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Well..." said Zelda brightly, studying two wizards who avoided looking at each other as they silently ate their breakfast. "It's obvious that you two have much to say to each other, but in the interest of healthy digestion, let's forego the drama and have a pleasant meal, shall we?" Her blue eyes moved innocently from one to the other, until Severus nodded curtly and Harry relaxed enough to grin sheepishly at her.

They ate in silence, for a few minutes, but Zelda could never refrain from asking questions, it seemed. "Harry," she said, "Severus told me that you grew up with relatives who are Muggles. Did you know you were a wizard when you were small?"

"I didn't know anything," Harry answered honestly. "I thought I was crazy, or some kind of freak. Weird things happened, like when my aunt got so tired of my hair sticking up, she cut it almost all off, except a long chunk to cover my scar," he said. "She said my scar was hideous. I was scared, because I knew I'd get it at school when people saw me, but the next morning when I got up my hair looked like it always did."

Zelda frowned; her lips were pressed tight together, Harry noticed, like Mrs. Weasley when she didn't want to criticize someone. He hastened to think of a happier episode of childhood magic, and told her about the time Dudley and his gang chased him, and somehow he escaped and ended up on the roof of the school. She smiled at that, to his relief.

"But the most amazing time," Harry continued, "was when I went to the zoo on my cousin's birthday, and there was this huge boa constrictor. Dudley kept pounding on the glass, trying to make it pay attention to him, and after Dudley went away," said Harry, his green eyes sparkling, "I said something like "sorry, mate" and I didn't know then that I'm a Parselmouth, and it talked to me. But Dudley came back and he was leaning on the glass and yelling for Uncle Vernon, and then the glass just disappeared. He fell into the snake exhibit, and the snake got out and told me it was going to Brazil."

Zelda stared at him, wide-eyed, "That's awesome, Harry. I hope the snake made it. Does 'Parselmouth' mean you can talk to snakes?" she asked. "That's incredible!"

"Yeah," he replied, "It's okay now, but when people thought I was the Heir of Salazar Slytherin in my second year, it wasn't so great. But it wasn't me, it was Voldemort, I mean Tom Riddle, who became Voldemort, who set the basilisk loose in Hogwarts. In fact, he's the reason... because of the curse..." He grew quiet, wilting under the icy warning glance Snape shot at him across the table. The release of talking to this sympathetic woman had brought him to a subject he didn't discuss.

"I'm sorry, Harry," said Zelda, who watched his face change as he spoke. "You've entertained this nosy Muggle long enough. Please finish your breakfast, if it's not too cold."

Severus had sat silent, listening as Zelda charmed Harry Potter into chattering happily about what must have been a wretched childhood. He'd had no idea that the famous Harry Potter was not a pampered little prince like his father... until those disastrous Occlumency lessons two years ago. Now hearing first hand details of growing up bullied by bigoted Muggles, he felt somewhat ill. The boy was burdened with facing the Dark Lord, and even without Dumbledore's plan, he now felt a reluctant obligation to help the boy. Also, watching Zelda, he saw resignedly that, already she cared about the pestilent brat.

As though she could feel his eyes on her, she turned to Severus with a loving smile. "Consider yourself kissed, dear boy," her amused voice said in his mind. He was stunned. He stared into her bright eyes, and thought, "That was Legilimency, Zelda. How did you do it?"

She smiled and blew him a kiss, as Harry, fascinated, watched the two of them closely. She said, "There's a lot to do today, but you and Harry have things to discuss, Sev. If you need me to referee I'll do it, or if you'd rather talk alone that's fine." She stood and began to gather the empty dishes, heading for the sink.

Severus looked at Harry, and in a low voice, said, "Well? It is your choice, Potter."

Harry looked over to where Zelda had busied herself with running water and suds. If she'd helped Snape turn human in a matter of a few days, he thought, then maybe he wanted her help. He wondered briefly if she was a Death Eater in disguise or something, and this was all an evil trap set by Snape, but he had to dismiss the idea. Her open attitude and ordinariness reassured him, and the sight of Professor Snape in a loud colored Hawaiian shirt made him believe in Zelda's strange power. He nodded warily to Snape. "I'd like her to stay."

"Zelda, will you join us, my girl? The dishes can wait," Severus said, relieved. This would be difficult, he knew... and he felt that she would help him to get through it. She sat down next to him and he took her hand and held it under the table. He felt her leg press firmly against his, and the comfort that it gave him was indescribable. Turned back to Potter, he said, "What do you wish to ask me?"

The question that had been going round and around in Harry's mind for days burst out of him. "Why did you do it?" he asked bitterly, "Why did you kill Professor Dumbledore?"

