A/N: On with the show...
Chapter XXVIII: Snape Rekindled
"Who are you!" Harry and Ron shouted simultaneously. At that moment, interested from the commotion going on, James and Madelyn wondered in the entrance to the living room, right behind the mysterious newcomer.
"NO!" Luna shrieked, and darted forward to protect her children. Ron visibly shuddered, and almost fired a spell at the old man, and would have, if Harry hadn't put a restraining arm on him...
"My name is Longhorn," the old man smiled, seemingly untroubled by the decidedly unfavourable odds against him. "Harry Potter, I assume."
The need for an introduction was redundant. "How did you get in here?"
Harry made it quite plain he had had enough tension for one day.
"I let myself in," Longhorn replied, "being a part of the Order as I am."
"Lies!" Avery suddenly shot up. "You are a Death Eater...that's all you've ever been. A useless sneak!"
"Calm yourself, Jonathan," Longhorn spoke calmly, without malice. "Do you remember our little encounter in the woods?"
"You never said anything about the Order," Avery sneered.
"Tie him up," Ron called over to Fred and George, who up until then, had remained conspicuously silent.
Longhorn did not offer resistance. Soon enough he was on the couch, bound in ropes, only with the ability to speak open to him. He had a twin on either side.
"Working for Lestrange, are you?" Fred told him quietly. "We'll send what's left of you back."
"That would be a mistake, my good sir," the old man answered him without missing a beat.
"You work for the Dark Side," George responded on the heels of that statement. "Enough reason to murder you on the spot."
"It's more complicated - "Longhorn began, only to be interrupted.
"Enough!" Ron said loudly. "Watch him," he instructed his brothers.
Luna had returned to a couch on the opposite side, a child on each side of her, and she watched the proceedings tensely.
"Who are you?" Ron asked directly, without pretense.
"As I said, Longhorn," the old man replied with some annoyance.
"We'll see about that," Ron muttered under his breath. "I'll believe anything you say only on the condition you are questioned under Veritaserum."
For the first time, the newcomer looked a bit uneasy. "I have one condition as well."
"Do you find yourself in a position to demand conditions?" Ron asked him mockingly.
"I'm the key to the success of your little scheme to bring Remus Lupin back," Longhorn smiled confidently. "Kill me, and forsake the Order."
One did not hear such bold claims from a captive...
Ron bit his lip, turned his eyes to the floor, exhaled noisily, and looked back up at Longhorn. "What is your condition, then?"
"Ask me questions only pertaining to Lestrange," he requested. "Anything else you want to know, I will tell you afterward."
Ron was silent for a moment. "Deal."
Hermione took a vile from her pocket, tapped its glass surface with her wand to restore it to its original size, and handed it to Ron.
"Smart girl," Longhorn observed with a kind smile.
To Harry, the man had an ever so slight resemblance to Albus Dumbledore...
Ron took the vile, Longhorn opened his mouth, and the silvery liquid disappeared down his throat shortly thereafter.
The characteristic effects of the potion started to take effect - the gaze became unfocused, the muscles relaxed.
Ron nodded to Harry, and they switched positions. Harry was to be the interrogator.
"What is your real name?" the raven-haired wizard began his one-sided interview.
"Demetris Snape," came the dull reply.
A gasp of surprise travelled around the room.
"Do you know Severus Snape?"
"Great-uncle on his mother's side."
"How did you come to serve Bellatrix Lestrange?" Harry upped the level of the questionnaire.
"Undercover mission for Armando Dippet, to be continued under Albus Dumbledore."
"Mission for what?"
"Observe Tom Riddle, or as he became to be known, Voldemort."
"Why become a Death Eater?"
"To save my family and keep Riddle's trust."
"Where is your family?"
"Dead."
Harry paused for a moment, and swallowed...here, he could identify with the old man.
"Why did you never withdraw from being a Death Eater? Fake your death, for example?"
"The Dark Lord knew all."
