We let go of each other's hands as soon as we arrived in the middle of the forest and the air was thick with tension—instantly setting my nerves on edge.

     Scanning the distance I could make out the eerie stone circle with black-masked figures decorating it, and the words of my mother came rushing back into my mind, "If you misbehave again, I'll send your sorry ass to the Circle. They'll eat you alive boy!"

     "It's the Circle," Kia's worried tone unsettled me even more than I had been.

     Harry scrunched his face as if he'd licked a lemon, "What are they doing?"

     "Looks like there is a scuffle of some sort. It seems to me that the sparkly one in the middle playing ringmaster is who we want," The cowboy-hatted blonde nodded at the clearing.

     "I don't see any werewolves except the one in the ring. I'm guessing they are hanging back unless they are needed," Juniebee said as her mossy-brown haired head swiveled around like an owl.

     The cowboy sniffed the air, "Burke is gonna feel my wrath today."

     The minister's dark brown eyes snapped to the tall blonde, "No killing anyone, Markus."

     "I never said a word about death. Wrath comes in many forms, Minister. Let me tell you..."

     My eyes locked on Abdelaziz's brown ones and she shook her head in defeat. 

     "...or a toe—"

     "Spread out," I cut Markus off. "Eyes open for wolves and wait for my signal to grab the Grandmaster. We will only intervene if one of the New-majs lives are threatened, everyone else was stupid enough to voluntarily be here and needs to be brought before the Wizengamot for justice to be served."

     Everyone nodded in understanding before dispersing into the foliage.

     An image of Hermione choking while she was suspended inside the giant bubble suddenly haunted me, and I felt a jolt of fear run down my spine. I hated the idea of her being more than a few feet away from me, and there was a lot of foliage that blocked some of my ability to protect her.

     She's a brilliant witch! After thinking her father was killed but is now back in her reach, she'll be determined to kick some ass to save him. Now, you need to stay focused!

     She looked so fragile yet strong all at once. I couldn't stop myself from pulling my Little Witch back against me and possessing her strawberry lips with mine. 

     "Don't make me kill anyone for breathing near you," I whispered as I rested my forehead against hers for a moment.

     Her small hands cupped my face, "Better stay close then, Sev." She pecked my lips before wiggling out of my arms and moving off into the foliage. I moved to a location where I could see the majority of the figures in the circle and keep an eye on Kia.

     Greyback was there—looking more nervous than I'd ever seen—and I could feel my irritation at the fact that he'd lived, start to boil angrily in my veins. The masked, black-cloaked individuals stood silently and spectated as two New-Majs fought in a duel. Off to the side of the fight sat a dazed and unkempt, Wendell Granger.

     I watched Hermione's eyes grow wide in horror when landing on her father as he struggled to stand. When she started to make her way forward, I held my hand out—momentarily holding her in place with a spell—and spoke in her mind, "I know this is hard, but we need to wait for the right moment."

     Her upset watery brown eyes sought mine out before she huffed in defeat, knowing I was right and obviously hating it.

     "Enough!" A loud commanding voice boomed, and the colorful lights and noises from the spells being thrown in the circle ceased.

     The black and silver-clad Grandmaster turned to an injured and defeated, looking Greyback, "You've done well, and I will reward you. But first." The masked figure turned in my direction and seemed to be looking right into me, "Hello Severus. I was expecting you, I'm glad you didn't let me down."

     I felt myself deflate and wondered how it was even possible for her to know we arrived—we'd just gotten here, "I'll send you to the all-knowing Circle, boy!" Mothers voice rang in my mind again.

     I looked at Hermione and held my hand out to let her know to stay put. She nodded before I walked into the clearing.

     Greyback sputtered, "I took all the same precautions—there's no way I was followed." He'd walked close to the robed figure and was suddenly thrown back when he got within arm's length.

     "Why don't you come closer, darling. I'd love to get a better look at you."

     I stepped a few paces closer, but I didn't want any of her robed henchmen behind me. But not a single one of the twelve had made a move—as if they were statues.

     The figure took an eerily deep breath. The surrounding trees bent towards her and wind whipped past my ears. 

