When one wanted to arrive or depart somewhere and preferred to remain unnoticed picking the appropriate time is essential.  Nighttime was just poor planning, for all of the suspicious eyes are piercing the night for anything and everything.  The daytime was equally as bad a choice since in the light every action, suspicious or otherwise, could be witnessed from every location.  It was the times between, the changing-of-the-guard times of day that were ideal for secret arrivals and departures - twilight and dawn.  If one had the extra advantage of arriving or fleeing into a crowded area - a forest, a busy street - then time was not as important.  However, if someone had the misfortune of trying to slink through an open area, such as a long walkway up to large gates and then through an even larger open courtyard, time was everything.  The young man had the misfortune of trying to arrive in such an open space.  But, fortunately, he chose the correct time in which to arrive.  Twilight. 

In the cold, overcast twilight of November 3, 1981 there was the sudden sound of a quiet snap.  Where a moment previous the landscape was even, undisturbed and silent, there now stood a man.  His long, black hair whipped about his face as the wind took the hem of his cloak and waltzed with it.  Behind him floated several items, among them a trunk, a stack of books, and a battered cradle, all of which were shrunken to a bearable traveling size.  In his arms was a squirming little boy carefully wrapped in a tartan blanket.  His left arm cradled the child to his chest, while his right hand pressed the boy's covered head into his body to shield him from the wind.  In his right hand, he also held his wand, which he subtly pointed to the shrunken items indicating where they should float. 

His progress up the slope towards the large gates of the immense castle before him was unnoticed by every pair of eyes that would have the opportunity of spying.  He walked easily up to the gates, and tapped them with his wand.  He waited a moment so that the wards could recognize his magic signature before the gates separated a tiny amount, allowing him to push them open only as far as he needed to pass through and guide his trailing baggage behind him.  He did not need to push the gates closed, for as he continued across the courtyard he heard them snap shut again resetting the wards around the castle and the grounds. 

He finally reached the large double doors of the castle.  The entrance doors.  There was only one other time he had been this nervous before them and that was many years ago.  He took a deep breath, looked down and met the eyes of the little boy in his arms, and straightened his spine, preparing to enter the castle.  This was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he was employed, where he had a flat, where some of his greatest miseries were exploited, where few joys were remembered.  He now developed hope that this child could give him reason to have more joys in his life.  He passed into the entranceway of the school, noticing that it was mercifully empty.  He did not yet know how he would explain the child in his arms.  He decided that he would handle that situation when it arrived.

Severus did not even glance around as he began to quickly walk towards his suite in the dungeons.  His walk was of such a speed and force that it caused his cloak to ripple and billow majestically.  It was a talent that intimidated his students and he liked it that way.  He knew that since he was young the students would try to make his life as a professor difficult, making him try his intimidation theories.  Seeing as he had no problems with them thus far, he concluded that his tactics were working.  The journey to the dungeons did not take him long.  The boy in his arms was fully awake and silent, his head turning quickly back and forth trying to take in everything around him as the man carrying him walked at such a fast pace.  At last, Severus arrived at a portrait, which could be considered out of place in the dungeons, but it was personal to him.  Out of habit, he whispered the password, and the portrait swung inward allowing him entrance, his items trailing in behind him before the portrait closed again, safely enclosing Severus and the boy in his teacher's suite.

The Great Hall was bursting with activity, at least with the students.  They were still behaving as though the last several days had not happened nor mattered all that much.  They filed into the Great Hall for dinner, as noisy as ever.  The immense fireplace blazed and bathed the entire hall in a comforting orange atmosphere.  The ceiling, which was charmed to depict the weather of the outside at all times, was just turning into twilight.  Clouds were moving into the sky, covering it in a shroud of darkness.  While the students chattered amongst themselves, there were various quiet conversations taking place at the long staff table. 

