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Scars, Part 15a
This chapter was too long to post in one piece, and it's not up on my personal site yet, so I can't link to it. I don't want to change the chapter numbers, so I'm splitting it into "15a" and "15b".
Scars, Part 15a
Rating: NC-17 overall
Pairings: Snape/Lupin, Ash/Tsubasa; also a little Theodore/Blaise, Dylan/Hermione, and Aric/Takeshi
Author's note: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts; [] indicates song lyrics.
Disclaimer: Based on the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling; song lyrics are from "Scars" by Papa Roach. No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Warning: AU. This story contains a character from Half-Blood Prince, but does not follow the HBP storyline.
Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, Phoenix Rising, Aftermaths, The Revenant, Ash's Story, and Summer Vacation III.
Summary: Snape, Lupin, and Selima plan strategy against the rival heir.
Part 14
Scars, Part 15a
Rating: NC-17 overall
Pairings: Snape/Lupin, Ash/Tsubasa; also a little Theodore/Blaise, Dylan/Hermione, and Aric/Takeshi
Author's note: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts; [] indicates song lyrics.
Disclaimer: Based on the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling; song lyrics are from "Scars" by Papa Roach. No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Warning: AU. This story contains a character from Half-Blood Prince, but does not follow the HBP storyline.
Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, Phoenix Rising, Aftermaths, The Revenant, Ash's Story, and Summer Vacation III.
Summary: Snape, Lupin, and Selima plan strategy against the rival heir.
Part 14
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Selima was pacing back and forth in the drawing room when Snape and Lupin arrived at the manor, while a worried-looking Vorcher huddled in a corner, wringing his hands. Snape noticed, with a touch of wry amusement, that the house-elf had chosen a corner on the far side of the room that was obscured by shadows, and he thought to himself that maybe Vorcher was smarter than he looked, because it was definitely wise to avoid attracting Lady Snape's attention when she was in a rage. He only wished that he was able to hide in a corner, too.
"This is a disaster, Severus!" Selima shouted at him as soon as she became of aware of his presence. She waved a copy of the Ministry notification papers accusingly in his face.
"Calm down, Mother," Snape said, trying to project an air of composure and unconcern, hoping that it would rub off on her. "If this is some pretender hoping to extort a little money from us, he will be exposed soon enough. Unless you have reason to believe that there is some validity to his claim?"
"I don't know whether it's valid or not!" Selima snapped, her eyes still filled with fury--and a touch of fear. "But when I was a girl, I heard stories of how the Delauney family family lost their fortune. The daughter became a courtesan at a brothel that catered to the pureblood elite, and it's possible, even likely, that Lord Stefan frequented the place."
"Then this Sebastien really might be a Snape?" Lupin asked, startled.
"I don't know!" Selima repeated, her voice sharpening with frustration. "It doesn't really matter whether he has Snape blood or not. What matters is whether he can convince the Wizengamot that he does and that he is a more fit heir than Severus!"
"Even if his father was Lord Stefan's son, doesn't a legitimate heir have legal precedence?" Lupin asked.
"Normally, yes," Selima replied, glaring at Snape. "However, since Severus has publicly made it clear that he will never take a wife and sire a child of his own blood, the court might rule in the challenger's favor. Theodore is related to the Snapes only indirectly, through one of the daughters, who normally don't inherit the title unless there are no male heirs available. It was acceptable for Severus to adopt him because there was no one else with a stronger blood tie, but Sebastien Delauney can make the case that he has more precedence than Theodore because he is directly descended from a Snape Lord only two generations back. The laws of inheritance tend to favor direct descendants, and while Severus is the legitimate son of the previous Lord, Theodore is not his biological child. Also, thanks to that fiasco at the Yule Ball last year, most people are aware that Theodore has a male lover and is also unlikely to sire a child in the future. Providing that he can convince them that he really is Stefan's grandson, most purebloods would award the title to Sebastien if he pledges to marry and sire an heir."
"If he can convince them," Snape said pointedly. "That's a pretty big 'if'."
"Do you want to take that risk?" Selima demanded. "Delauney has nothing to lose, but we stand to lose everything--the title, all the monies and properties, the entire estate--if he wins his case! You know, this could all have been averted if you had done your duty as a proper heir!" She stopped mid-rant and frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "You know, it's still not too late..."
"I told you that I won't take a wife!" Snape told his mother firmly. "Not even to keep the title out of Delauney's hands!"
"I know that, Severus," Selima replied impatiently. "But if you had a direct heir, even an illegitimate one, it would preserve the succession, and there would be no excuse for the Ministry to award the title to Sebastien. The Delauneys aren't the only pureblood family to have fallen on hard times, and it might be possible to make an arrangement with a woman from one of those families--"
"No!" Snape interrupted.
"You wouldn't have to marry her," Selima persisted. "It would strictly be a business proposition, and we would make that clear to the woman and her family from the start--an heir in return for financial compensation and a comfortable life."
"What about Theodore?" Snape shouted angrily. "Am I just supposed to cast him aside and tell him that I don't need him anymore?"
"Of course not!" Selima retorted. "He will still be your son, if not the heir to the title, and as long as you remain the Snape Lord, you can still provide an inheritance for him. But if you lose the title and the estate, there will be nothing left for him to inherit!"
"No," Snape said stubbornly. "I won't do it."
"Don't be so selfish, Severus!" Selima screamed shrilly. "Maybe you don't care about the estate, but think of Theodore! He's already given up his claim to the Nott estate, so he will have nothing if you lose the title! I will--"
She abruptly fell silent, pressing her lips together, but Snape realized what she had meant to say: "I will have nothing." Snape could get along fine without the title and the estate; he had been determined to support himself and live independently after his father had disinherited him, and although he would like to give Theodore an inheritance, he knew that his son would be able to survive without it. However, without the estate, Selima would be left with nothing, not even a place to live. If worse came to worst, Snape would provide for his mother, of course, but a Professor's salary could stretch only so far. She would have to move out of the mansion into a much smaller cottage or flat, and more importantly, she would lose all the power and influence that she possessed as the dowager Lady Snape. She would be ostracized and belittled by her former friends and allies, and for her, that would be worse than living in poverty. Moreover, she had no profession to keep her occupied if she should lose her status as Lady Snape. Ever since she had married Severin Snape at age eighteen, her entire life had revolved around running the affairs of the Snape family. No wonder she was so upset--losing the estate would mean losing her entire way of life.
Her old flame, Prospero Zabini, would gladly marry her and make her Lady Zabini if she wished, but she would still lose most of her power and influence, and besides, she was too proud to accept an offer of marriage under those circumstances. She was also too proud to beg her son for help, so she had phrased her arguments as concern over Theodore's welfare--and she probably was genuinely concerned about her grandson, but also equally concerned about her own welfare.
Snape smiled wryly, his anger dissipating. Even if she was only a Snape by marriage, not blood, Selima was the epitome of a true Snape: steadfastly stubborn and proud. No wonder his father had chosen her as his bride.