"He told me to do it," Severus said in a low voice, though sternly meeting Harry's eyes. "He had been gradually dying ever since he destroyed the ring Horcrux. It had almost killed him that day, and it had left his wand hand dead. It was the worst curse I had ever seen. It took me a long time to brew the healing potion that saved him. It was not an antidote to the curse, but it slowed the progress of it and gave him more time," he said. "When he knew that he was dying, the Headmaster asked me to promise that if it became necessary, I would kill him. At the time it was the logical thing to agree to, but..." He couldn't finish, too much grief was starting to resurface... and he did not want to break down in front of Potter. Severus clamped his lips tightly together, and squeezed Zelda's hand... hard. She put her other hand over his and held it gently, until he realized what he was doing and relaxed his grip.

"He told you about the Horcruxes?" Harry asked, surprised. "He told me not to tell anyone."

"Of course he told me," Severus replied icily. "In fact, I was waiting for you to get back with him that night... when it all went wrong." His eyes fell, and he drew a deep, shuddering breath. "I wanted to go with him, I knew it was near the end of his time... but he assured me that he could manage it with your help, Potter," he said, "He did not believe that Draco Malfoy was a real threat, and I allowed myself to believe it, although I was afraid for him."

Harry was thinking furiously. After hating Snape for so long and blaming him for what happened to Sirius... could he have been wrong? He heard Dumbledore's voice in his head, "I trust Severus Snape". Looking across the table to where Snape sat, Harry saw a wizard wearing a ridiculous Muggle shirt, receiving reassurance from a Muggle woman as though he were a lost child. Had killing Dumbledore changed him so much? Or... had he ever really known who Snape was?

Zelda's voice broke the silence. "Harry, will you tell Severus what happened when you went with Professor Dumbledore that night?" She asked, "He said that Dumbledore seemed very weak in the tower."

Harry told them about the cavern, the underground lake with the Inferi in it, and the tiny island. When he described the stone basin with the glowing green potion, Severus sat up straighter and listened carefully. As Harry described his promise to force Dumbledore to drink the green potion, and Dumbledore's reaction as he drank it, Severus grew pale and tense. When Harry finished, there was silence.

"How did you get away from the cavern?" Severus asked in a low voice.

"Professor Dumbledore conjured fire, and kept the Inferi from attacking us. After we got back to the shore, I apparated us both back to Hogsmeade. Madam Rosmerta came to tell us about the Dark Mark." Harry shivered. "She was under the Imperius Curse, did you know? She was the one who gave Katie the necklace. When we got to the Astronomy Tower," he said, "Professor Dumbledore asked me to get you... but then he immobilized me when Malfoy came in."

"You were wearing your cloak, so then you must have witnessed everything," Severus replied harshly.

"Yes," Harry said.

"Did Draco Malfoy really refuse to do it?" Severus asked, "And what did he say?"

"Voldemort threatened to kill his parents if he didn't kill Dumbledore," said Harry. "He put Madam Rosmerta under the Imperius Curse, and he said that you..." he looked closely at Severus "...tried to help him, but he refused to share the glory with you."

Severus rubbed his head irritably; it was throbbing again like it had right after Bellatrix's attack. "I tried to discover what he was doing and I failed," he said bitterly. "Potter, tell me what happened afterward. Is the Order organized? Was anyone injured or killed?"

"Bill Weasley was attacked by Greyback, his face was chewed almost to pieces, but since Greyback wasn't transformed he isn't really a werewolf," Harry replied grimly. "And the Order, it's like they're all in shock without Dumbledore. The funeral..." Severus squeezed Zelda's hand again. "It was yesterday," said Harry. "Rufus Scrimgeour was there. I don't know if anyone has a clue what to do now."

Severus groaned. He wondered if anything could be worse, but of course there would be plenty of opportunity for things to get worse. He could do nothing... he was totally discredited, no one would listen to him, and if he went back, his job was to have been to stay near the Dark Lord. His head throbbed powerfully, and his neck hurt. It took several seconds before he realized that Zelda had spoken to him.

"Severus, that's enough for now. Come with me," she said, firmly pulling him to his feet. "Harry, I'll be right back, please wait for me."

Zelda led Severus back to the bedroom, took off the Hawaiian shirt, and the jeans and forced him to lie down. She tucked the comforter around him and said, "Sleep, dear boy. I'll come back very soon." She looked back as she closed the door, and his hopeless, empty expression wrung her heart.

Harry still sat at the table, looking defeated and confused. "Would you mind helping me with the dishes, Harry?" she asked as she re-entered the kitchen. "If you'll wash, I'll dry and put them away."

Harry went to the sink without speaking and automatically began to wash the dishes.