"How did you know Albus Dumbledore?"
"Worked at Hogwarts with him."
"What did you do?"
"I was an Occlumency Professor."
Longhorn must have been a powerful wizard, because the potion began to rapidly wear off as he regained his senses and focus - otherwise, the interrogation would have lasted much longer.
Several wands refocused on him. "Well then," the same non-threatening smile lit up his face. "Are you satisfied, Mr. Potter?"
The potion did not lie. "Yes, I am. However, we're far from done with you."
"I expect nothing less," the wizard nodded, "but time is scant."
"There is enough time," Harry told him forcefully, but then the sharpness in his voice died down. "How did you become a part of the Order?"
Demetris took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. Even bound in ropes, he commanded respect. "The early days of Voldemort's rise, they were the most confusing. Nobody had a clue what he would come to do. Incredible talent, wasted on a worthless cause, which Bellatrix Lestrange is vainly trying to continue. The Order of the Phoenix was inaugurated by Albus Dumbledore at about the same time the Death Eaters started becoming an institution. Since I was extremely well trained in Occlumency, I became a chief operative in the spying ring set up against Voldemort. However, with time, I became increasingly involved, and while my loyalty never wavered, I was forced to join the Dark Side - much the same as my nephew did many years ago...I was doubted, persecuted, my family paid the ultimate price, but I stayed the course, because despite of the trials and difficulties, it was my only choice, if I was to contribute to bringing down this darkness."
"And Occlumency...you say you were a professor at Hogwarts, but how did blocking out people help in any way?" Hermione asked on her own turn.
"Well, quite simple, Miss..."
"Mrs. Potter," Hermione clarified.
"Well then, Mrs. Potter," he flicked his gaze momentarily at Harry before focusing back on Hermione. "The difference is that I had the ability to resist Voldemort, Dolohov and Lestrange, as capable a Legilimens each of them was, or is. This meant I was to prove myself with my actions and anything that was tried on me in terms of mind control, failed. Thus, I am not the most adored of the Death Eater bunch, but I am respected. On a side note, if it was not for me, the two gits you see sitting there - Nott and Avery - would now be long dead."
The two other Death Eaters in the room did not appreciate the qualification, but were forced to concede its correctness.
"I have paid a significant price for the cause of the Light," Snape went on, "and I intend to see that my sacrifice has not been in vain."
Another bout of silence fell over the crowd. This was completely unexpected, new, as if a godsend, if it was not a plot by Lestrange to find out the location of the Order's headquarters...
Harry broke the lull in the discussion. "You said you can help us bring Remus back. How would you do that?"
Demetris Snape only smiled once more. "I am an incredibly powerful Legilimens, Mr. Potter. While Dolohov or Lestrange may attempt to exploit the vulnerability in Miss Weasley, I have the ability to extend my power to protect her specifically."
"That is remarkable," Hermione breathed with fascination, "and incredibly rare too."
Draco stepped forward. "I have a question for you."
The old man looked at him expectantly. "Yes?"
"How can one kill a person from a distance, using the mind?" his voice was feverish. "If not Ginny, she could definitely target another member of the Order."
Demetris closed his eyes for a moment. "It is complicated, I will admit. Only a few can do it, but I'm not one of those people. Unfortunately, Bellatrix Lestrange possesses the ability. How it works, theoretically, is that once such a person gains access into one's mind, he or she can use the mental leverage to stimulate or repress certain bodily functions that can be combined to lead to fatality. As some of you may know, a highly experienced and knowledgeable Legilimens can control not only a person's actions, but also their body. Common means of murdering people in such a way are cardiac arrest, physical trauma, and rarely, but not impossibly, a wandless Avada Kedavra, channelled through the mental connection."
"But how is that even possible?" Draco was incredulous. An uneasy expectation had taken over the rest of the occupants. James and Madelyn, even if too young to grasp the importance of the situation, seemed to understand the negative gravity of what was being discussed.