"Mother, let's not panic just yet," Snape placatingly, in a much less hostile voice. "If it becomes public knowledge that I am rushing around frantically trying to sire an heir, it would be seen as an admission that Delauney's claims are valid, thereby strengthening his case."
"You are correct," Selima reluctantly conceded, obviously fighting to control her temper and examine the situation rationally. In a way, Snape had to admire her ability to set aside her emotions and approach every problem with cold practicality--even one such as this, that affected her life so personally. "But neither can we risk losing the estate by doing nothing."
"It seems to me," Lupin said mildly, "that the first thing to do would be to determine just how valid this person's claim is. Severus mentioned once that the Snape family portraits are kept in the attic, and I assume there is one of Lord Stefan. Perhaps it could confirm whether Sebastien's father was really his son, or at least whether or not Philomela Delauney was actually his lover?"
"A good suggestion, Professor Lupin," Selima said in an approving, if slightly startled voice.
"You needn't sound so surprised, Mother," Snape said dryly. "The werewolf is able to come up with good ideas from time to time--despite the fact that he's a Gryffindor." Lupin just laughed, not taking offense at either Selima's implied insult or Snape's direct one.
They all trooped upstairs to the attic, where the Snape family portraits were confined. Snape and his father had not seen eye to eye on many things, but one thing they'd had in common was a low tolerance for outspoken, meddling portraits of dead relatives. Severin had locked them all up in the attic after hearing one too many pieces of unwanted advice.
Sheets and drapes covered the various portraits, and the faint, rumbling sound of snoring could be heard beneath them. Selima pulled the drapes back from one of the portraits, revealing the likeness of a slumbering Stefan Snape, a man with iron-gray hair and the large, hooked nose that was the distinguishing feature of the Snape family. "Lord Stefan," she said softly, and when he continued to snore, she repeated a little louder, "Lord Stefan!"
"Eh, what?" the portrait asked, blinking and looking around disorientedly as he woke. After a few moments, his eyes focused on Selima, and he said vaguely, "You're the Bashir girl, aren't you? Severin's bride?"
"Yes, Lord Stefan," Selima replied, curtseying politely to the portrait. "I am Selima, formerly of the Bashir clan, Severin's wife."
"And no longer a girl, I see," Stefan said, his eyes growing more alert as he examined Selima more closely, then turned his gaze to Snape and Lupin. "Hair too dark to be Severin's...I assume this is my grandson?"
"Yes, your grandson Severus," Selima confirmed, and Snape nodded curtly at the portrait.
"And the other?" Stefan asked. "He doesn't have the look of a Snape about him."
Selima hesitated for a moment, then replied, "This is Professor Lupin, Severus's colleague and friend."
"Colleague?" Stefan asked, looking confused.
"Yes, Severus and I are both teachers at Hogwarts," Lupin explained cheerfully.
"Hmph!" Stefan snorted, frowning at Snape disapprovingly. "You weren't able to obtain a Ministry position, then?"
"Let us say that I was not cut out for a life in politics, Grandfather," Snape said with a touch of sarcastic humor.
"Hmph!" Stefan snorted again, then turned back to Selima. "What do you want from me? I assume that you didn't wake me after years of being locked up in the attic just to chat about the weather. And where is my son? If he wants a favor from me, Severin could at least have the courtesy to talk to me face to face."
There was a brief, awkward silence, and it was Lupin who gently told the portrait, "I'm very sorry to have to tell you that Lord Severin passed away last year, after a long illness."
"Oh," Stefan said, looking somewhat shaken, if not exactly grief-stricken, and his gaze turned back to Snape. "Then you are..."
"I am now the Lord of the Snape family," Snape said.
"For now," Selima pointedly added, then explained about Sebastien Delauney's lawsuit.
"Oh my," Stefan said, looking shocked. "Philomela's grandson?"
"Then Philomela Delauney really was your mistress," Selima said with uncharacteristic bluntness, but Snape could tell that she had nearly reached her limit on patience.
"I was one of Philomela's clients," Stefan admitted, looking a bit nostalgic. "She was a lovely girl with golden hair, and quite talented, too..."
"I'm sure she was," Selima said in an acid voice.
"I meant in music," Stefan clarified. "She had a voice like a nightingale. Although she was also talented in the, ah, womanly arts."
"I don't care about that!" Selima snapped. "All I want to know is whether or not she bore you a bastard son!"
"Not to my knowledge," Stefan replied defensively. "As I said, I was one of her clients, but the women at the brothel were all supposed to be using birth control charms. I had no reason to think otherwise, and Philomela never mentioned anything about being pregnant, and never asked me to acknowledge a child, either officially or unofficially." He frowned. "Although I heard that there was some sort of scandal, after I fell ill and had not visited the brothel for a few weeks--something about Philomela running off to France with the Parkinson boy. He was infatuated with her, you know, and jealous of all her other clients. Perhaps the child was his."
"We'll look into it," Selima said, sounding a little relieved that they had a possible defense against Delauney's claims. "Contact Morrigan De Lacy, Severus, and have her investigate."
"Yes, Mother."
"Still, this is bad," Selima said, giving the portrait an accusing look. "Since you were one of Philomela's clients, there's a possibility that you could have been the father of her child, at least in the eyes of the Ministry. We'll need the names of her other clients, the more the better, so that we can prove that one of them is the father, or at least insinuate that there was no way that Philomela could possibly have known whom the real father of her baby was."
"I don't understand why you're so concerned," Stefan protested. "Of course a scandal like this causes problems for the Snape family, but even if this Sebastien is my grandson, there is no reason for the Ministry to award the title to a bastard over the legitimate heir." He gave Snape a suspicious look. "Is there?"
"Severus is unable to sire an heir of his body," Selima said, shooting a quick glare Snape's way that plainly said he had better not contradict her story. "So he adopted an orphaned boy from the Nott family, one of his students at Hogwarts. Theodore can claim a Snape woman as his ancestress a few generations back, and he is an intelligent and capable young wizard of good breeding--a very fine heir. However, Sebastien Delauney will claim that his right to the title is greater than that of Severus's chosen heir because of the closer blood connection."
"Unable to sire an heir?" Stefan asked suspiciously. "Are you sure? Is it something that the Healers at St. Mungo's have confirmed, or do you only assume it because his wife has borne him no children? Breaking a marriage alliance is never something to be taken lightly, but the future of the clan is more important, and a barren wife may lawfully be set aside. By the way, who is Severus's wife?"
There was a brief silence as Selima, Snape, and Lupin all looked at each other, not sure how to reply. Selima recovered first and hastily answered, "Severus isn't married at the moment. He was...tragically widowed several years ago. His late wife was a girl from the Black family. And yes, we have confirmed that Severus is unable to sire a child."
Snape had to admire his mother's ability to lie through her teeth without batting an eyelash, but Stefan must have picked up on that brief moment of hesitation, or perhaps Selima's reply sounded a little too pat to him. But either way, he frowned and his eyes narrowed shrewdly as they suddenly focused on Lupin.