In a large throne-like, decorative chair sat the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore.  He was very tense and sat in his chair perfectly straight, his entire body rigid.  To his right sat Professor McGonagall, a tall, elderly witch with a kind but stern face.  She sat erect in her less elaborate chair and wore a false smile when she felt the eyes of a few students on her.  The seat next to her own chair was empty.  Her eyes would drift to it occasionally as the students filed into the Great Hall, as though hoping something would suddenly materialize in the chair or even that it would materialize into something else.  To Dumbledore's left sat a very small creature, not exactly goblin but not exactly human either.  He was a mixture of the two, looking more like a very small old man.  He, like Professor McGonagall, tried to smile but was failing miserably.  To his left was a plump witch with flyaway hair that was just starting to grey.  Her robes and her hat were frayed and patched in numerous places.  Her hands and clothing were covered and caked in earthy materials, be it leaves or simply dirt.  This woman was Professor Pomona Sprout.  With the exception of the Headmaster, these professors served as Head of House for one of the four divisions in Hogwarts - Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.  Professor McGonagall was Head of Gryffindor, while Professors Flitwick and Sprout were Head of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff respectively.  The Head of Slytherin was absent and had been for several days.  This did not go unnoticed by the staff members or the students.  If the students knew something was either wrong or out of place, they knew it had something to do with Slytherin's Head of House - Professor Severus Snape. 

Without a word, Dumbledore signaled for the meal to begin.  This in itself was unusual, considering he would say at least an odd assortment of random words when he had nothing to say, even just to get things moving.  However, with his mood being foul, and his posture tense, he could not find his voice.  If he did, he most likely would have chosen an assortment of a few inappropriate words to begin the meal.  He did not wish to alarm the students by shouting out curses right before a meal.  And thus settled for simply flicking his wrist, after which the plates on the tables and the goblets near them were filled. 

As everyone began eating, Dumbledore looked to McGonagall and spoke.  "Have you heard from Severus?"

She lifted her goblet and took a sip before shaking her head.  "No.  I have heard nothing from him since before-" 

"Before the Potters were killed?" 

She nodded, taking another sip.  Dumbledore gave a tense sigh and turned to the left and asked the same question of Professor Flitwick, who responded with a feeble squeak of a laugh and, "The boy will turn up.  He knows his responsibilities.  You know as well as I, Albus, that it is not in Severus's nature to ignore his duties." 

With such blind faith opposing him, Dumbledore had no choice but to accept the answers of his colleagues.  He began to nibble at his meal.  While the students and the ends of the staff table conversed loudly, the middle was strangely silent.  This continued for a great length of time, until nearly all of the staff and students were finished with their dinner and were enjoying their desserts, contentedly. 

Suddenly above their heads was a loud screech.  A large and impressive owl was flying towards the staff table, a letter in its beak.  The owl glided through the Great Hall looking ominous and dreadful against the depicted rain of the ceiling.  It drifted directly to Dumbledore who took the letter and turned it over, leaving the owl free to fly away again.  The letter was sealed in crimson wax, on top of a looped ribbon of the same shade.  The seal bore a large "M" on it.  This was an official letter from the Ministry of Magic.  Dumbledore's body grew tenser, as not only he stared at the letter, but the entire staff table and the whole student body gazed at it in silent dread and curiosity.  When Dumbledore broke the seal, the dull sound reverberated through the Hall so that even the person sitting farthest away could clearly hear it. 

Dumbledore's eyes began reading the letter, knowing full well that Professor McGonagall was reading it with him by her slight lean in towards him.  There were only several words that jumped out at him.  "...Arrest..."  "...Death Eater..."  "...This evening..."  "...Severus Snape..."  He heard McGonagall try to stifle a gasp with her hand as she read that particular section.  Dread filled Dumbledore for a moment as he quickly reread the letter. 

McGonagall finally found her voice and whispered urgently to him.  "You must do something, Albus." 

Dumbledore continued to stare at the letter for a moment more, before looking up and seeing hundreds of students focusing their attention on him.  Without a word he stood from his seat, still holding the letter, and began to leave the table.  Without looking back, he called for three members of staff to join him.  "Professors Sprout, Flitwick, and McGonagall follow me.  There is an urgent matter."  He then immediately walked around the staff table and began walking down the center of the Great Hall at a quick pace and large stride.  The students shifted to keep him in sight as he walked by them.  McGonagall hurried after him, followed by Professor Sprout, who had scrambled around the table, not expecting to be asked to accompany the headmaster.  Following directly behind the Head of Hufflepuff, was Professor Flitwick, who chose to dart under the table in order to follow the other professors. 

As all of the students shifted and followed the progress of the professors, McGonagall shouted out an order to all of them in Dumbledore's stead.  He had other things on his mind than what to do with the students at that moment.  "Prefects," she shouted.  "Lead the students back to your dormitories!"  With that, she left the Great Hall with the other professors, realizing the mistake in her orders too late. 

