Friend to foe

07: The Inner Circle

Severus Snape POV

Once Ms. Granger was gone I looked to Tom for answers. He hadn't had the time to explain to us what was happening. Hence Rabastan, Rodolphus, Avery, Barty, and Bellatrix pointing their wands at Ms. Granger.

However Tom was busy eating a baked potato and didn't see my questioning look. Suddenly he looked up and smiled. "I will answer your questions, my friends, once everyone is present."

I blinked. I hadn't realized anyone was missing. A quick look around the table confirmed that, yes, a member of the inner circle was missing. No wonder it was so quiet.

The quiet was broken a moment later when the dinning hall doors burst open. "Sorry I'm late," Black said as he removed a disheveled cloak. "Mooney didn't want me to leave."

Tom chuckled, "I understand. Please have a seat."

"I didn't miss anything, did I?" Sirius asked putting mashed potatoes onto his plate. 

"Just our guest." I said watching as he stuffed his face.

"Guest?" Sirius asked. Thankfully he had enough sense to make sure his mouth was devoid of food.

"Yes. Young Ms. Granger is staying here as of this afternoon." Tom answered Black.

"Hermione!?" Sirius exclaimed.

Narcissa nodded with a frown. "They did it then," Sirius said, "They killed the Grangers."

"Yes," Narcissa said, her eyes filling with tears. Several of those around the table gasped. Sirius simply set his fork down.

"No wonder Remus was so upset," He said looking down.

"Lupin has it harder than the rest," Tom said, "Having to pretend to agree with Dumbledore's dark agenda."

It was quiet around the table for a moment before Sirius cleared his throat. "I do have some things to report." Tom nodded and Sirius continued, "Arthur Weasley was under the imperious curse."

Several people gasped and Sirius simply smiled and continued. "He managed to fight it off. Once he did he went to Gringotts. There he learned that Molly has been giving him love potions sine their Hogwarts days." More gasps and Bellatrix, who at one point had been friends with Arthur, muttered several death threats aimed at Mrs. Weasley. "He's been talking to Remus about what to do. For now he's convinced Arthur to simply wait and listen and pass on any information to Remus who will give it to me."

Tom nodded his approval and said, "Perhaps soon we can reunite him with some old friends." Bella smiled at this and squeezed Rodolphus' hand. It wasn't her normal sadistic smile but a true one. Perhaps her first true smile since Azkaban. "And what about Potter?" Tom asked as always.

"Mooney and I are both worried about him." Sirius said running his hands through his hair.  "Since my 'death' he's more or less cut him self off from everyone. He'll only ever talk to the twins or Hermione without prompting. And Remus says he hasn't been eating."

"I wouldn't think that possible," I said joking slightly, "What with the way Molly piles food on plates and everything."

Black frowned, "He's gotten quite good at the banishing curse. And we all know Ron wouldn't notice an extra helping or ten on his plate. It's so frustrating not being able to talk to him my self. Remus shares my frustrations. Since he's pretending to be under the compulsion charms he can't be to obvious in his worry. And he can't ever get him alone. He's almost always with Ron or Ginny. I'm sure now that Hermione is here they'll never leave him alone."

Tom looked thoughtful, "So Potter is depressed. Him not talking to the Weasleys is promising." Tom sighed. "Tell Remus to try harder to talk to him. I'd hate to have to harm the boy."

Sirius nodded, "It will be done."

"Is that all?" Tom asked. No one spoke. "Very well then." He stood and held his hand out to me. "Severus?" He asked causing me to blush. It had been almost a year and I still wasn't used to his open affection. Still I took Tom's hand and we exited the room. Once we were in the wing the Malfoys had gifted to Tom he kissed me passionately.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" He asked as we walked in front of his bedroom door.

I shook my head, "I have things to do. I may not be actively spying on the order like Serious but I haven't messaged Dumbledore in so long th-" Tom cut me off with a kiss.

"Stay?" He asked again looking me in the eye. I simply nodded. I couldn't deny him anything when he looked at me with those eyes, and he knew it too.

A/N
Hello! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I promise more is to come. I should be able to publish chapter 8 tomorrow but we'll see how much homework I get.
Any way, all my love, Lucille