"Why is the Professor here?" he demanded. "It is not fitting for an outsider, even one who is a friend of the Lord, to be involved in such a personal affair of the Snape family."
Even Selima couldn't think fast enough to come up with a good excuse for that question, although from the look of concentration on her face and a hint of franticness in her eyes, she was trying very hard to think of something. Meanwhile, Lupin gave Snape an apologetic and slightly amused smile, and although he didn't say a word, it was enough to cause Stefan to shout accusingly, "Is this man the reason why you have no wife, Severus? Is he the reason why you are 'unable' to sire a proper heir?"
"It doesn't matter," Snape said curtly, moving a step closer to Lupin. "What matters is stopping this pretender from taking over the Snape estate--providing that you want the Snape line to continue, that is. Personally, it doesn't really matter all that much to me."
"Severus!" his mother cried reprovingly.
"Well, maybe I would rather hand the inheritance over to a bastard grandson than to a lover of men!" Stefan shouted.
"And maybe I am not particularly interested in the opinion of a piece of enchanted canvas," Snape retorted coolly.
Stefan's face turned red with fury, and he began shouting about how Snape was a disgrace to the family, his insults growing increasingly vitriolic and incoherent until Selima finally cast a spell that sent the portrait back to sleep.
"Well, your grandfather is--or was--a very sharp man," Lupin told Snape in an almost admiring voice. "He was pretty quick to pick up on the relationship between us."
"Did you have to provoke him like that?" Selima scolded her son. "Now we won't be able to get any useful information out of him!"
"It wasn't like I told him about myself and Lupin," Snape protested. "He guessed it on his own."
"Well, you could have denied it," Selima said crossly. When Snape opened his mouth to defend himself, she sighed irritably and said, "Oh, never mind! There's no point in crying over spilt milk. Go contact Morrigan and formally retain her services so that we can start planning our defense. Have her investigate this Sebastien Delauney, and I will use my own contacts to see if I can learn more about Philomela and her clients."
"Yes, Mother," Snape replied meekly, and gratefully fled the attic. He used the communication mirror in the study to contact Morrigan, who had already heard about the lawsuit, because she seemed to be expecting his call, and told him to Floo over to her office.
As he and Lupin stepped out of the fireplace, he was a little surprised to see Hermione Granger in Morrigan's office, filing some paperwork. Her main apprenticeship was with the Apothecary, Mr. Jigger, but it seemed that she was also holding to her resolution to work a second apprenticeship with Morrigan so that she could someday fight for house-elf rights as a lawyer.
"Hello, Professors," she said, an earnest and concerned look on her face. "It's terrible about the lawsuit, but I'm sure that Ms. De Lacy will win the case for you."
"Miss Granger has great faith in my abilities," Morrigan said with a smile. She was an elegantly beautiful young woman with reddish-blonde hair twisted up in a neat knot at the back of her head, and she was dressed in expensive but conservatively cut wine-colored robes. Her beauty sometimes caused her opponents to underestimate her, but as her former Head of House, Snape knew that she was as ruthless and predatory as any Slytherin. He was just glad that she was on his side, because he wouldn't want her for an enemy.
"I have great faith in your record," Granger said firmly. "You've won more cases than anyone else in the firm."
"Then we've come to the right person," Lupin chuckled, and then Snape went over the details of the case with Morrigan while Granger listened with avid interest.
"In the Muggle world, a D.N.A. test could prove whether this man really is a Snape," Granger said.
"A what?" Snape asked irritably. The girl tried to explain, but it all sounded like gibberish to him. Then again, a spell incantation would probably sound like gibberish to a Muggle. "Never mind," he interrupted, with an impatient wave of his hand. "Even if this test is accurate, the Ministry would never allow it as evidence."
"Most wizards, especially the purebloods, regard Muggle science and technology with suspicion and skepticism," Morrigan explained.
"Well, is there some sort of magical test that does the same thing?" Granger asked.
"Unfortunately, no," Morrigan said regretfully. "It certainly would simplify matters a great deal if there were."
"But then how will the court decide whether or not Sebastien Delauney's claim is legitimate or not?" Granger asked.
"Witness testimony," Morrigan replied. "A physical resemblance to his alleged grandfather would help." She smiled cynically. "It would also depend on how many Ministry officials he can afford to bribe, and how many of those officials dislike Severus and would like to see him humiliated."
"That's terrible!" Granger said indignantly.
"Surely by now, Miss Granger, you must have figured out how the Ministry works," Snape said impatiently. "It has less to do with concepts such as 'fairness' and 'justice' than with self-interest and political expediency."
"I know," Granger sighed, "but I thought that Mr. Weasley was trying to root out the corruption."
"He is, but it is not a task that can be accomplished overnight," Morrigan replied solemnly. "In the meantime, we must take that corruption into consideration if we wish to win our case. To be idealistic is a fine thing, Hermione, as long as you are also realistic."
"I suppose you're right," Granger reluctantly acknowledged. "So what's our strategy?"
"'Our' strategy?" Snape asked pointedly, and Lupin chuckled again.
"Miss Granger is proving to be a most able assistant, Severus," Morrigan said, with a faint glint of laughter in her green eyes, and Snape sighed in resignation.
"Well, the first step of 'our' strategy," Snape said sarcastically, "must be to gather information. We simply don't have enough information about this Delauney to know if his claim is legitimate, or what his motives might be. From the conversation with my grandfather's portrait, it seems that there's at least a small chance that he could be a Snape, but it's equally likely that any of Philomela's clients could have been his grandfather."
"I'll send messages to my contacts in France and try to find out more about him and his motives," Morrigan said, frowning. "It's a long shot for a whore's grandson to try to supplant a legitimate Lord, even one as controversial as you, Severus. He may simply be hoping for you to buy him off with a bribe, or one of your enemies could be manipulating him. He's hired a lawyer from Warrington and Bole, one of our firm's rivals, and they don't come cheap. It makes me wonder if he can afford the fee on his own, or if someone is bankrolling him."
"I hadn't stopped to consider that," Snape said, feeling rather chagrined, although he'd had little time to think since receiving the letter from the Ministry. "And the timing is rather convenient, with the lawsuit being filed while we're still dealing with that whole mess about the alleged werewolf murders. If Delauney has a legitimate claim, why hasn't he filed it before now? For that matter, why did his father never try to enter a claim for the Snape title? I was disowned for many years, and my father might have been willing to adopt a bastard brother or nephew as his heir, out of sheer desperation."
"Perhaps the war kept them away?" Lupin guessed. "They might have thought that it was not safe to travel to England while Voldemort and the Death Eaters were at large."
"But the war has been over for more than a year," Snape said, frowning. "So why wait that long?"
"Probably because he now has the financial, and possibly the political backing of a wealthy patron," Morrigan replied. "If the latter is true, his backer will eventually show his hand, but in the meantime, I will do my best to discover his identity."
