"You play a very mean hand of cards, Mum."

"Do you expect to go easy on you just because you're my son?" Dora looked up over the fanned cards in her hand. Her eyes sparkled, teasing. "If you wish to win, you'll have to get better at the game."

Sirius grinned and used his hands to tighten the knot of his legs as he sat on the foot end of the bed in Dora's hospital room. On her lap, they'd balanced a tray and on the tray were piles of Bertie Bott's Cherry Flavor Beans and muggle caramels, the pot they'd built up. Sirius dropped card and drew another, slipping it into his hand and looking over what he'd done. Dora dropped two cards and took two cards. A smile spread over her face.

Sirius eyed her confidence warily, then looked back at his own cards and reached into his pocket. "Alright, I've got... half a bar of Forbidden Fudge," he tossed that onto the pile of the beans and caramels.

"Two jelly slugs sees your Forbidden Fudge and I raise you five sickles," Dora countered, tossing her coins onto the pile.

Sirius dug in his pocket again and withdrew a palm full of loose change, shaking his hand out and pushing through the coins as he mused, "Let's see here... Here we are... One... two... three - oh not a sickle..." His hand darted out to pluck up the funny coin shaped piece he'd just tossed onto the pile. "Four... five sickles and I'll see you... one - two --"

Dora's eyebrows had come together. "Where did you get that vault key?"

"Huh?" Sirius looked up.

"That vault key you've got there. You ought not to hide it among change like that, it's too easy to make a mistake like what you've just nearly done, sweet heart."

Sirius looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"Your vault key." She reached across and plucked the funny looking coin from Sirius's palm.

It was a funny, flat little coin sort of thing - some sort of metal, with blunt, jaggedy teeth 'round the outside edge and pieces cut out of it in the middle that looked like a flower. It was very, very plain other than that, and barely bigger than a sickle. The only writing on it was engraved 'round the center hole of the flower in teeny tiny little letters that were quite illegible and could not be read - nearly worn flat over time. It was clearly very, very old.

He looked at it, then up at her, confused. "Vault key? What are you on about, woman? That's not a key."

"It is!" she argued. "See here, look." She held it pinched between two fingers, "It's a cog - machinery - see the teeth here?"

Sirius blinked. Now that she'd said it, he could see it obvious as anything that it was a cog, though he'd had that thing stuck in his pocket for nearly as long as he could remember. He stared at it in disbelief.

"These letters," she said, pointing, "They're not really legible on this piece but they spell out Gringott's and likely a vault number. This piece is so old, though, it's worn off. Surely the Goblins would recognize it, however. It would only fit one vault, after all." Dora paused, then her eyes travelled up to Sirius, who was still staring at the coin. "Back in the old days, the vault mechanics were made using very old muggle technology, like a bank vault, but the goblins made each one uniquely intricate with different sorts of cogs so that each one is entirely unique. The owners of the vaults were given one piece which, without it, the vault could not be opened. So long as the owner has the cog, they can present it and the vault could be opened. These sorts of vaults are primarily used for discreet transfers, untraceable exchanges of money from one wizard to another when they don't wish to have any sort of paper trail. After all, moneys and treasures can be stored by whoever has the cog and the cog can be handed off to another and no questions are asked or records kept regarding the holder of the cog or the contents of the vault."

Sirius stared at the cog - a faint echo of memories played in his mind.

"Where did you get it?" She handed it back to him and he turned it over in his palm.

"Uncle Alphard," Sirius said. "He gave it to me... secretly."

"He didn't tell you what it was?" Dora asked.

Sirius shook his head. "He only had a passing moment. We were at the World Cup, on the stairs, and Father didn't approve of Alphard... he'd - there was a - a fight the night before." Sirius paused, frowning, biting his lip, echoes of that night playing back in his mind. "He met my eyes and pressed this into my hand and just... kept walking. That was the last time I saw him." He stared at the cog in his palm, turned it over once more.

Dora studied Sirius, watching how he touched the cog so gently, the way his eyes stayed carefully diverted from hers. "Sirius," she said.

"Yes?"

"Alphard would have been very, very proud of you."

Sirius's eyes lifted to meet hers.

"He must have been already if he gave that to you. And I think that first thing tomorrow you ought to go right down to Diagon Alley and see what is in that vault."

"You really think he was proud of me?"

Dora reached out and put her palm on his cheek, her thumb brushing his skin gently. He flinched at the initial touch, then calmed, melting into it a bit, his head sinking to press more fully against her hand, and, after a moment, he even dared to close his eyes, just relishing the feeling of such a gentle caress.

"I think it would be so very hard to know you and not be proud of you, Sirius," she said.

They sat like that for several moments, Sirius clutching the vault key and Dora cupping his cheek, brushing his skin, his senses focused on the love of that touch.

"Now," she said softly after a few minutes, "Are we going to finish this card game so I can kick your arse or is your hand so bad that this whole thing was a rouse to avoid losing?"

Sirius opened his eyes, a grin spreading across his face, "I saw your five sickles and I raise you one chocolate frog."

"Hmm... you must be confident in your hand," Dora smirked. "But I'll see your chocolate frog and I'm going to call you with a roast!"

"A roast!" Sirius said, "I can't see a roast, I can barely cook toast."

"Let's see your hand, Dr. Seuss," Dora teased, grinning.

Sirius groaned when they'd revealed their cards and Dora had won by far. She was pulling all the sweets to her side of the tray with a grin, "Don't worry, lovey," she said, patting his knee, "One day you'll beat me. Maybe."

Severus Snape was sitting in his booth once again, a glass of water before him, his eyes darting about the room nervously. Lily Evans's visit to Spinner's End earlier that evening had set him on edge. If Lily knew occlumency then she could be anywhere - any one of the people in this room. His eyes moved from one person to the next, wondering, watching for mannerisms that might be subconsciously performed - things that perhaps she wouldn't think to cover up, things that would give her away... that only he would recognize about her...

