Caspar - The Half Blood Princess

Chapter Six - The Order of the Phoenix

Severus had never felt so awkward in his life. He was sat between Lily and James in the middle of a long table with at least twelve pairs of eyes staring at him. Opposite, he had Sirius black glaring at him, Remus watching him carefully and, right at the head of the table was, Albus trying to get everyone to believe that Severus was now working as spy for them even after he'd told them about the prophecy and how Voldemort came to hear about it. He clutched Caspar closely to him and tried to use her soft heartbeat to steady his.

"So, Albus, you are expecting all of us to believe that Snivellus has seen the error of his ways and joined us as well as agreeing to risk his life to spy for us?" Sirius asked nastily without taking his eyes off Severus.

"That is exactly what I'm saying, Sirius, and please don't resort to name calling; we're all adults here so I expect you to act like it." Albus replied calmly.

"Fine" he spat "but I don't like it and I don't trust him."

"That is your prerogative, Sirius" smiles the headmaster "but I do."

"So do I" Lily states, without missing a beat.

James raises his eyebrows at his best friend and says, "I do too."

"And me" Remus nods.

Sirius gawked at his best friends as though they were mad "but, Lil, James...he's the reason you've got to go into hiding!"

Lily shakes her head "no, Sirius, Severus is the reason we have the choice to go into hiding. Without him, we wouldn't know that 'You Know Who' is targeting us and we'd be literal sitting targets."

"At least this way" James chimes in "we can protect ourselves whilst trying to take him and his death eaters down. We can trust him, Mate, I promise."

Sirius still looked unsure but James and Lily seemed to have gotten through to most everyone else who'd been listening and were now nodding in agreement. "I guess it's your lives" Sirius finally huffed and slumped back, defeated, in his seat.

"There" Dumbledore smiled, evidently pleased that they'd gotten through to him "now that's settled," he focuses on Severus "Severus, tell us everything you know."

Most of what Severus knew, they knew already, but, the last thing he told them seemed to be new information. "He won't attempt to attack Hogwarts whilst you're there, Albus" he says, "so be aware of any attempt to get you away from the school for any length of time."

"But why would Albus' presence make a difference?" Remus asked curiously.

"I don't know for sure" Severus replied, directing his attention on the werewolf "but I think that he's scared of him. Of course, he'd never admit it, but whenever the action is suggested, he quickly shuts it down saying, 'now is not the time' or 'we don't need to take the school yet' anything to put off the idea but he knows that no one will question him, they're too scared."

"Thank you, Severus" Albus drew the meeting to a close.

"Severus!" Severus looks up to see a dumpy woman with red hair moving toward him. He'd never met this woman before but he knew that she could only be Molly Weasley. "I was hoping to catch you before you left. Oh" she smiles at Caspar "isn't she a little beauty?! May I hold her?" She didn't wait for an answer, however, before she took the baby from him. "How old is she now? I'm guessing about twelve weeks?"

"Uhm, almost, she'll be three months next Wednesday." He replies. "I, err, I have some clothes that she's grown out of and Lily mentioned that you and Arthur might want them."