"Maybe the murders have nothing to do with Ash Randolf, after all!" Granger exclaimed excitedly. "Maybe it's an indirect way to discredit the Professor! Everyone knows that he has a werewolf lover, and if people become convinced that werewolves are dangerous monsters, the Ministry will be more likely to award the title to Delauney!"
"It's possible," Morrigan agreed. "Although if that were the case, I would have expected the victims to be enemies of Remus."
"Lupin is so good-natured that he has no enemies," Snape said disgustedly, and they all laughed in spite of their worries.
"Everyone has enemies," Morrigan said. "Or at least, there are probably people who regard Remus as an enemy, even if he bears no ill will against them. Mr. Dawlish, for example, although I imagine that a housewife is easier to murder than an Auror. But we should take Hermione's suggestion seriously. Regardless of whether or not Remus was the intended target, Severus is bound to be distracted by a threat against werewolves in general, and less able to focus on the lawsuit. That could well be the murderer's intention."
"Or more likely, the intention of the person manipulating the murderer," Snape said. "I doubt that Delauney's patron is the type to get his own hands dirty, and besides, he's not likely to be a werewolf. But I see your point, Morrigan."
"I think that you will have to leave the investigation of the murders up to the Aurors, since most of your time will be taken up with preparing for the trial," Morrigan said. "But at least Shacklebolt and Tonks seem competent and motivated to find the real killer. I will share our theory with them, and keep them informed of any pertinent information that we learn--with your permission, of course, Severus."
"Yes, of course," Snape said, nodding in agreement. "You're representing Randolf as well, aren't you?"
"Yes, although he hasn't been formally charged with the murders, so I haven't needed to do much," Morrigan replied. "But Lukas thought that having a lawyer on retainer might keep Dawlish from being overzealous in his investigation." She smiled. "In a way, it would be convenient if the two cases were related, because then I could resolve both of them at once."
"Do you have any idea who might be behind this, Professor?" Granger asked Snape.
"I have more enemies than I can count," Snape replied wearily. "The Death Eaters and their families, of course, regard me as a traitor. And also their sympathizers, such as the Parkinsons, who supported the Death Eaters and now find their fortunes declining along with that of their allies. There was some recent unpleasantness with Warren Macnair; I ran into him a few weeks ago, and we exchanged a few harsh words. He and his sister were under surveillance by the Aurors--a fact for which they apparently blame me. But they, along with the other Death Eater and sympathizer families, seem to be lying low, waiting for the scandal to die down with time. Of course, one of them could be acting as Delauney's secret backer behind the scenes, and I've no doubt that they would like to see me humiliated by having the title stripped from me. And as an added bonus, the new Snape Lord would be indebted to them. However, the chances of getting the grandson of a prostitute appointed head of a pureblood family are rather slim, and I'm not sure that they would go to this much effort for such a longshot. They certainly wouldn't commit murder for it, not unless they have some kind of definite proof that Delauney is really a Snape.
"And of course the opposite side hates me as well," Snape continued with a cynical smile. "They think that I turned spy only to save my own skin. And I'm sure that Ian Williamson and Amos Diggory have friends at the Ministry who think that I ought to be in Azkaban right now instead of them."
"This does sound similar to the kinds of the things that Williamson and the R.A. were doing," Granger said thoughtfully. "Attacking you and the werewolves indirectly through suspicion and manipulation instead of confronting you directly. That's pretty cowardly, in my opinion."
"Cowardly, perhaps, but clever," Snape said sourly. "There's less chance for the culprit to be discovered that way. That, along with the murders, has me leaning towards the likelihood that my unnamed enemy is connected to the Death Eaters."
"Williamson was capable of murder, or at least attempted murder," Lupin reminded him.
"Yes, but it's one thing to kill a werewolf, a creature that many wizards regard as less than human," Snape replied. "It's quite another to kill an innocent housewife in cold blood just to throw suspicion on your enemy. Some of the Aurors have a reputation for ruthlessness, but I'm not sure that even Williamson's cronies would go that far. Of course, that's assuming that my inheritance problems really are connected to the murders, which they might not be."
"Still, we have to act as though they are, until we learn otherwise," Morrigan insisted. "It would be dangerous to be complacent."
"That's true," Snape agreed. "By the way, Morrigan, if allies of the werewolves are being targeted, for whatever reason, you do realize that puts you and Miss Granger at risk as well?"
"I'm not afraid of the Death Eaters or Williamson's cronies!" Granger said defiantly, a look of stubborn determination flaring in her eyes.
"A certain amount of fear is not a bad thing, Miss Granger," Snape said sardonically. "It is a self-defense mechanism, after all--although it doesn't seem to function properly in Gryffindors."
"Well, of course I'm aware of the danger," Granger replied, still looking stubborn and defiant. "But I'm not going to let fear keep me from doing my job or helping my friends. And I won't let anyone--either Death Eater or Auror--bully me and dictate my actions."
"Well said, Hermione," Morrigan said approvingly, then turned to Snape. "She speaks for both of us, Severus."
Snape had expected as much, but he had thought it only fair to warn them. He was a little embarrassed by Granger's declaration, though. He hoped that by "friends" she meant Lupin and the werewolves, but he was afraid to ask for fear that she might confirm that he was included in that statement. {Dylan could have had any girl at Hogwarts, but no, he had to choose a know-it-all Gryffindor wench,} he grumbled to himself. Still, he supposed a know-it-all was better than one of those empty-headed girls like Parvati Patil or Yvonne Deveraux, who seemed to think of nothing but clothes and boys. And Miss Granger at least had a little more common sense than most Gryffindors, although that wasn't necessarily saying much.
Morrigan's friendship was easier to accept, because although it was genuine, it was also tempered with a bit of Slytherin self-interest. She wouldn't take the side of his enemies, but she wasn't the type to do pro bono work, either, and she expected to be handsomely compensated for her services as his lawyer. Snape didn't mind; she was well worth her substantial fee, and as the Snape Lord, he could easily afford it. Besides, pure altruism made him nervous, and he was much more comfortable with the concept of a mutually beneficial alliance.
One corner of Snape's mouth quirked up in an ironic smile. Actually, he was the one who had willingly joined the Order as a spy--the type of thing a Gryffindor would do. In spite of her hatred for the Death Eaters, Morrigan would never have done something so foolish and self-sacrificing.
"Does something amuse you, Severus?" Lupin asked, giving him a knowing smile, as if he could guess what Snape was thinking. Sometimes he thought that the damned werewolf was a Legilimens, for all that Lupin denied it.
"Not at all, Lupin," Snape replied coolly, but he noticed that his lover kept smiling at him. "It is hardly an amusing situation, after all."
"Oh, of course not," Lupin said, an expression of innocent concern on his face. Snape gave him an annoyed look, and Granger stifled a giggle. Morrigan had better control, and kept her face politely neutral, although he suspected that she was probably laughing silently. Still, as long as she wasn't doing it outwardly, he could at least ignore it and salvage his pride.
"Please conduct your investigation, Morrigan, and keep me informed," Snape said, his voice still cool and impassive. "And of course I shall let you know what my mother learns about Philomela's clients."