     "I can smell your fear, Severus." She tilted her head, "Maybe a familiar face to make you feel at ease?" She dug both hands into her hood and then slowly pulled them down in front of her, as she did black tar separated from her face and suddenly I was looking into the bright green eyes of Lily Potter.

     I almost cried out at the shock of seeing her looking so real in front of me, but clenched my jaw instead and hoped that Harry was handling this mockery better than I feared I was.

     "Isn't this better, Sev?" It was Lily's voice and sway of hips as she took several steps forward.

     I quirked my brow doing my best to look like I didn't give a damn, "You'll have to do better. Your own face perhaps?"

     "How about your other sweetheart...come on out Miss Granger." The bright green eyes looked in Kia's direction.

     How could she know about us already? Was I that obvious?

     Kia's light lily and strawberry scent tickled my nose as she came to stand at my side. 

     The horrifying memory of her choking in Australia suddenly gripped me, and I moved closer to her. I did not like this place; it was as if all the trees and the ground was watching my every move, could easily read all my thoughts and even trigger fear.

     "She is going to give you beautiful children, Severus. Brilliant ones no doubt, just like you always dreamt of having. Doesn't Hermione Prince-Snape sound tantalizing, my darling girl?" The hooded figure's laughter filled the air and ran chilling fingers down my spine.

     "Why would you care if we are together or not?" Hermione asked.

     "My interest in the betterment of wizardkind is all I care about."

     "Wizardkind? Not pure-blood?"

     "Both," fake Lily smiled.

     Kia's eye's moved to the New-maj's, and her body jerked in an irritated fashion as she shifted her weight, looking like she was doing her best not to say anything rude.

     The Grandmaster chuckled, "Due to bloodlines and very interesting genetics, together, your children will be stronger than either of you. I was fine with Ronald Weasley for you, my dear because your children would all be strong witches and wizards, but I never thought he'd keep your attention, and I was right. However, you falling for Severus made my involvement in who you ultimately marry unnecessary."

     "Pff," She scoffed while glancing at me before looking back at the leader. "You are delusional if you think you are the wizarding worlds matchmaker."

     "It was incredibly fortuitous that you happen to save your future husband's life, wasn't it?" 

     I'd had enough. "I take it you manipulating muggles with wizarding ancestry is how you plan to rule the world?" Disgust dripping from my every word, "Your own mindless worshipers, begging for magical abilities from the great Circle?"

     The Grandmaster's icy chuckle filled the air and making me shiver, "You see, you do understand our vision."

     "Pitiful," Kia growled too quiet for anyone but me to hear.

     "But we have chatted enough. Now, I know that there are more Ministry workers here and I've always wanted to meet the famous Harry Potter."

     The black-haired wizard stepped into the circle with his arms held out to show he wasn't looking for a fight, but he was armed with his wand.

     "Harry, you do have your mother's beautiful green eyes. And look at how you've filled out over the years into such a fine-looking specimen. No wonder Draco Malfoy has become blind by his feelings for you."

     Harry's angry eyes widened in surprise, "You know him personally?"

     Oh, Merlin! Don't tell me that Draco is somehow caught up in this.

     "No. But the Malfoy's are nearly as famous as you and the Daily Prophet or should I say, Rita Skeeter, does a good job at covering people's personal lives."

     Harry seemed to relax, and I felt better knowing the answer to that as well.

     "If I have to call out another name, I will start becoming unpleasant. And that wouldn't do, now would it?"

     As the four other Ministry workers moved in, I was doing my best to open this individuals mind and see all the answers, but she seemed to block all my attempts—giving me a headache in the process.

     Once everyone had gathered near the edge of the black stones I spoke, "Now that we are all here, I believe you are the Grandmaster...I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your real name."

     The figure chuckled, "Sorry, darling. It's just Grandmaster unless you're one of my Pets."

     "I've come for my father and the rest of the New-maj's," Hermione cut to the chase with hate heating her brown eyes and voice.

     "No. Wendell is not recovered yet."

     "I'll get him and the others the help they need."

