"You must be mad! Completely, utterly, entirely, stark raving mad!" Severus Snape rose and began to march through Albus' study like a tiger in a too small cage. Shaking his head he said: "I've hoped over the last weeks you'd have forgotten about this insanity of yours. I should have learned by now, that you never miss a chance to do something utterly crazy." Turning around on his friend's desk, he looked down at him. "Albus!" he said urgently. "Think about the risks! Even if you don't think meeting a vampire isn't risky ' what I doubt to be honest ' then think about what would happen to all of your other plans if someone learns about that! Fudge would have a field day and your chances to win the election would go down quicker than you could say 'sorry'."
Albus leaned back, laying his fingertips together and looking down on them. "You're right, child," he said calmly. "We shall have to make sure that our visit to Paris remains a secret."
"We?" Severus actually was very much used to finding Albus trying and he'd thought he wouldn't become surprised by his eccentric ideas anymore, but this Severus didn't know what to say. "Albus," he tried with forced patience, "May I remind you that I'm actually dead and buried? I can't appear as myself in public and I'm not too keen to present myself as your cousin. With him one never knows when one will meet the next former affair of his"
"I don't think Johannes ever had a muggle girl in Paris," Albus said amused. "So the risk of running into one of his affairs isn't too big"
"Moment!" Severus raised his hands in a rather desperate gesture. "I'm obviously just becoming witness to the final breakdown of a wizard who once was known as the brilliant Albus Dumbledore. Or I am going to hear voices. You didn't tell me just now you want us to go to muggle Paris to meet a few nice vampires? I mean I don't have much experience with muggle Paris, but I doubt very much the Maxim serves blood soup for dinner"
"Severus" Albus sighed. "You know as well as I do that vampires aren't drinking blood all the time. They need sometimes a bit to keep alive, but mostly they live on normal food just as you and I"
"Do I know that?" Severus took the bottle of fire whiskey and poured himself a generous glass full. "Albus, what do we really know about them except that they possess powerful magic and don't like wizards? No vampire ever wrote a 'how to become a vampire and live happily afterwards'-book, no vampire ever was willing to share his secrets with a wizard! What we know about them isn't much more than rumors and speculations. And I'll be damned if I would ever present myself to a vampire without my wand at the ready." He drank a sip and looked at Albus who now had his legs crossed and was watching the girl with the guitar over the fireplace.
"Considering that we want to negotiate, I don't think a presentation of wands would do any good," Albus said after a while. "But actually, I don't think it will be necessary that you come close to a vampire. Your job on this trip is watching my back and protecting Hermione"
Severus couldn't keep still. Jumping to his legs, he began pacing the room again. "Let me sort this out: You want us to go to Paris, us 'meaning Hermione, you and me ' because you think you'll get a chance to meet the leaders of the vampires there. And while you do so, perhaps get killed or even worse, bitten, I shall stay with Hermione "in muggle Paris have I got you right. Please, forgive me for not being delighted about this, but I do have a few questions."
Albus smiled. "But of course you have. You always do "
Severus didn't take up the bait. Instead he took a photograph of Hermione from the mantelpiece, looked at it and sighed. "I only hope this child of yours won't become too much like his father. I really don't think I'm up to the task with two of these sorts."
"You won't have to, Severus," Albus said. He sounded as casual as if he was talking about the weather.
Severus felt how his already high blood pressure increased even more. He knew what Albus planned, he'd spoken with him about it for nights and he'd tried for almost one year to find another way of killing Voldemort until he'd given in to support Albus. But although he knew that Albus' plan was the only hope of defeating Voldemort finally, he couldn't stand to hear Albus talking about his death as if it were an appointment with his dresser. Severus Snape was far from being an optimist just on the contrary: His life had taught him always to expect the worst. But he couldn't give up hope entirely and Merlin's balls, if someone knew how weak the dark lord already was it was him! And also he knew that Albus despite his age was very strong and had probably never in his life been more powerful than now. If only Albus wouldn't be so headstrong! If only he wouldn't think he had to sacrifice himself to save Potter! But it was senseless to talk with him about that. Severus had tried more than once and the last he'd done so it had led to a row even remarkable in the history of their friendship. After a lot of ranting by Severus Albus had gotten too much and loud, very loud 'so loud that even Phineas Nigellus', who actually liked what he called 'Dumbledore showing a bit of temper' had complained about the noise. And Severus had needed three weeks of sulking. Yes, he was honest enough to admit to himself that he had sulked in his dungeons before he was able to talk at least civilly with Albus again. But even today it hurts to think of Albus' accusation. In his rage he'd said what Severus had always feared to hear: "I become tired of you and your silly grudge, Severus."
