The Dark Lady (Severus x OC)

8. The search

One of the few things that had made Harry happy in that course was seeing Snape once again deprived of teaching his favorite subject.

Although the professor's mood was worse than ever, this time his anger was caused because another death eater had taken his place. Not even Voldemort would grant him his most desired wish.

But that did not stop the teacher from continuing to enjoy the public humiliation of his students, while he walked among the smoking cauldrons.

Harry tried to keep his eyes focused on his potion, ignoring the professor's presence. Snape had already made it clear that he would make him pay for the attack on the Lady, and he didn't want to give him any more reasons to be cruel to him. That day, he also had to face pressure from Hermione.

"Did she really tell you that?" she insisted.

"Hermione, just because she spoke in Parseltongue doesn't mean I'm deaf," he was exasperated.

"But it doesn't look like something that... I mean, she is the Lady! She was talking like Al Capone."

"Miss Granger, your invaluable help will be of no use if your inept friend lets his potion burn to listen to you," Snape's cold, hissing voice made them jump on the spot. Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair and turned all her attention to her cauldron. "And you, Mr. Potter, stop distracting–"

His monologue was interrupted by a rhythmic knock on the door. Dumbledore peeked into the classroom.

"Sorry to interrupt you, Severus. Have you seen miss Leyne and miss Arson?"

"They were in my class this morning," Snape replied, very stiffly. Dumbledore looked worried.

"Okay, please continue. Meet the other teachers later," Dumbledore closed the door, and the murmurs of the students rose through the classroom.

"Silence! Get back to work."

***

Sixteen years ago, Severus Snape had been prosecuted by the Wizengamot for been a death eater and collaborating with lord Voldemort. Only Dumbledore's declaration in his favor saved him from suffering the Dementor's kiss.

However, suspicions remained on him, and there were many who were waiting for him to make the slightest mistake so he could be condemned again.

Not even his work at Hogwarts under Dumbledore protected him. He felt spied on, and he didn't have as much power and influence as other death eaters to remove those suspicions.

He also suspected that Dumbledore didn't quite trust him. Despite having sworn loyalty to him and spied for him, the murder of Lily Potter had destroyed the only asset the old headmaster could wield against him.

It didn't matter that he had promised himself not to go back and let himself be carried away by the darkness again, without Lily there were no longer any guarantees of his loyalty.

Determined to prove his innocence, he thought about the options he had left. He was still immersed in his role as a spy, but that was nothing spectacular.

If he wanted to get the Ministry off his back, he had to do something else, like hand over another death eater. Or even something better.

Severus still remembered the silent girl with the scar on her face who accompanied his former master. He had heard of her death, but the description of the body did not match the Lady he remembered.

Furthermore, Severus was convinced that there was another witch living with her in the mansion, Regulus had told him, before disappearing.

For Severus, his problem had a clear solution. If he handed over the Lady, no one would doubt his innocence.