Once inside his teacher's suite, Severus released his luggage in the center of the parlor.  He walked into the room to his right, revealing an enormous bedroom.  He looked down at the wide-eyed boy in his arms.  "I think we should give you a room, little one, even if you won't use it for some time yet."  As though the boy understood completely what was coming, he grinned toothily at him, letting out a giggle. 

Severus looked around the room and debated what he should do with the arrangement.  With a satisfied grin, he nodded to himself, readied his wand and began a long string of incantations that caused an unbelievable amount of things to happen within the room.  Things began to materialize while other things flew to the other end of the room.  A large bed flew from one wall to the center of the large room, a trunk speeded past him, an entire bookcase lumbered to rest against a wall, rugs rolled up and then unfurled in their new locations, a desk was slammed into a wall, silver sconces grew from the walls like mushrooms on a tree trunk.  A second bed - complete with hangings - materialized from the air, as did a second desk, chair, a second wardrobe, and a new dresser.  Finally, an entire wall was erected, creating two separate rooms.  The last thing to be built was the dual fireplace, both on either side of the same wall, with a metal grate between the two, allowing one person to see clearly into the other room.  Between the two rooms, there was now another door.  Throughout all of this, the little boy laughed and tried to reach his tiny arms to catch some of the moving pieces of furniture.  The boy's green eyes sparkled as he excitedly watched everything around him change, except for the strong hold of the man's arms.

Severus looked around the new room, and grinned.  "This is your room," he said to the boy.

With a mischievous giggle, the boy reached for Severus's wand, gripped it tight, accidentally aiming it at the bed hangings and screamed the word, "Purper!"  The wand seemed to understand him enough, for a jet of sparks shot from the wand crashing into the bed hangings.  Like a bottle of spilled ink, the bed hangings began to shift color until they became a bright purple.  Severus, angry that the boy dared to touch his wand, never mind cause something to actually happen, could not help the grin from appearing on his face as he saw the hangings turn purple.  With a sigh, he pried the boy's fingers from his wand.  "No child of mine will sleep in a purple bed."  With a wave of his wand, the hangings turned into a deep green. 

With that he walked back into his parlor and summoned the cradle.  It drifted through the door and into his own room.  He enlarged it to its normal size and placed it in the center of the room on the rug.  He placed the child in it as he went to get the other items in the parlor.  With a wave of his wand, the books he brought spread out and found their respective bookcases and places on the shelves along one of the three monstrous bookcases in the parlor, one or two volumes drifting through doors to find their places on the bookcase in his bedroom.  He levitated the trunk from Remus next and walked with it into the newly created room.  He lowered it to rest at the foot of the large four-poster bed. 

With a last look at his work, he walked into his bedroom, where he found the little boy standing in the cradle watching the door intently.  When Severus appeared in the doorway, the boy thrust his arms through the bars towards him, smashing his face into one of them, knocking him backwards onto his bottom.  He began to whimper softly.  Severus crossed the room to the boy, and picked him up.  He began to walk around his room in several laps, whispering nothings to the child.  Slowly, the boy began to quiet, his mouth open in sleep. 

Severus decided it was time to inform someone of their arrival.  He walked out of his room, through the new room, and into the parlor.  He made his way carefully across the room to the fireplace.  On the mantle rested an elaborately decorated Muggle jewelry box.  It was silver and detailed a trail of flowers, with one large one at each corner.  On the lid of the box was the spelling of two names in ancient writing that very few could read now.  He opened the box slowly, before taking out a pinch of glittering green powder.  He threw it into the flames of the fireplace and clearly spoke.  "Remus Lupin."  The fire was now green as the Floo was activated. 

In only a moment, a familiar face appeared in the green flames.  "Severus," Remus responded.  His eyes were slightly worried for a brief moment but once he caught sight of the child safely cradled against the other man's chest, his eyes relaxed.  "I must say I am glad that you have him." 

Severus's lips twitched.  "I wanted to tell you that I've returned to Hogwarts." 

Remus tilted his head, looking surprised, smiling a little.  "How did you manage to get by Dumbledore?" 

"I arrived during dinner, when everyone would be in the Great Hall...He does not know yet." 