Morrigan said with a smile, "I have no doubt that Lady Selima's investigation shall prove fruitful," which was an understatement, as Snape knew from experience. His mother could give interrogation tips to the Aurors, and in the unlikely event that intimidation did not work, she was equally adept at worming information out of people by more subtle means, such as guile and flattery--or by enlisting the aid of ally. Selima had despised Lupin when they had first met, but that hadn't stopped her from recruiting him as an ally in her quest to convince Snape to return home and resume his duties as heir.
"No doubt," Snape agreed in a dry voice, and he and Lupin returned to Hogwarts. There was nothing for them to do now but wait, which was extremely unsatisfying, but one thing that his many years of working as a spy had taught him was patience.
Part 15b
Selima was pacing back and forth in the drawing room when Snape and Lupin arrived at the manor, while a worried-looking Vorcher huddled in a corner, wringing his hands. Snape noticed, with a touch of wry amusement, that the house-elf had chosen a corner on the far side of the room that was obscured by shadows, and he thought to himself that maybe Vorcher was smarter than he looked, because it was definitely wise to avoid attracting Lady Snape's attention when she was in a rage. He only wished that he was able to hide in a corner, too.
"This is a disaster, Severus!" Selima shouted at him as soon as she became of aware of his presence. She waved a copy of the Ministry notification papers accusingly in his face.
"Calm down, Mother," Snape said, trying to project an air of composure and unconcern, hoping that it would rub off on her. "If this is some pretender hoping to extort a little money from us, he will be exposed soon enough. Unless you have reason to believe that there is some validity to his claim?"
"I don't know whether it's valid or not!" Selima snapped, her eyes still filled with fury--and a touch of fear. "But when I was a girl, I heard stories of how the Delauney family family lost their fortune. The daughter became a courtesan at a brothel that catered to the pureblood elite, and it's possible, even likely, that Lord Stefan frequented the place."
"Then this Sebastien really might be a Snape?" Lupin asked, startled.
"I don't know!" Selima repeated, her voice sharpening with frustration. "It doesn't really matter whether he has Snape blood or not. What matters is whether he can convince the Wizengamot that he does and that he is a more fit heir than Severus!"
"Even if his father was Lord Stefan's son, doesn't a legitimate heir have legal precedence?" Lupin asked.
"Normally, yes," Selima replied, glaring at Snape. "However, since Severus has publicly made it clear that he will never take a wife and sire a child of his own blood, the court might rule in the challenger's favor. Theodore is related to the Snapes only indirectly, through one of the daughters, who normally don't inherit the title unless there are no male heirs available. It was acceptable for Severus to adopt him because there was no one else with a stronger blood tie, but Sebastien Delauney can make the case that he has more precedence than Theodore because he is directly descended from a Snape Lord only two generations back. The laws of inheritance tend to favor direct descendants, and while Severus is the legitimate son of the previous Lord, Theodore is not his biological child. Also, thanks to that fiasco at the Yule Ball last year, most people are aware that Theodore has a male lover and is also unlikely to sire a child in the future. Providing that he can convince them that he really is Stefan's grandson, most purebloods would award the title to Sebastien if he pledges to marry and sire an heir."
"If he can convince them," Snape said pointedly. "That's a pretty big 'if'."
"Do you want to take that risk?" Selima demanded. "Delauney has nothing to lose, but we stand to lose everything--the title, all the monies and properties, the entire estate--if he wins his case! You know, this could all have been averted if you had done your duty as a proper heir!" She stopped mid-rant and frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "You know, it's still not too late..."
"I told you that I won't take a wife!" Snape told his mother firmly. "Not even to keep the title out of Delauney's hands!"
"I know that, Severus," Selima replied impatiently. "But if you had a direct heir, even an illegitimate one, it would preserve the succession, and there would be no excuse for the Ministry to award the title to Sebastien. The Delauneys aren't the only pureblood family to have fallen on hard times, and it might be possible to make an arrangement with a woman from one of those families--"
"No!" Snape interrupted.
"You wouldn't have to marry her," Selima persisted. "It would strictly be a business proposition, and we would make that clear to the woman and her family from the start--an heir in return for financial compensation and a comfortable life."
"What about Theodore?" Snape shouted angrily. "Am I just supposed to cast him aside and tell him that I don't need him anymore?"
"Of course not!" Selima retorted. "He will still be your son, if not the heir to the title, and as long as you remain the Snape Lord, you can still provide an inheritance for him. But if you lose the title and the estate, there will be nothing left for him to inherit!"
"No," Snape said stubbornly. "I won't do it."
"Don't be so selfish, Severus!" Selima screamed shrilly. "Maybe you don't care about the estate, but think of Theodore! He's already given up his claim to the Nott estate, so he will have nothing if you lose the title! I will--"
She abruptly fell silent, pressing her lips together, but Snape realized what she had meant to say: "I will have nothing." Snape could get along fine without the title and the estate; he had been determined to support himself and live independently after his father had disinherited him, and although he would like to give Theodore an inheritance, he knew that his son would be able to survive without it. However, without the estate, Selima would be left with nothing, not even a place to live. If worse came to worst, Snape would provide for his mother, of course, but a Professor's salary could stretch only so far. She would have to move out of the mansion into a much smaller cottage or flat, and more importantly, she would lose all the power and influence that she possessed as the dowager Lady Snape. She would be ostracized and belittled by her former friends and allies, and for her, that would be worse than living in poverty. Moreover, she had no profession to keep her occupied if she should lose her status as Lady Snape. Ever since she had married Severin Snape at age eighteen, her entire life had revolved around running the affairs of the Snape family. No wonder she was so upset--losing the estate would mean losing her entire way of life.
Her old flame, Prospero Zabini, would gladly marry her and make her Lady Zabini if she wished, but she would still lose most of her power and influence, and besides, she was too proud to accept an offer of marriage under those circumstances. She was also too proud to beg her son for help, so she had phrased her arguments as concern over Theodore's welfare--and she probably was genuinely concerned about her grandson, but also equally concerned about her own welfare.
Snape smiled wryly, his anger dissipating. Even if she was only a Snape by marriage, not blood, Selima was the epitome of a true Snape: steadfastly stubborn and proud. No wonder his father had chosen her as his bride.
"Mother, let's not panic just yet," Snape placatingly, in a much less hostile voice. "If it becomes public knowledge that I am rushing around frantically trying to sire an heir, it would be seen as an admission that Delauney's claims are valid, thereby strengthening his case."
"You are correct," Selima reluctantly conceded, obviously fighting to control her temper and examine the situation rationally. In a way, Snape had to admire her ability to set aside her emotions and approach every problem with cold practicality--even one such as this, that affected her life so personally. "But neither can we risk losing the estate by doing nothing."
"It seems to me," Lupin said mildly, "that the first thing to do would be to determine just how valid this person's claim is. Severus mentioned once that the Snape family portraits are kept in the attic, and I assume there is one of Lord Stefan. Perhaps it could confirm whether Sebastien's father was really his son, or at least whether or not Philomela Delauney was actually his lover?"