     "They have what they need; food, shelter, and soon the ability to function as a magic bearer. Perfection takes time."

     "You can't justify giving them magic to replace their freewill. Look at my father," Her voice quivered, and I felt my blood pressure rising—knowing that she was suffering.

     "Wendell and Monica came willingly."

     I could feel Kia's horror coating my insides with disgust and fear. Her turmoil over pushing her parent's out of her life to keep them safe and realizing it was all for nothing. All that wasted time... 

     I mentally sent warm encouragement to Hermione, hoping to ease some of her pain.

     "They would never!"

     "Are you so sure?" Fake Lily's face smiled evilly. 

     Kia's volatile brown eyes looked at her father and then snapped back to the Grandmaster, "He doesn't know when to eat or even if he wants to. He couldn't have willingly chosen that!"

     "He will mend, in time, as the others have."

     "Others... How many people have you infected with your need to hold sway over everyone?"

     I was tired of this game, "It's time for you to come to the Ministry and tell everyone about your handiwork. We are even willing to give you private accommodations while you stay."

     "Oh, Severus, I always wished your mother had married a pure-blood instead of that piece of trash she ended up with. You'd have been one of my greatest treasures."

     "Considering the alternatives, I'm fine being a half-blood." The tension was thick enough to cut with a butter knife and quickly becoming unbearable. 

     "You are under arrest," Shaklebolt spoke up, irritation caused a sneer to sully his usual poker-faced facade.

     "Kingsley, I hope that you understand that it's not for you to tell me what to do. No one does."

     One second, I was raising my hands to somewhat nicely ask her to come along, and the next, she sent a powerful blast of fire at me. Before it connected, Kia set a shield in front of the two of us until it dissipated.

     I pulled my wand out and shook my head at the Grandmaster, "You should have come quietly."

     She chuckled before waving her arm in a circle around her. Pitch-black fog burst from her chest, filling the area, and making it impossible to see anything—including my hands.

     "I'm getting my father." Kia's words filled me with worry.

     I reached out to grab her, catching nothing but air, "I'm right behind you."

     "No, Severus, take care of Greyback and the Grandmaster. I will collect my father and the other New-maj's."

     "Ok." I thought it at her, "I—I can't lose you."

     Warmth filled me, and her voice spoke in my head, "You won't, Severus. Now kick that crazy witches ass!" 

     Chuckling, I quickly refocused as the black mist started dissipating, and flashes of light were filling up the sky from fights that had broken out everywhere. Harry was battling two hooded figures and at his back was Abdelaziz, who was fighting a werewolf with a magically conjured beast of her own.

     Looking to the Grandmaster's last location, I found myself staring into the hate-filled blue eyes of Greyback. A smile pulled at my lips as we squared off.

     "I think there is a time for everyone. And yours is over," Greyback barked at me.

     Staring at him, I thought how nice it would be to put him down like I thought I'd done before. "Your fur is a little singed."

     The werewolf cracked his knuckles, pulled out his wand, and smiled sadistically, "It looks like something you're going to pay for!"

     I blocked his first bolt and sent several back to him, measuring how well he was moving after my attack and how to use any of his disadvantages against him. "I didn't realize there was such a thing as a werewolf dry cleaners that can fix that kind of malady. However, I'm more than happy to increase the size of the bill before you go in for your appointment."

     He roared in anger as he tried to stun then disarm me, but I moved with ease out of his line of fire. He was bleeding from his thigh and looked tired, but determined to fight me.

     Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the Grandmaster making her way to Wendell Granger and Kia. My heart rate sped up. 

     Refocusing my efforts on stunning and binding the giant werewolf. I didn't have time to play around with Fenrir and enjoy this — especially since I was supposed to keep him alive — so I made quick work of subduing him by having him jump around to dodge a few poorly aimed bolts of lightning. 

     "Expelliarmus!" I yelled, knowing he'd successfully block it but immediately following, I sent a silent spell aimed at his injured leg and twisted my wand. It would feel like someone's finger was prodding inside his wounded thigh, and he grabbed futilely at the nonexistent object torturing him. Another silent disarming as well as summoning spell and Greybacks knobbed black-brown wand filled my empty hand.