Remus tilted his head to the other side.  "Severus, you can't hide the boy forever." 

Severus looked down for a moment.  "I know, but...I..."

Remus interrupted.  "You seem to be taking everything well, though.  He never used to sleep when I held him, or when-"  His eyes grew dark for a moment and his face became blank as he finished his sentence.  "When Sirius would have him." 

"I do not know if I will-" Severus began, but he suddenly stopped when he heard an authoritative voice bellow through the portrait that guarded his chambers.  He heard one sentence that chilled all of the blood in his body. 

"Severus Snape!  By order of the Ministry of Magic, you are to grant us entrance!  You are under arrest on the charge of serving Lord Voldemort as a Loyal Death Eater!"

Severus's eyes grew wide and his jaw went slack, his lips opening in disbelief.  He turned to face the other man in the fire.  "Remus!" he desperately choked.  "Help me!" 

Dumbledore reached the entrance doors of Hogwarts in the speediest timing of his history as Headmaster.  The other three professors followed him closely.  He opened the doors and walked directly into the courtyard, straight to the huge gates.  There were several people waiting on the other side of the gates.  The first of these was the Minister for Magic, Millicent Bagnold.  Her eyes were cold and unforgiving.  Her long black hair was tied back into a tight bun, sitting at the very top of her head.  She stood with her feet firmly planted, her cloak blowing in the wind, with her wand pointed towards the ground.  She made an aggressive specimen.  On either side and behind her were two companions.  They were Aurors - Dark Wizard catchers.  The man on Millicent's right was a ferocious-looking man with tawny colored hair and bushy eyebrows.  His spectacles did nothing to hide his yellow eyes, and he was scarred heavily.  The man to her left was a tall dark skinned man, who wore cool colors of purples and blues.  His face was set in grim determination and his expression was humorless. 

"Headmaster Dumbledore!" the woman bellowed in a voice that carried across the courtyard.  "As Minister for Magic I demand entrance to the school grounds!" 

"Of course, Madam, of course."  Dumbledore made no motion as to open the gates.  "I just received your letter and-"

"The gates, Professor!" she howled. 

"Albus!" McGonagall hissed to her superior. 

"Is it absolutely necessary for you to come here with Aurors for Professor Snape, Minister?  I'm sure he will come quietly for questioning," the headmaster tried to stall. 

With a huff McGonagall stepped forward and struck the gates allowing them to swing open and allow the Minister and the two Aurors into the courtyard.  Millicent Bagnold pushed past the four professors like a furious thunderstorm.  The two Aurors were directly behind her.  The four residents of Hogwarts spun on their heels and began to walk at a faster pace than before as the Minister forced herself into the entrance doors.  At this abrupt entrance the students that were being led away to their dormitories stood shocked that the Minister herself would burst through the doors.  The entire student body froze and stared at the officials being followed by their professors and their headmaster.  Prefects vainly tried ordering their charges to continue to their dormitories, but not a single student moved, including the prefects giving the orders to do so. 

As she began her walk towards the dungeons, the Minister was speaking, "The Aurors accompanying me are Rufus Scrimgeour and Kingsley Shacklebolt.  They will assist in escorting Professor Snape from the premises should he choose not to cooperate." 

From half of their height, Professor Flitwick shouted to be heard, "Severus is not a Dark Wizard!" 

At that defensive statement, the entire student body became noisy.  Whispers ranging from, "I knew it!" to "How can he be?" sounded throughout the entrance hall.  Other varying whisperings caught the ears of the other professors, including those heading towards the dungeons.  "He's a Death Eater!"  "No!"  "Professor Snape is a Dark Wizard!"  "Knew there was something off about him."  These whispers carried halfway to Severus's teacher's suite.  Dumbledore looked behind him as they went and noticed sadly that most of Slytherin House had followed them to see what would happen to their Head of House, and why he was being tracked down by the Ministry. 

They arrived at Severus's portrait door.  The Minister raised her wand to her own throat and said, "Sonorus," before her voice carried all the way back to the entrance hall.  "Severus Snape!  By order of the Ministry of Magic, you are to grant us entrance!  You are under arrest on the charge of serving Lord Voldemort as a Loyal Death Eater!"