"A good suggestion, Professor Lupin," Selima said in an approving, if slightly startled voice.
"You needn't sound so surprised, Mother," Snape said dryly. "The werewolf is able to come up with good ideas from time to time--despite the fact that he's a Gryffindor." Lupin just laughed, not taking offense at either Selima's implied insult or Snape's direct one.
They all trooped upstairs to the attic, where the Snape family portraits were confined. Snape and his father had not seen eye to eye on many things, but one thing they'd had in common was a low tolerance for outspoken, meddling portraits of dead relatives. Severin had locked them all up in the attic after hearing one too many pieces of unwanted advice.
Sheets and drapes covered the various portraits, and the faint, rumbling sound of snoring could be heard beneath them. Selima pulled the drapes back from one of the portraits, revealing the likeness of a slumbering Stefan Snape, a man with iron-gray hair and the large, hooked nose that was the distinguishing feature of the Snape family. "Lord Stefan," she said softly, and when he continued to snore, she repeated a little louder, "Lord Stefan!"
"Eh, what?" the portrait asked, blinking and looking around disorientedly as he woke. After a few moments, his eyes focused on Selima, and he said vaguely, "You're the Bashir girl, aren't you? Severin's bride?"
"Yes, Lord Stefan," Selima replied, curtseying politely to the portrait. "I am Selima, formerly of the Bashir clan, Severin's wife."
"And no longer a girl, I see," Stefan said, his eyes growing more alert as he examined Selima more closely, then turned his gaze to Snape and Lupin. "Hair too dark to be Severin's...I assume this is my grandson?"
"Yes, your grandson Severus," Selima confirmed, and Snape nodded curtly at the portrait.
"And the other?" Stefan asked. "He doesn't have the look of a Snape about him."
Selima hesitated for a moment, then replied, "This is Professor Lupin, Severus's colleague and friend."
"Colleague?" Stefan asked, looking confused.
"Yes, Severus and I are both teachers at Hogwarts," Lupin explained cheerfully.
"Hmph!" Stefan snorted, frowning at Snape disapprovingly. "You weren't able to obtain a Ministry position, then?"
"Let us say that I was not cut out for a life in politics, Grandfather," Snape said with a touch of sarcastic humor.
"Hmph!" Stefan snorted again, then turned back to Selima. "What do you want from me? I assume that you didn't wake me after years of being locked up in the attic just to chat about the weather. And where is my son? If he wants a favor from me, Severin could at least have the courtesy to talk to me face to face."
There was a brief, awkward silence, and it was Lupin who gently told the portrait, "I'm very sorry to have to tell you that Lord Severin passed away last year, after a long illness."
"Oh," Stefan said, looking somewhat shaken, if not exactly grief-stricken, and his gaze turned back to Snape. "Then you are..."
"I am now the Lord of the Snape family," Snape said.
"For now," Selima pointedly added, then explained about Sebastien Delauney's lawsuit.
"Oh my," Stefan said, looking shocked. "Philomela's grandson?"
"Then Philomela Delauney really was your mistress," Selima said with uncharacteristic bluntness, but Snape could tell that she had nearly reached her limit on patience.
"I was one of Philomela's clients," Stefan admitted, looking a bit nostalgic. "She was a lovely girl with golden hair, and quite talented, too..."
"I'm sure she was," Selima said in an acid voice.
"I meant in music," Stefan clarified. "She had a voice like a nightingale. Although she was also talented in the, ah, womanly arts."
"I don't care about that!" Selima snapped. "All I want to know is whether or not she bore you a bastard son!"
"Not to my knowledge," Stefan replied defensively. "As I said, I was one of her clients, but the women at the brothel were all supposed to be using birth control charms. I had no reason to think otherwise, and Philomela never mentioned anything about being pregnant, and never asked me to acknowledge a child, either officially or unofficially." He frowned. "Although I heard that there was some sort of scandal, after I fell ill and had not visited the brothel for a few weeks--something about Philomela running off to France with the Parkinson boy. He was infatuated with her, you know, and jealous of all her other clients. Perhaps the child was his."
"We'll look into it," Selima said, sounding a little relieved that they had a possible defense against Delauney's claims. "Contact Morrigan De Lacy, Severus, and have her investigate."
"Yes, Mother."
"Still, this is bad," Selima said, giving the portrait an accusing look. "Since you were one of Philomela's clients, there's a possibility that you could have been the father of her child, at least in the eyes of the Ministry. We'll need the names of her other clients, the more the better, so that we can prove that one of them is the father, or at least insinuate that there was no way that Philomela could possibly have known whom the real father of her baby was."
"I don't understand why you're so concerned," Stefan protested. "Of course a scandal like this causes problems for the Snape family, but even if this Sebastien is my grandson, there is no reason for the Ministry to award the title to a bastard over the legitimate heir." He gave Snape a suspicious look. "Is there?"
"Severus is unable to sire an heir of his body," Selima said, shooting a quick glare Snape's way that plainly said he had better not contradict her story. "So he adopted an orphaned boy from the Nott family, one of his students at Hogwarts. Theodore can claim a Snape woman as his ancestress a few generations back, and he is an intelligent and capable young wizard of good breeding--a very fine heir. However, Sebastien Delauney will claim that his right to the title is greater than that of Severus's chosen heir because of the closer blood connection."
"Unable to sire an heir?" Stefan asked suspiciously. "Are you sure? Is it something that the Healers at St. Mungo's have confirmed, or do you only assume it because his wife has borne him no children? Breaking a marriage alliance is never something to be taken lightly, but the future of the clan is more important, and a barren wife may lawfully be set aside. By the way, who is Severus's wife?"
There was a brief silence as Selima, Snape, and Lupin all looked at each other, not sure how to reply. Selima recovered first and hastily answered, "Severus isn't married at the moment. He was...tragically widowed several years ago. His late wife was a girl from the Black family. And yes, we have confirmed that Severus is unable to sire a child."
Snape had to admire his mother's ability to lie through her teeth without batting an eyelash, but Stefan must have picked up on that brief moment of hesitation, or perhaps Selima's reply sounded a little too pat to him. But either way, he frowned and his eyes narrowed shrewdly as they suddenly focused on Lupin.
"Why is the Professor here?" he demanded. "It is not fitting for an outsider, even one who is a friend of the Lord, to be involved in such a personal affair of the Snape family."
Even Selima couldn't think fast enough to come up with a good excuse for that question, although from the look of concentration on her face and a hint of franticness in her eyes, she was trying very hard to think of something. Meanwhile, Lupin gave Snape an apologetic and slightly amused smile, and although he didn't say a word, it was enough to cause Stefan to shout accusingly, "Is this man the reason why you have no wife, Severus? Is he the reason why you are 'unable' to sire a proper heir?"
"It doesn't matter," Snape said curtly, moving a step closer to Lupin. "What matters is stopping this pretender from taking over the Snape estate--providing that you want the Snape line to continue, that is. Personally, it doesn't really matter all that much to me."
