Well, this was stupid.

In the darkness, the branches looked like claws. Reaching for him. The wind was nothing more than a whisper of his own demise. What the hell had he been thinking when he'd asked for this meeting? Wasn't it he who had foolishly been caught eavesdropping at that door? It was he who had overheard that half of the prophecy. He who had told The Dark Lord of its contents. He who sent his master after the Potters. Why did he ever think contacting Albus Dumbledore ─ leader of the Order of Phoenix, most powerful wizard of his age, and the only one in the entire world the Dark Lord feared ─ was a good idea? He wouldn't take pity on him. It wouldn't matter that Severus was once his student. He's one of them now. That's enough to ignite detestation.

He'd read accounts on what Dumbledore had done to Grindelwald during that infamous battle of theirs. If he could do that to a world renowned despot what chance did Severus have of leaving this meeting alive?

His own, shallow breathing could only just be heard over the whistle of the wind. He clutched his wand. It was not much for comfort. Severus was going to die on this hill top.

Where is he... ?

Severus turned. The only noise was the wind. No movement, save for the branches in the distance. Was he coming? Perhaps, he had decided Severus was beneath him and that he shouldn't waste his time with the likes of him? But surely, he'd at least want to hear what he had to say? Severus wasn't sure which scenario unnerved him more. Facing his old headmaster or the consequences of what would happen should he fail to show.

A flash of white light. Severus' wand soared from his hand. Fuck. He dropped to his knees. "Don't kill me!"

"That was not my intention."

Severus had not heard him Apparate over the wind and rustling branches. He had not seen him approach. Now, Albus Dumbledore stood over him, shadows cast over his face, illuminated only by the light cast from his wand. His eyes were narrowed. Not at all ditzy or oblivious the way they had been in school. With his robes billowing behind him, he looked quite dangerous. In that moment he was not a delirious headmaster but a fierce soldier. A general to an army. And Severus was the enemy.

But his wand was still. For the moment.

Dumbledore's proclamation meant nothing. His intentions in disarming him were meaningless. This conversation could only end in one way.

But the wand was still.

"Well, Severus?" He wasn't sure what to make of the headmaster's tone. Standoffish, perhaps. Like he's already made up his mind before he'd come. Whatever Severus said, whatever he asked, the answer would be no. "What message does Lord Voldemort have for me?" That was one stark contrast between Albus Dumbledore and the common wizard. He was not afraid to speak the Dark Lord's name. Even his followers, the Death Eaters, feared it. This fact only made him all the more mad, all the more dangerous. It proved further that this had not been a good idea. But it was too late to turn back now.

The wand was still.

Severus didn't realize he was ringing his own hands. He must have looked pathetic... Or perhaps a bit mad. Perhaps, he was mad, coming here. "No ─ no message ─ I'm here on my own account..." His hair was in his face now. It was difficult, shouting over the wind. "I ─ come with a warning ─ no, a request ─ please ─ "

Dumbledore flicked his wand.

Severus flinched. But he didn't kill him. Not yet. He only made it silent, though the wind was still blowing. "What request could a Death Eater make of me?" His voice was cold, harsher than the wind.

He fumbled on the words, hoping they wouldn't be what made Dumbledore change his mind about killing him. "The ─ the prophecy... the prediction... Trelawney..."

"Ah, yes." Dumbledore sounded less than enthused.

Severus watched his wand. It was still... For now.

"How much did you relay to Lord Voldemort?"

"Everything ─ everything I heard." Severus winced as the headmaster scoffed. This information would surely not help his case... "That is why ─ It is for that reason ─ he thinks it means Lily Evans!"

There was almost a hint of amusement here. Was he getting a laugh out of Severus' useless stuttering? "The prophecy did not refer to a woman. It spoke of a boy, born at the end of July ─ "

"You know what I mean!" Severus was getting agitated. His own tongue betraying him. Dumbledore's wand yet to move again. "He thinks it's her son! He is going to hunt her down ─ kill them all!"

Dumbledore stared at him, unmoving. "If she means so much to you surely Lord Voldemort will spare her?" He knew. "Could you not ask for mercy for the mother in exchange for the son?" He knew about that.

"I have ─ I have asked him ─ " But he knew that. Still, it had not been the correct response.

The wand moved a little. A small twitch.

"You disgust me." The words were nothing new to Severus, but something about his old headmaster towering over him... The wind billowing... The shadows shaping his form... He looked dangerous. Murderous. "You do not care, then, about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die, as long as you have what you want?"

The wand twitched again. One proper motion, one flick, one swift wave. That's all it would take.

Severus shrank back. It took several moments before he could find his voice again. "No ─ no, I want you to hide them all. Protect them. Please..." Begging was unbecoming, but it was all he had left. On his hands and knees. He needed this to work. Needed her safe, safe with her family, even if it meant risking everything. Even if it meant losing his own life in return.