But none of the people in the room were doing the tells that would alert him to her and he hadn't heard so much as a tremor of her mind amongst those there.

At the bar, Antonin Dolohov was sipping his vodka, awaiting the arrival of Matija Blagojevic. Severus was supposed to be listening for the vampire and his body guard - supposed to be listening for any thoughts that might alert them to subterfuge or attack, for anything less than fealty to the Dark Lord, but he couldn't concentrate on the work they were there to do - and Blagojevic hadn't yet entered the pub yet.

And then - then he did hear Lily's mind.

Severus looked up, his eyes flashing 'round the room and finally zeroing in on a figure by the door and his heart nearly stopped.

It couldn't be.

He stared at Matija Blagojevic and watched as the tall, skinny man moved across the room... how he hovered awkwardly at the edge of the crowd, looking around as though unsure what he was doing there... and then he bit the corner of his lip. Ever so slightly. But just enough that Severus did, indeed, recognize the action.

Coupled with Lily's thoughts - turning over her options at trying to figure out who Blagojevic was meant to talk to in the room - and Severus was certain.

He pushed out of the booth, glancing at Dolohov, who was busy requesting another glass of his drink. The last thing he wanted was Dolohov turning 'round and seeing Blagojevic - who Snape was positive was actually Lily Evans. He moved quickly through the bodies that crowded the pub, approaching the fake Blagojevic and grabbing onto his elbow firmly.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"What do you mean what am I doing?" Blagojevic asked, his accent thick.

"Lily, I know it's you," Severus said.

"I don't know what you speak of."

"You... are not as good at... occulemency... as you think, Lily," Snape said. He held Blagojevic's arm tighter. "Are you mad? The true Blagojevic will be here... any moment... and then what? Do you think he will have mercy on you when he sees you impersonating him?"

"I am sure that he will not," Blagojevic-Lily murmured. Then, "I guess it's a good thing I have someone who will be able to tell me if the true Blagojevic enters the pub, if I'm in danger... isn't it?" And Blagojevic-Lily wrenched her elbow from Severus Snape's grasp and pushed 'round him into the crowd. She was walking toward Dolohov. Severus rushed after her, solely focused on her, and he nearly ran right into --

Another Blagojevic.

Severus stared in shock and would have thought for sure this was the true Blagojevic until he was suddenly aware of James Potter's mind.

Blagojevic grinned at him. "Alright, Severus?" he asked, the phrase sounding weird in the slavic accent.

"How dare you let her -- make her -- step into such a dangerous job as this, you filthy --"

"Let her Make her?" Blagojevic-James laughed, "You think I have any form of control over Evans, do you, Snape? Have you met Lily? Nobody has control on her except for herself." He patted Severus's arm. "Come now, Snape... Surely you know that about Lily, given how long you've known her."

Snape hissed and he shoved 'round James, reaching for Blagojevic-Lily's arm, but missing as the crowd got in the way, and Blagojevic-Lily was there at the bar, sliding into the seat beside Dolohov, and Snape felt his stomach turn with nervousness.

If she was found out...

But even as he stalked toward the bar - he slowed because Lily's mind wasn't coming from the Blagojevic at the bar.... but a third one who had seemed to simply materialize in the crowd so that now there were three of the vampire, and his heart thudded.

She was playing tricks on him. She was moving around the room, switching places with other duplicates of the vampire. How many were there? And what if the true Blagojevic showed up? What were they trying to get? To do?

Lily's mind echoed in his own, moving constantly in circles 'round him as the two Blagojevics in the crowd moved throughout the room, ducking and weaving amongst one another confusing him, keeping him guessing which was Lily... or perhaps she was the one at the bar? he couldn't tell. Which one was the one to protect?

He was stumbling, trying to keep track of each of them, trying to hear their minds, and he got echoes - flashes of James Potter - flashes of Lily Evans - and another girl - another man - and a third man, too, but the other two men were fainter than James, Lily, or the girl - was that Alice Longbottom? - and Snape wasn't sure who was which - there were five Blagojevics now, all in the pub's crowd, one at the bar and the others circling the room... stirring... mixing Snape up more and more so that he was becoming agitated and a slight sweat broke out on his forehead.

Suddenly, there was a commotion at the bar.

Dolohov had grabbed hold of the neck of the Blagojevic to which he spoke currently and slammed the man's head to the counter, wand to his temple. People were shouting, rushing from the pub, the bar tender's eyes as wide. Dolohov's fingers gripped tight and Snape heard Lily's mind panic and he rushed forward, certain the Blagojevic at the bar was her.

"What are you doing?" Snape demanded as he approached Dolohov and Blagojevic. Dolohov had his fingers tight round the neck and pain registered on Blagojevic's face. "Release him, you fool."

Dolohov did not release the neck of the Blagojevic he had pinned to the pub counter. He squeezed all the harder, actually. He looked up at Snape, "This is an imposter - is it not?"

Lily's mind was racing with pain and surprise, Severus could feel it, and he panicked...

"Confirm it, Snape, and I'll bleedin' twist his neck and tear his head apart from his body, right here and now," Dolohov hissed.

Snape had a split second to decide what to do.

A split second to choose between the truth and protecting Lily.

It wasn't even a choice.

He could take no chances.

Not with Lily.

"Unhand him!" Severus blurted, "That's no imposter! Are you an idiot, Dolohov? What will the Dark Lord say when he hears that you assaulted Mr. Blagojevic?" He reached forward and pushed Dolohov in the chest, forcing him back a step, releasing this particular Blagojevic from his grip.