"Severus!" his mother cried reprovingly.
"Well, maybe I would rather hand the inheritance over to a bastard grandson than to a lover of men!" Stefan shouted.
"And maybe I am not particularly interested in the opinion of a piece of enchanted canvas," Snape retorted coolly.
Stefan's face turned red with fury, and he began shouting about how Snape was a disgrace to the family, his insults growing increasingly vitriolic and incoherent until Selima finally cast a spell that sent the portrait back to sleep.
"Well, your grandfather is--or was--a very sharp man," Lupin told Snape in an almost admiring voice. "He was pretty quick to pick up on the relationship between us."
"Did you have to provoke him like that?" Selima scolded her son. "Now we won't be able to get any useful information out of him!"
"It wasn't like I told him about myself and Lupin," Snape protested. "He guessed it on his own."
"Well, you could have denied it," Selima said crossly. When Snape opened his mouth to defend himself, she sighed irritably and said, "Oh, never mind! There's no point in crying over spilt milk. Go contact Morrigan and formally retain her services so that we can start planning our defense. Have her investigate this Sebastien Delauney, and I will use my own contacts to see if I can learn more about Philomela and her clients."
"Yes, Mother," Snape replied meekly, and gratefully fled the attic. He used the communication mirror in the study to contact Morrigan, who had already heard about the lawsuit, because she seemed to be expecting his call, and told him to Floo over to her office.
As he and Lupin stepped out of the fireplace, he was a little surprised to see Hermione Granger in Morrigan's office, filing some paperwork. Her main apprenticeship was with the Apothecary, Mr. Jigger, but it seemed that she was also holding to her resolution to work a second apprenticeship with Morrigan so that she could someday fight for house-elf rights as a lawyer.
"Hello, Professors," she said, an earnest and concerned look on her face. "It's terrible about the lawsuit, but I'm sure that Ms. De Lacy will win the case for you."
"Miss Granger has great faith in my abilities," Morrigan said with a smile. She was an elegantly beautiful young woman with reddish-blonde hair twisted up in a neat knot at the back of her head, and she was dressed in expensive but conservatively cut wine-colored robes. Her beauty sometimes caused her opponents to underestimate her, but as her former Head of House, Snape knew that she was as ruthless and predatory as any Slytherin. He was just glad that she was on his side, because he wouldn't want her for an enemy.
"I have great faith in your record," Granger said firmly. "You've won more cases than anyone else in the firm."
"Then we've come to the right person," Lupin chuckled, and then Snape went over the details of the case with Morrigan while Granger listened with avid interest.
"In the Muggle world, a D.N.A. test could prove whether this man really is a Snape," Granger said.
"A what?" Snape asked irritably. The girl tried to explain, but it all sounded like gibberish to him. Then again, a spell incantation would probably sound like gibberish to a Muggle. "Never mind," he interrupted, with an impatient wave of his hand. "Even if this test is accurate, the Ministry would never allow it as evidence."
"Most wizards, especially the purebloods, regard Muggle science and technology with suspicion and skepticism," Morrigan explained.
"Well, is there some sort of magical test that does the same thing?" Granger asked.
"Unfortunately, no," Morrigan said regretfully. "It certainly would simplify matters a great deal if there were."
"But then how will the court decide whether or not Sebastien Delauney's claim is legitimate or not?" Granger asked.
"Witness testimony," Morrigan replied. "A physical resemblance to his alleged grandfather would help." She smiled cynically. "It would also depend on how many Ministry officials he can afford to bribe, and how many of those officials dislike Severus and would like to see him humiliated."
"That's terrible!" Granger said indignantly.
"Surely by now, Miss Granger, you must have figured out how the Ministry works," Snape said impatiently. "It has less to do with concepts such as 'fairness' and 'justice' than with self-interest and political expediency."
"I know," Granger sighed, "but I thought that Mr. Weasley was trying to root out the corruption."
"He is, but it is not a task that can be accomplished overnight," Morrigan replied solemnly. "In the meantime, we must take that corruption into consideration if we wish to win our case. To be idealistic is a fine thing, Hermione, as long as you are also realistic."
"I suppose you're right," Granger reluctantly acknowledged. "So what's our strategy?"
"'Our' strategy?" Snape asked pointedly, and Lupin chuckled again.
"Miss Granger is proving to be a most able assistant, Severus," Morrigan said, with a faint glint of laughter in her green eyes, and Snape sighed in resignation.
"Well, the first step of 'our' strategy," Snape said sarcastically, "must be to gather information. We simply don't have enough information about this Delauney to know if his claim is legitimate, or what his motives might be. From the conversation with my grandfather's portrait, it seems that there's at least a small chance that he could be a Snape, but it's equally likely that any of Philomela's clients could have been his grandfather."
"I'll send messages to my contacts in France and try to find out more about him and his motives," Morrigan said, frowning. "It's a long shot for a whore's grandson to try to supplant a legitimate Lord, even one as controversial as you, Severus. He may simply be hoping for you to buy him off with a bribe, or one of your enemies could be manipulating him. He's hired a lawyer from Warrington and Bole, one of our firm's rivals, and they don't come cheap. It makes me wonder if he can afford the fee on his own, or if someone is bankrolling him."
"I hadn't stopped to consider that," Snape said, feeling rather chagrined, although he'd had little time to think since receiving the letter from the Ministry. "And the timing is rather convenient, with the lawsuit being filed while we're still dealing with that whole mess about the alleged werewolf murders. If Delauney has a legitimate claim, why hasn't he filed it before now? For that matter, why did his father never try to enter a claim for the Snape title? I was disowned for many years, and my father might have been willing to adopt a bastard brother or nephew as his heir, out of sheer desperation."
"Perhaps the war kept them away?" Lupin guessed. "They might have thought that it was not safe to travel to England while Voldemort and the Death Eaters were at large."
"But the war has been over for more than a year," Snape said, frowning. "So why wait that long?"
"Probably because he now has the financial, and possibly the political backing of a wealthy patron," Morrigan replied. "If the latter is true, his backer will eventually show his hand, but in the meantime, I will do my best to discover his identity."
"Maybe the murders have nothing to do with Ash Randolf, after all!" Granger exclaimed excitedly. "Maybe it's an indirect way to discredit the Professor! Everyone knows that he has a werewolf lover, and if people become convinced that werewolves are dangerous monsters, the Ministry will be more likely to award the title to Delauney!"
"It's possible," Morrigan agreed. "Although if that were the case, I would have expected the victims to be enemies of Remus."
"Lupin is so good-natured that he has no enemies," Snape said disgustedly, and they all laughed in spite of their worries.
"Everyone has enemies," Morrigan said. "Or at least, there are probably people who regard Remus as an enemy, even if he bears no ill will against them. Mr. Dawlish, for example, although I imagine that a housewife is easier to murder than an Auror. But we should take Hermione's suggestion seriously. Regardless of whether or not Remus was the intended target, Severus is bound to be distracted by a threat against werewolves in general, and less able to focus on the lawsuit. That could well be the murderer's intention."