When there was a delay in the portrait moving, she turned to Kingsley and Rufus and said, "If there is no answer in a few more moments, force your way through."  They watched the portrait for movement, not knowing the panicked state of the suite just on the other side of the portrait. 

Remus looked at Severus with surprise and uncertainty.  The Severus Snape he used to know would never ask for help like this.  Then again, since Halloween life has been turned upside down for many people, Severus among those for whom it changed most.  "I need to step through." 

Severus nodded.  "Be quick."  The little boy had stirred from the deafening voice that bellowed from the other side of the portrait.  He looked up at Severus with his green eyes, shining in fear, wet with tears.  He reached up a hand and grasped a lock of Severus's black hair, surprising the older man.  The boy had not yet initiated contact until now. 

The green flames flared as Remus stepped through the Floo into the parlor.  "What do you want me to do?" 

Without shifting his dark eyes from the green ones that gazed up into his own, he answered Remus, "Keep him safe.  Do not let Dumbledore or anyone see him.  Do you understand?"  He looked up at Remus searching for confirmation. 

"Of course." 

Severus looked to Remus and began untangling the boy's grip.  "Take him," he said.  Remus reached out to take the boy from Severus.  As soon as his arm was freed, Severus whirled to face the adjoining rooms.  He pointed his wand at the doorway and shouted two commands.  "Accio cradle!  Accio birth certificate!"  Instantly, the items flew through the rooms and to Severus.  He quickly pointed his wand at them again and spoke the incantation, "Reducio," causing both the cradle and the birth certificate to shrink to the size that could easily fit into a pocket.  He gave them to Remus, who put the cradle in the pocket of his trousers and the document into his inner jacket pocket. 

"Professor Snape, this is your final warning!  We demand entrance!" boomed the voice of the Minister. 

Severus looked at Remus again.  "Go!  I will come for him when I can, I swear it."  When Remus stood there for a moment more, Severus prepared to growl at the other man, but then he caught sight of the boy in Remus's arms.  He was silently crying.  It was in that moment that he thought of a similar situation of only a few days ago.  But now, there was no Dark Lord, and there were no tears from the third person in the room.  Just shock.  "Go!"

Remus pinched some of the glittery Floo Powder and spoke just loud enough, "Remus Lupin's Flat!"  The flames turned green and just before he stepped in, the child in his arms screamed a single word. 

"Bear!" 

Severus's breath caught as he understood.  He shouted another command as he pointed to the newly created room.  "Accio Severus's Bear!"  Instantly, the ragged bear that he had tried to give the child before for comfort flew into his waiting hand.  He crossed the short distance to Remus and as he gave the little boy the stuffed animal, he slipped his wand into the inner jacket pocket next to the concealed document. 

Remus's eyes met the other man's.  "Severus-"

Without another word, the professor pushed Remus and his charge into the green flames.  He watched as they spun and vanished. 

The very moment they disappeared there was a deafening blast from his portrait.  Debris flew in every direction into his parlor.  He spun to face the Aurors and the Minister, knowing that he would not fight against them.  He gave Remus his wand for a reason.  He would not let them snap it.  Before the dust even cleared he heard the Minister scream out a single word.  "Incarcerous!"  Severus felt his arms pulled behind his back, and his legs slam together as magical ropes bound his ankles and wrists.  He fell to the floor hard, his breath leaving him in a forceful, involuntary exhale.  More ropes went around his upper arms and chest, and his knees. 

The dust finally cleared and he looked up to see the panicked faces of his colleagues.  Dumbledore stood furthest into the room and was arguing heatedly with the dark-skinned Auror.  McGonagall propped herself up with her hand against the now jagged wall as her other hand was held over her mouth in despair.  Professor Flitwick stood quietly, his eyes shining in compassion as though he knew something the others in the room did not.  Professor Sprout remained in the doorway, not facing the parlor, but trying to encourage the Slytherin students to continue past to their dormitories.  Many were refusing to move and were protesting the Head of Hufflepuff's gentle nudging. 

"Let them see!" shouted Minister Bagnold.  "Let them see their Head of House removed for the traitor that he is." 

It was then that Severus dared to speak.  "Headmaster!  Please!" 

The second Auror, Rufus Scrimgeour, shouted another spell.  "Silencio!"  Severus's voice was stolen from him as he tried to plead to Dumbledore.  He could only now entreat the headmaster and his former Charms professor with his dark eyes, as he desperately tried to beg for help. 

