miss Granger came to see me last night. She'd had a sudden thought about the appearance charm we've been looking for. It looks most promising, but I'd like to try it on several other species before we try it on Harry."
"Very well, Minerva, keep us advised on your progress." Dumbledore watched as the professors left the room, his mind already on the myriad of duties that he needed to accomplish the next day.