"I'm sorry about the Muggle chores, Harry. I suppose magic makes these things easier," she said as she watched the warm dishwater start to relax him, and smiled to herself.

"No, it's fine," he said distractedly. "My aunt always made me wash the dishes, so I don't mind."

"Harry," Zelda said, "Severus is suffering from concussion, and he really won't be fully healed for weeks," adding, "He's recovering amazingly, he's very strong... but if he's not careful, he'll break down. Is there anything I can do to make this easier for you?"

Harry stared at her, seeing a woman about the age of Mrs. Weasley, trying to imagine how she could be involved with Professor Snape. "Would you mind telling me what's going on?" he demanded. "How did he get here? And who are you, Zelda? Are you really a Muggle?"

Zelda sighed, exhausted by the painful talk and the emotional intensity she had witnessed. "Severus should tell you his own story, but he can't do it now, and you need to know. First, I'm really a Muggle, Harry. I didn't know until now that magic is real," She looked warily at him. "Before I tell you everything, what are you going to do about Severus? I'd also like to know how you found him - and if you were followed... but you asked first, so I'll wait."

Harry said slowly, "I don't know what I'll do, Zelda. It depends on what the real story is. He seems different than I always thought, and if he really isn't a Death Eater... I dunno," he said, "I'm tired. I'm not about to do anything right now."

Blue eyes met green eyes, and her steady gaze reassured Harry. Drying the last plate, she said "Sit down, Harry. Do you know a woman called Bellatrix Lestrange?" she asked, and then told him how she had found Severus, telling Harry also what he had told her had happened. It seemed to take a long time, and when she finished she sat quietly, waiting to hear his response.

"So that's what the bandage on his arm is for..." Harry mused. "Voldemort can't send for him any more. And he's not a..."

"He's not," Zelda said flatly. "Harry, I believe Albus Dumbledore was the only person Severus trusted, and who trusted Severus in return. Why do you think that twisted woman had such an easy time of it? He did what Dumbledore asked of him, killed his only friend in front of a roomful of witnesses, knowing he was ruining his own life when he did it," she said. "It damn near destroyed him."

"Wow," said Harry. He thought a while, and eventually asked Zelda, "Will he be all right?"

"The longer he rests, the better he'll be," Zelda said, "He was planning to go back tonight, if he had a plan," she laughed ruefully, "and some clothes. As well as a wand."

Harry yawned, and she said, "Even apparating, I expect there's jet lag. Would you like to lie down for a bit? It sounds like you've gone through hell in the past days too, Harry, and you could use a little rest." She continued, "I want to check on Severus. He's gotten much better, but he looks terrible again right now and I'm worried about him."

Zelda showed Harry the guest room, pointing out the bathroom and the door to her bedroom as well, and he thanked her before going inside to lie down.

When Zelda was finally free to go to Severus she found him sleeping restlessly, curled tightly in a ball. Sliding in next to him, she began rubbing his back. He stirred, and in spite of the blinding pain in his head he felt her presence and pulled her close to him. She held him while he tossed in his sleep.

He woke half an hour later, disoriented, but he realized Zelda was with him and his tension eased. He also remembered Potter's arrival, as well as the bad news about Hogwarts and the Order, and his pain returning... but nothing more. He feared that Zelda was right about the severity of his head injury. He groaned and closed his eyes against the pain, pressing himself against her...

"Sev! Dear boy, are you all right?" She whispered, deeply concerned. She kissed his cheek lovingly, to comfort him. In return, he pulled fretfully at her shirt, saying hoarsely, "Take that off, Zelda. I need you."

Immediately she pulled off her clothes and helped him to remove his. Severus sighed gratefully as she slid into his arms, and moaned, "Zelda. No one but you... I love you." He made love to her desperately, clinging to her, and afterwards she cried quietly. "I don't... want to leave you," he whispered in a broken voice.

"Stay here," Zelda replied, "You don't have to leave. I love you and want you to stay with me." Zelda knew what his answer must be, but she wanted to say it and he needed to hear it. She wanted to cry again at the stricken look on his face, but she made herself smile and said, "I know, dear boy, it's all right, I just want you to know that you're always very welcome..." she spoke directly, mind to mind. He remembered earlier when she had done it, but he was in too much pain to be shocked, and just accepted that between the two of them the impossible was merely normal.

"You're still in pain," Zelda said, kissing his forehead gently, as if he were a small boy. "I want you to rest some more, my boy. I'll wake you if you oversleep." Her smile was mischievous as she slid out of bed and tucked him in, saying, "I'll just deal with Potter for a while."

"Consider yourself kissed, my love," Severus quoted faintly, and then dropped off easily to sleep. She thought for a moment, then pulled a sundress from her closet, slipped it on, and closed the door quietly behind her.