"Nobody can ever know the bounds of magic, Master Malfoy," Demetris nodded gravely.
Of course, he was right. Now, a decision needed to be made - could they release this Death Eater, and as he had not lied about being part of the Order, permit him to join meetings and missions? And as a bonus, hope that no other Death Eaters experienced a change in morality and defected to the Light.
Harry motioned to Ron and Draco, as well as each of their better halves, to step aside to discuss this.
"Alright, so what do you guys think about him?" Ginny was first to open to deliberations.
"I say, give him a chance," Hermione proceeded to open the positive vote on her own turn.
"What if he turns to be a backstabber?" Draco voiced his concern. "I don't trust him."
"Yeah, but he is a confirmed Order member, even if we did not know about him," Ron put in.
"One of the founders," Luna commented.
"Not quite," Harry said, "but too close to make a difference on that count."
"Let's do this then," Luna suddenly took the word again. "We give him a chance to show his loyalties, and put a tail on him...the twins, for example."
"Hang on one moment," Hermione stopped them all. "I think Luna, Draco and Ginny should take over government for the time being, and use what we have found to engage in some public relations...give people some hope."
"What should we do?" Draco questioned her motives exactly.
"Well, provide any details we have uncovered to the Aurors investigating the attacks, and ask them if they have anything else in return. Magical Law Enforcement should increase patrols, investigate transactions...we don't want any known or suspected Death Eaters moving about unchecked...and as for the Minister, she should oversee everything...be a symbol for stability. And, Luna, if you stick around there, James and Madelyn will be safe as well, at least for the time being, before the Order becomes too dangerously involved."
Again, Hermione's brilliant thinking astounded the group. Positively, or negatively, they would individually judge, but one fact was undeniable - being caught up in the underground movement that was the Order meant not enough time was devoted to government, and the institutions were left to run themselves on previously provided instructions.
"Alright then," Ron took the word, "you three devote yourself to your offices for the next little while, while we head up affairs with the Order and manage our new old recruit."
"Any information we have to share has to happen in headquarters," Harry pointed out. "We don't know where and how many spies Lestrange has. Keeping in mind what she knows, it will be difficult to communicate outside of Grimmauld."
"But hang on one minute," Luna whispered. "Demetris Snape...how do we determine what to and what not to tell him. If he is a Death Eater, that means we have to provide information and vice versa, in order to keep Lestrange placated."
"Luna, leave that to us," Ron interjected a bit forcefully. "For now, take care of the Minister's post, ensure you have Aurors to protect you, and please, look after the children..." he finished, his voice cracking ever so slightly noticeably near the end.
His wife nodded in agreement, and without another word, retreated back to the living room.
"Draco, Ginny, you also know what to do...one of you has the case, the other trails Death Eaters...understood?"
They each affirmed their duties, and also returned to the living room.
"And we agree that we release Longhorn from the ropes, and entrust our safety in him," Ron continued reciting the results of their plans.
"We can release him," Harry objected, "but I won't trust him yet..."
"He worked with Dumbledore for a long time, Harry," Hermione observed. "That's enough reason right there."
Despite his doubts, Harry's mind edged in favour of the new, mysterious participant in the Order. "Fine. I'll give him a chance."
That was the only further approval needed, before the trio returned to the living room at last, and with one flick of his wand, Harry let the prisoner free.
"Excellent choice, Mr. Potter," Snape smiled. There was a small hint of that famous leer that still haunted Harry's memories...
"Well then," Harry replied, "you're again a part of the Order, Demetris...do not betray my trust, or anyone else's here."
"No need to worry, my friend," Longhorn bowed, "the moment I do that, I forsake my own existence along with everyone else's...tis not in my interest to do that."
Everyone fell silent again. Ron ignited the fireplace, which erupted in golden flames, and the weighty matter of bringing Remus back, with the hint of hope that the new stranger offered, suddenly seemed more within reach...
A/N Two chapters in one day...please leave a review. ;)
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