This Is War

Snape could not move a muscle.

He could only look up at the ceiling of the bus compartment, listening to the footsteps and voices around him.

As he considered how he should defend himself before the Wizengamot Wizarding Court, and how Sirius had escaped from Azkaban, the Knight Bus suddenly lurched into motion with an earsplitting BANG.

The bus was moving so fast that his body slid some distance toward the rear.

"Mom, Severus is still lying on the floor."

He heard Marlene's voice.

Then he felt someone use magic to lift him from the ground and gently place him on a bed.

Lying on the feather mattress, he thought that at least he would no longer have to endure that irritating vibration against his back.

Time passed almost imperceptibly.

Another deafening BANG rang out, and the bedframe beneath Snape slid about a foot toward the front of the bus.

They had arrived at Hogsmeade.

After floating out of the Knight Bus on his back, a vast starry sky filled his vision.

Accompanied by the squelching sound of a wooden leg being pulled from the mud and the tap of footsteps against cobblestones, they entered a dimly lit house.

A familiar smell of sheep rushed into Snape's nostrils.

"The Hog's Head Inn?"

He guessed silently.

"Aberforth, it seems you received my message."

Moody said gruffly.

"Has Albus arrived? Also, could I trouble you to find Ernie somewhere he can get some proper rest?"

After hearing a nasal grunt, Snape felt himself being slowly lifted.

Once the creaking of the wooden stairs beneath them ended, he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in." It was Dumbledore's voice.

"Good evening, Albus," Moody said.

"Good evening, Alastor. Tell me what happened today."

Dumbledore asked gravely.

"And what has happened to this boy?"

Snape was placed on the floor.

He could hear something being dragged across the floor with a harsh scraping sound.

Moody seemed to pull over a chair and sit down heavily.

"Let McKinnon tell you. I only arrived after receiving his signal."

So Mr. McKinnon recounted everything he knew.

Marlene added some details about what had happened after Snape lost consciousness.

"Are the corpses all downstairs?" Dumbledore asked.

They went downstairs.

The house fell silent.

After a while, Snape heard footsteps again as someone entered the room.

A red flash shot out, and the spell binding his body was lifted.

He shot upright, looked up at Dumbledore, and said urgently,

"Professor, could you send a letter to my home?

"Say that I ran into you in Diagon Alley, and that you needed to speak with me about school matters, so I'll be home late. Please?"

Dumbledore's bright blue eyes studied Snape through his half-moon spectacles for a moment.

Then he nodded and summoned an owl, along with parchment and a quill.

Moments later, the owl flew from the window into the pitch-black night.

"Could you return my wand—er—"

Snape hesitated briefly, then hurriedly added,

"No need. But there's a spell that can prevent conversations from being overheard—the Silencing Charm. I suggest we use it."

Dumbledore waved his hand and cast the spell. Then he lowered his hands and looked at Snape.

"Is there something you wish to tell me, Severus?"

"Yes, Professor."

Snape nodded.

"The Knight Bus was intercepted by Old Avery. He stunned Ernie Prang and killed Tod Spunk with the Avada Kedavra."

He continued without pausing,

"Old Avery is a Death Eater. He was not under the Imperius Curse.

"He recognized me from the start and wanted me to use the Unforgivable Curses to kill Marlene."

"Anything else?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape hesitated slightly before continuing,

"There is a small group in Slytherin called Walpurgis.

"We—they hold regular gatherings. At those gatherings, Death Eaters teach some Dark Magic.

"The Unforgivable Curses were taught by Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Walpurgis?"

Dumbledore softly repeated the name.

"Professor," Snape answered his confusion, "that was the name the Dark Lord... um... Voldemort gave the Death Eaters in his early years.

"Later, they stopped using it and gave it to the prospective members still in school."

Someone nearby shuddered in terror, as if the name had stolen their breath.

"Do you know why the Death Eaters were looking for McKinnon?"

Dumbledore asked calmly.

Snape shook his head.

"I don't know. Is there something special about him?"

Dumbledore placed one hand on his crooked nose, clearly deep in thought.

"So those two people were both killed by you?"

"No, Professor." Snape met Dumbledore's gaze without flinching. "They were both Death Eaters."

Dumbledore rose and paced before the dark fireplace.

"If the first was forced by circumstance, then why did you attack McNeil?"

"This is war, Professor."

Snape answered briefly.

"That is not enough to persuade me not to hand you over to the Ministry of Magic once dawn comes."

Snape took a deep breath. You forced me to say more.

He decided to use Dumbledore's spear against Dumbledore's shield.

"Do not pity evil people, Professor.

Pity the greater number of innocent people, and those willing to fight for them."

"The appearance of Death Eaters is always accompanied by death. They—"

He pointed at the McKinnons.

"What will happen if they are taken away?"

Without waiting for Dumbledore to answer, Snape continued,

"There are more people outside who do not dare say—Voldemort's—name aloud.

"What they fear most is returning home to find the Dark Mark circling above their house. Because they know what they will see when they go inside.

"I am a member of Walpurgis. To the Death Eaters, a traitor is clearly more tempting than an enemy or an innocent person.

"I have family too. I am just as afraid of returning home and seeing the Dark Mark."

He stared straight into Dumbledore's blue eyes and said heavily,

"Professor, I do not want to lose the family most important to me for the sake of so-called procedure, justice, or some other 'greater good.'"

"He will stand trial and be sent to Azkaban. He will have no chance to harm your family."

There seemed to be a trace more hoarseness in Dumbledore's voice.

A mocking sneer curled at Snape's lips.

"Azkaban?

"You mean that prison guarded by Voldemort's natural allies?"

After a moment of silence, Dumbledore spoke.

"Severus, sometimes change brings good results, but sometimes it does not.

"We can keep today's events secret.

"But I hope you will think carefully about your actions and the path ahead."

"Thank you, Professor. I will."

Then Snape deliberately asked, "I used magic today. Is that all right?"

"Oh, you needn't worry. The Trace cannot identify the specific person using magic," Dumbledore said.

Snape nodded thoughtfully.

"There is one more thing."

He suddenly remembered another question.

"After dawn, could you have Mr. Moody, or someone else, take me to Diagon Alley and then take me home?

"I want to buy an owl in Diagon Alley."