     Flicking my wrist with my newest acquirement to see if it was loyal or if I'd snap it into pieces and forget it— the crackling of breaking timber filled the air. I silently gloated as branches from the nearby trees reached out and coiled around the werewolves appendages, holding him spread-eagle. With another wave of my hands, a compound bow with a silver arrow appeared in them.

     "You are lucky that Shacklebolt insists on you living out your days behind bars. Otherwise, you'd be dead."

     Releasing the string, a small smile pulled at my lips as he hollered in anger at the burn the wolfsbane dipped silver arrow was inflicting as it buried itself into his shoulder. Within moments, he quieted as the herb did its job, knocking him unconscious.

     A bright blue light shot out of nowhere, and a pained howl filled the air making the two wolves in my line of sight stop fighting with Juniebee and Kingsley.

     A long eerie howl filled the air, and I was momentarily blinded, but as my vision cleared, I watched in amazement as the wolves begin fighting against the dark-robed figures. 

     Dark red blood was splattered all over the ground below where Fenrir Greyback hung. He looked like a sacrificial lamb with his organs and guts slowly oozing out of him, his face frozen in a pained expression.

     Fuck!

     I took a quick breath to calm myself from being robbed of that privilege and scanned the area for my next mark.

     On the outskirts of the stone circle, Markus blocked a green flashing bolt that Burke threw. I watched as the cowboy's face flushed dark-rage-red and he sent a green bolt arcing into the werewolf who then dropped to the ground.

     Please tell me Markus didn't just kill him!

     Turning my head, I watched robed figures attacking Harry, who was no covering Kia as she slipped her father into her purple satchel.

     See Severus, she's just fine and Potters there. Now find that crazy bitch leader!

     "Mione, look out!" The familiar voice of Ron Weasley hollered from somewhere as I caught sight of a huge black-hooded figure rushing towards Hermione.

     Spinning around in surprise—hoping I was hallucinating—my eyes landed on the red-head gaining ground towards the large man. He knocked him sideways with a blast of air and then cast a snake-rope binder spell around his target. The newly bound figure immediately began struggling to break free as well as avoid the snapping jaws of the reptile.

     "Ron!? What are you doing here?" Harry yelled.

     "I had to help my friend in need. Sorry, it took me so long to do it."

     "It's about time, Ronald!" Kia chastised Weasley as she put her bag over her shoulder, and her eyes landed on me.

     The air sizzled, and suddenly, the people standing in the circle were trapped under a massive shimmering serving dish lid.

     "This can't be good," Weasley whined out at the same time I thought it.

     Yellow misty iridescence rays shot overhead towards the trio where Kia, blanketed them from the onslaught with several well-placed countercurses. I spun to find the offender and faced off with a black-clad figure and tied him in a binding spell before quickly looking back.

     "Weasley to your right!" I shouted as a small white wolf knocked down the offender I was warning him against before continuing to Ron's side.

     It can't be, she disappeared years ago...Labosca?

     I gave him a questioning look before he yelled, "Chiara, is with me. I'll explain later."

     Yep, same dog.

     "She's a...werewolf?" Kia asked skeptically as she swiveled her head around to scan the area.

     "There's another one!" Harry yelled, running off with the other two and wolf.

     "Yes, but she's good and—" Weasly was saying.

     A loud bang behind me pulled my attention away from the golden trio who continued on, and I found myself looking at the Grandmaster with lackeys on either side of her.

     Waving her hand, the air kicked up and howled through the trees, moving me towards the dark figures. I dug my feet into the ground, but the wind kept pushing me towards the trio, leaving tracks of my efforts in the upturned soil of my wake.

     Lily's beautiful face was twisted into an evil smile as she twitched her fingers and the two at her side changed their wands to scythes, making them look like Grim Reapers come to collect me. I sucked in a shocked breath as the masked faces shifted, and I was looking into the angry black eyes of my drunken parents.