Silence. He could not read his old headmaster's expression as he stood over him, contemplating the request. Surely, he wouldn't let the Potters die? He cared for them as well ─ didn't he? They were in his Order after all. But Dumbeldore remains silent for far too long. For a moment, Severus thought he wouldn't say anything. He'd let the Dark Lord kill them, just to spite him. To let the guilt fester inside Severus for the rest of his miserable days.

The wand lowered. Only an inch or two. But it's enough.

"And what will you give me in return, Severus?"

Severus gaped at him. "In ─ in return?" He should have seen that coming. Dumbledore was not stupid; he would be remiss if he did not use this moment to con something out of Severus. If he couldn't turn the tables. Gain the upper hand by using one of the Dark Lord's own against him. Some might say it was out of self preservation, that he was just desperate to save his own skin, and perhaps in part it was ─ though knew if he had been caught by the Dark Lord He would not hesitate to kill him, he would not allow him to beg for mercy the way Dumbledore did. In many ways agreeing only put a target on his back, but then again it didn't much matter, did it? Yes, Severus was quite desperate, indeed, but he was not desperate to save himself.

If only it hadn't taken this for him to realize his mistakes...

"Anything."

"If I asked you to relay information about Lord Voldemort's plans to me, you would comply?"

"Yes." Severus answered before he even really registered the question, before he puts together just what Dumbledore was suggesting. The thought of how stupid and dangerous it was only briefly crossed his mind. If he were found out... Well, it went against everything he was supposed to believe in, everything that had brought him to the Death Eaters in the first place, but if it was for her... then yes. For her, the answer would always be yes.

"If I asked you to lie for me? Or put yourself in mortal danger?"

This was a test. To see if he would -- to see how much he actually gave a damn. But it doesn't matter, even if Dumbledore wasn't pushing to see how far Severus was willing to go, not for him but for his old friend (his old friend he had so long ago pushed away, right into the arms of the person he hated the most), the answer would still be, "Yes."

At this, the atmosphere changed, almost immediately. Dumbledore smiled, returning once more to the ditzy headmaster he had always been. (In his own private thoughts, Severus wondered which was the truth and which was the act -- the airy man or the wise old soldier? Or perhaps they were both the truth? Or both lies?) "Very well. I will see to it myself that the Potters are safely hidden. Thank you for the information, Severus."

The wand was placed inside Dumbledore's robes.

He folded his hands into the sleeves of his robes, turned to go. Severus, upon realizing he was still on his knees, slowly rose to his feet. "There -- There is something else..." This should have been the easy part, he should have felt better after Dumbledore agreed to hide the Potters, but his nerves are still lingering.

"Oh?" Dumbledore stopped, looked at Severus from over his shoulder. There was no longer any malice; he seemed to be convinced, despite their conversation of being a very short one, that they were on the same side now. They were, of course, but it was still disgruntling, how fast his demeanour had changed. Severus couldn't help wondering if it would change again just as quick once he heard this news.

"A -- a girl," Severus started. It had only been an hour or so ago, just before he'd come here, that his fellow Death Eaters had shown up at his doorstep, dangling the tiniest person Severus had ever seen from her ankles. They'd laughed at the shrieking thing, boasted about the way they'd slaughtered her parents -- because of course they had decided to have some fun with it. After all, they were winning thus far, and why shouldn't they? That was their logic. They wanted to kill the child as well, though he might like to join in on the entertainment. But for some unfathomable reason Severus couldn't bring himself to harm the horrendous thing, something about how small she was, the way she was already so still when she had finally stopped wailing. It was disgusting. "A muggle girl, not even a year old yet. They've murdered her parents. I was meant to dispose of her as well, but --"

"Why, Severus," there was an annoying amount of amusement in his old headmaster's voice here, "do you have a soft spot for children?"

Severus grunted, "Hardly."

"But you feel pity for this one?" He didn't respond, but Dumbledore seemed satisfied all the same. Severus thought he might prefer the hardened soldiery to the ditzy airhead. "What would you have me do with the girl, then, Severus? Find her a new home, I suppose?" The older man smiled again, as if all were right with the world, as if they weren't at the peak of a war. "I am sure she must have grandparents, or even an aunt and uncle."

"Well, she can't stay in my house," Severus said. "She makes too much noise." There was also the fact that he had no idea what he was supposed to do with her.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, momentarily losing the oblivious mannerisms. "Did you leave her alone? Severus, you cannot leave infants unattended."

"How am I supposed to know that?" he grumbled.

Dumbledore sighed. "Alright, Severus. I will look into it for you, though it might help if I knew the family name?"

It took Severus a moment to recall if any of the other Death Eaters had let a name (as if they even cared what their victims were called, so long as they got their laughs from it) slip when they were telling him about their grand old time killing the muggles. Fortunately, one of them had gotten a name from the side of their mailbox. A mere accident, no doubt, but fortunate nonetheless, "Tuffin."

"Very well. I will send an owl as soon as I know something." He gave one more smile. "Have a pleasant evening, Severus." Then, he turned once more to leave.

"Wait!" Severus called, a thought coming to him. "What am I supposed to do with her until --" But he was already gone.