"Or more likely, the intention of the person manipulating the murderer," Snape said. "I doubt that Delauney's patron is the type to get his own hands dirty, and besides, he's not likely to be a werewolf. But I see your point, Morrigan."
"I think that you will have to leave the investigation of the murders up to the Aurors, since most of your time will be taken up with preparing for the trial," Morrigan said. "But at least Shacklebolt and Tonks seem competent and motivated to find the real killer. I will share our theory with them, and keep them informed of any pertinent information that we learn--with your permission, of course, Severus."
"Yes, of course," Snape said, nodding in agreement. "You're representing Randolf as well, aren't you?"
"Yes, although he hasn't been formally charged with the murders, so I haven't needed to do much," Morrigan replied. "But Lukas thought that having a lawyer on retainer might keep Dawlish from being overzealous in his investigation." She smiled. "In a way, it would be convenient if the two cases were related, because then I could resolve both of them at once."
"Do you have any idea who might be behind this, Professor?" Granger asked Snape.
"I have more enemies than I can count," Snape replied wearily. "The Death Eaters and their families, of course, regard me as a traitor. And also their sympathizers, such as the Parkinsons, who supported the Death Eaters and now find their fortunes declining along with that of their allies. There was some recent unpleasantness with Warren Macnair; I ran into him a few weeks ago, and we exchanged a few harsh words. He and his sister were under surveillance by the Aurors--a fact for which they apparently blame me. But they, along with the other Death Eater and sympathizer families, seem to be lying low, waiting for the scandal to die down with time. Of course, one of them could be acting as Delauney's secret backer behind the scenes, and I've no doubt that they would like to see me humiliated by having the title stripped from me. And as an added bonus, the new Snape Lord would be indebted to them. However, the chances of getting the grandson of a prostitute appointed head of a pureblood family are rather slim, and I'm not sure that they would go to this much effort for such a longshot. They certainly wouldn't commit murder for it, not unless they have some kind of definite proof that Delauney is really a Snape.
"And of course the opposite side hates me as well," Snape continued with a cynical smile. "They think that I turned spy only to save my own skin. And I'm sure that Ian Williamson and Amos Diggory have friends at the Ministry who think that I ought to be in Azkaban right now instead of them."
"This does sound similar to the kinds of the things that Williamson and the R.A. were doing," Granger said thoughtfully. "Attacking you and the werewolves indirectly through suspicion and manipulation instead of confronting you directly. That's pretty cowardly, in my opinion."
"Cowardly, perhaps, but clever," Snape said sourly. "There's less chance for the culprit to be discovered that way. That, along with the murders, has me leaning towards the likelihood that my unnamed enemy is connected to the Death Eaters."
"Williamson was capable of murder, or at least attempted murder," Lupin reminded him.
"Yes, but it's one thing to kill a werewolf, a creature that many wizards regard as less than human," Snape replied. "It's quite another to kill an innocent housewife in cold blood just to throw suspicion on your enemy. Some of the Aurors have a reputation for ruthlessness, but I'm not sure that even Williamson's cronies would go that far. Of course, that's assuming that my inheritance problems really are connected to the murders, which they might not be."
"Still, we have to act as though they are, until we learn otherwise," Morrigan insisted. "It would be dangerous to be complacent."
"That's true," Snape agreed. "By the way, Morrigan, if allies of the werewolves are being targeted, for whatever reason, you do realize that puts you and Miss Granger at risk as well?"
"I'm not afraid of the Death Eaters or Williamson's cronies!" Granger said defiantly, a look of stubborn determination flaring in her eyes.
"A certain amount of fear is not a bad thing, Miss Granger," Snape said sardonically. "It is a self-defense mechanism, after all--although it doesn't seem to function properly in Gryffindors."
"Well, of course I'm aware of the danger," Granger replied, still looking stubborn and defiant. "But I'm not going to let fear keep me from doing my job or helping my friends. And I won't let anyone--either Death Eater or Auror--bully me and dictate my actions."
"Well said, Hermione," Morrigan said approvingly, then turned to Snape. "She speaks for both of us, Severus."
Snape had expected as much, but he had thought it only fair to warn them. He was a little embarrassed by Granger's declaration, though. He hoped that by "friends" she meant Lupin and the werewolves, but he was afraid to ask for fear that she might confirm that he was included in that statement. {Dylan could have had any girl at Hogwarts, but no, he had to choose a know-it-all Gryffindor wench,} he grumbled to himself. Still, he supposed a know-it-all was better than one of those empty-headed girls like Parvati Patil or Yvonne Deveraux, who seemed to think of nothing but clothes and boys. And Miss Granger at least had a little more common sense than most Gryffindors, although that wasn't necessarily saying much.
Morrigan's friendship was easier to accept, because although it was genuine, it was also tempered with a bit of Slytherin self-interest. She wouldn't take the side of his enemies, but she wasn't the type to do pro bono work, either, and she expected to be handsomely compensated for her services as his lawyer. Snape didn't mind; she was well worth her substantial fee, and as the Snape Lord, he could easily afford it. Besides, pure altruism made him nervous, and he was much more comfortable with the concept of a mutually beneficial alliance.
One corner of Snape's mouth quirked up in an ironic smile. Actually, he was the one who had willingly joined the Order as a spy--the type of thing a Gryffindor would do. In spite of her hatred for the Death Eaters, Morrigan would never have done something so foolish and self-sacrificing.
"Does something amuse you, Severus?" Lupin asked, giving him a knowing smile, as if he could guess what Snape was thinking. Sometimes he thought that the damned werewolf was a Legilimens, for all that Lupin denied it.
"Not at all, Lupin," Snape replied coolly, but he noticed that his lover kept smiling at him. "It is hardly an amusing situation, after all."
"Oh, of course not," Lupin said, an expression of innocent concern on his face. Snape gave him an annoyed look, and Granger stifled a giggle. Morrigan had better control, and kept her face politely neutral, although he suspected that she was probably laughing silently. Still, as long as she wasn't doing it outwardly, he could at least ignore it and salvage his pride.
"Please conduct your investigation, Morrigan, and keep me informed," Snape said, his voice still cool and impassive. "And of course I shall let you know what my mother learns about Philomela's clients."
Morrigan said with a smile, "I have no doubt that Lady Selima's investigation shall prove fruitful," which was an understatement, as Snape knew from experience. His mother could give interrogation tips to the Aurors, and in the unlikely event that intimidation did not work, she was equally adept at worming information out of people by more subtle means, such as guile and flattery--or by enlisting the aid of ally. Selima had despised Lupin when they had first met, but that hadn't stopped her from recruiting him as an ally in her quest to convince Snape to return home and resume his duties as heir.
"No doubt," Snape agreed in a dry voice, and he and Lupin returned to Hogwarts. There was nothing for them to do now but wait, which was extremely unsatisfying, but one thing that his many years of working as a spy had taught him was patience.
Part 15b