      Suddenly I was seeing me through the Grandmaster's eyes and felt her erotically excited body as if it was my own— she very much enjoyed watching me squirm under her power.

     I was me once more—thank Merlin—and with both wands working in unison, I called the ground behind me to rise, making a wall to block the insistent air and my untimely demise.

     My reaper-parents charged as the Grandmaster sent a barrage of golfball-sized hail down upon me. Placing a heated shield above my head kept me from being knocked out, but then I saw both scythes sliced through the air, one at my neck and the other my knees.

     Shadow stepping several paces forward and abruptly turning on them. Throwing both arms out in a wide circle and bringing them both to my center, the two Reapers smashed together and sank to the ground. Petrifying them for good measure before scanning the area to find the Grandmaster moving towards Hermione, who was putting another New-maj in her bag.

     I called up a whirlwind to surround the hooded leader in an attempt to slow her movement towards Kia. 

     Another dark figure was running towards the golden trio. Potter threw a quick stunning bolt that he dodged followed by several more with the same effect before Labosca made the distance to him and pinned him on the ground. Her razor-sharp teeth pulled and snapped at the dark-clad persons face.

     Crackling filled the air, and I looked back to the Grandmaster. The air from the vortex I'd surrounded her in was freezing from the bottom up. The crunching and popping continued to get louder as the wind from my spell fought against hers.

     "Watch out!" Weasley yelled as he shoved Hermione on the ground and covered her with his body, just before the frozen monstrosity shattered and blew apart, sending jagged ice shards through the air.

     My shield was lowered as soon as the air was clear and locked eyes with fake Lily. I sent several disarming spells at the black and silver monstrosity to keep her busy as Weasley rolled to his feet and both he and Potter pulled Kia up to chase after another New-maj.

     Bright flashes of white-hot light sizzled the ground around me as I wrapped through the air—zagging and zigging to avoid death—as I gained ground to the Grandmaster.

     The pure hatred I felt towards this creature had engulfed me, shaking me to the core of my being and sizzled angrily through all my cells. I was done watching her toy with people's lives for her own entertainment—especially the life of the woman I love.

     "Ja-mirotha!"

     Bright liquid mercury burst forth from the tip of my wand, flooding the ground to be quickly absorbed. Within moments, the earth under the Grandmaster seemed to vibrate for a few seconds and suddenly stop. She cackled loudly at my attempt as she threw a hot-white lightning bolt my way and went to move her feet.

     "What!?" She wiggled around without successfully moving an inch. Lifting the hem of her robe to find her feet encapsulated within the mirror-like substance, she began trying to get free with several unspoken spells. I took a few steps closer and watched her head whipped around looking for help from one of her Pets, but none were within eyesight.

     I felt a smug smile tug the corners of my mouth and held my hand palm-up in the ringleader's direction.

     She stopped struggling, stood upright, and looked directly at me with her stolen bright green eyes and long red hair, "The Circle, will continue—as it always has."

     "We shall see." I closed my flattened hand, and the mercury laying in wait for my command burst from the dirt in the shape of my enlarged fingers.

     As my fingertips touched the silvery mass enclosed her within and morphed into a sphere, where her encapsulated figure struggled in vain, unable to see anything but herself inside the one way mirrored orb and her useless attempts at escaping my cage. 

     Closing my hand into a light fist, the ball shrank until it was baseball-sized. The temptation to squeeze the bitch responsible for all of this out of existence was so palpable that I shook with the desire to do it.

     Breathe-in, one... two... three.

     With a twitch of my fingers, the ball flew to lay in my palm. The dome encasing us slowly vanished, and everyone not captured rose into the sky and disappeared.

     Breath-out, one... two... three.

     "Severus!" Hermione ran to me, leaped into my arms, and kissed me. Holding her close calmed my nerves, knowing that she's safe.

     Breathe-in, one... two... three.

     "Snape!" The sad-faced redhead stood up tall and looked me in the eye, "Take the best of care with her." I gave him a small nod before he apparated away with Labosca.

     When I looked back at Kia, I felt like I was drowning in her velvet-brown eyes, "Always."

     Breathe-out, one... two... three.