"Shacklebolt!" the Minister shouted.  "Remove him.  We are no longer required here." 

Kingsley Shacklebolt pointedly looked at Dumbledore for a moment more before he lazily flicked his wand in Severus's direction.  "Mobilicorpus."  Severus began to rise into the air, squirming desperately to get free of the bindings. 

Shacklebolt guided Severus through the destroyed entranceway to the suite and into the hallway, where the entire Slytherin House was gathered against the walls.  When they caught a glimpse of their Head of House bound, silenced, and floating above them, some stared in shock, some had tears in their eyes - whether from betrayal or from compassion, and the more daring decided to protest.  "Leave him alone!"  "Let Professor Snape go!"  "No!"  "You can't take away our Head of House!"  Severus could not look at his students, and so he closed his eyes and became still, defeated.  The Minister and the Aurors ignored the uproar amongst the Slytherin students as they nearly paraded their Head of House through the dungeons and into the entrance hall where the rest of the student body was still gathered.  They no longer whispered or theorized.  They simply stared, some happily but some pityingly, at the bound professor being forcibly removed from Hogwarts.  They did not even notice that Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout had followed them back to the entrance hall. 

When the doors finally closed behind the Ministry, Dumbledore spoke quietly to the student body.  Thankfully it was silent in the entrance hall, for the headmaster did not even wish to put the effort into magnifying his voice.  "All students are to report to their dormitories...Immediately."  He turned to Professor Flitwick and addressed him as the sound of hundreds of students heading to their rooms began to grow.  "Would you make sure that the Slytherins are all accounted for in their rooms?" 

Flitwick nodded and headed back towards the dungeons.  "I'll let you know."

Dumbledore then looked to Professor Sprout, "Be sure all of your students are where they should be, Pomona."  She nodded and headed towards the kitchens. 

McGonagall began to walk in the direction of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw towers, when Dumbledore called to her.  "Minerva!"  She turned to face him, her expression still showing grief.  "Walk with me to my study."  They began on their way to the large gargoyle statue that guarded the chambers of the Headmaster.  They reached the study and Dumbledore and McGonagall entered. 

"Albus, what is to be done about this?" she whispered as she let herself sink into a chair in front of his large desk.

Dumbledore sat himself in his chair and took a deep breath before releasing it and taking in another.  "I must defend him."

McGonagall snorted in disbelief.  "No one - I repeat - no one will ever take your word that-"

"He is innocent?  I know.  He has done some terrible things," Dumbledore mused aloud, as he conjured a steaming cup of tea.  He pointed his wand in her direction and a second cup of tea appeared before her, which she took gratefully.   "Then again, haven't we all at one time or another?" 

McGonagall sipped her tea.  "You must not think that the Ministry will possibly release him.  He may even be in Azkaban tonight!"  She shook her head sharply.  "They do not simply release those accused of being Death Eaters!" 

Before Dumbledore could respond, the door opened and Professor Flitwick entered the study.  "Ah, Filius.  Join us.  Have some tea." 

Flitwick shrunk the second chair opposite Dumbledore's desk to his appropriate height before settling in and accepting the tea.  He then enlarged the chair to its normal height, making him at least on even ground with the other two professors.  "All of Severus's House are in bed.  Some of them threatened to sneak into the Ministry tonight for him." 

"That won't be necessary," Dumbledore said.  "I am trying to devise a way to have him released." 

"If it's even possible," McGonagall mumbled into her tea more than anyone in particular. 

"It is possible, Minerva, if we go about it the...Slytherin way."  Dumbledore's eyes began to twinkle in mischief.  There was a brief moment of silence between the three of them where all that could be heard was the quiet sipping of tea. 

"Albus, I do not have any ideas!  You will never get the Ministry to release him." 

Flitwick choked on his tea.  "Well, I am not about to give up on my former student, even if it means I have to spy on the Ministry and release him myself!" 

Dumbledore's eyes darted to Flitwick with a bright spark lit in them.  "Filius!  What did you just say?"

Slightly confused, Flitwick repeated himself.  "That I will not give up on the boy, even if I have to spy on the Ministry and get him out myself."

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes were sparkling.  "Minerva.  Impossible to release someone charged with being a Death Eater?  What if we claim them as a spy for the Light against Voldemort?"