Chapter 9: "From me to you."

Circe barely had time to adjust to her new surroundings before she heard the desperate, panicked voices of children. Voices she recognised.

"Hermione!?" She called out in complete shock.

She looked out across the giant chessboard, towards where the young girl crouched amidst rubble and dust, the remains of chess pieces everywhere. Circe ran towards the bushy haired girl and the still body of the Weasley boy she crouched beside.

"Hermione what happened?" She asked again, touching Ron's face and checking him for signs of life.

"Me and Harry and Ron… we came here because we had to stop Professor-" she halted in her tracks as her face fell on Professor Snape. "But-but that means…" she stuttered.

"Severus, we must have caught up to them." Circe said, turning to him. "It must have been them you heard moving about on the third floor."

"But you said you came here after someone?" Snape queried.

"Yes, Harry thought that the Stone was going to be stolen tonight by… Well, by Professor Snape. They were always one step ahead of us…"

Circe gasped. The final pieces of the mystery fitting into place. Why the book had been checked out by her, why the dog was so agitated, why there was barely enough potion left for her and Severus… It felt like everyone had run circles around her: Quirrell, Snape, even her own students.

"Where is Potter?" Severus asked, searching the looming chess pieces.

Circe watched him frantically scanning the decimated board, seemingly now more rattled than he had been all evening.

"Gone. Gone ahead by himself once Ron…" she faltered and began to cry.

Circe laid an arm around the girl and shushed her gently.

"He's alright, honey. Just got a bit of a concussion, I think."

"Professor, stay here with the children and send a message to Dumbledore immediately." Severus instructed, without breaking to even look at her.

Circe stood up and leaned in close to Severus.

"You don't think Quirrell will hurt him, do you…?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

"If he does I shall eviscerate the two-faced bastard." Severus said through clenched teeth, his knuckles turned white as he gripped his wand tightly; The last evidence of Lily Potter's existence that remained on this earth was not going to be harmed under his watch.

He walked away, leaving Circe to cast her patronus and send a message. It was difficult for her to conjure up a happy memory in the midst of all the peril around her. Plus, patronus charms had never been her speciality. She breathed in deep and mentally scanned back through a hundred and one different childhood memories. All of which seemed distant and lacking in that happy wholeness needed for the charm to work… until her thoughts settled on last Christmas. The snow, the brandy, playing chess with Ron and Harry, Minerva's brooch, Auld Lang Syne with Severus… She let the memory fill her until it seemed that her whole body was coursing with warmth.

"Expecto Patronum!" she cast, and shooting from the end of her wand came a fully formed arctic wolf. The wolf rounded back to her and waited expectantly. "Minerva," she told it. "Help needed ASAP. Potter, Weasley and Granger are in the Stone's ante-chamber. Tell Dumbledore that he's needed here immediately. The Stone is in danger and Harry is too."

The wolf bounded up, disappearing through the roof of the room and away to its purpose.

Severus strode up to the last door and grabbed the metal handle, drawing instantly back as he felt his skin burning.

"Ah!" he cried out, cradling his scalded hand. His temper flared and he began beating the door furiously. Circe rushed over to his aid.

"Severus, what is it?"

"Hot, fire, something on the other side of that door that's making the handle burn to the touch! And it's been charmed, no one can get in."

Circe's face formed into a frown of deep concern. "Harry! HARRY!" she called out, pounding on the door like Severus had. Behind them, Hermione began to cry once more. "Severus, what do we do?" she asked desperately.

He pulled out his wand and tried a myriad of unlocking spells, all to no avail. "Shit."

"Who was responsible for the final chamber of protection?" she asked.

"Dumbledore."

"Professors…" responded the cool elderly voice, almost on cue.

They both turned in unison to see the Headmaster standing at their backs.

"Dumbledore, thank God!" Circe sighed.

"How did you arrive here so quickly?" Hermione asked, aghast.

"I realised pretty much as soon as I reached the Ministry in London that I was needed much more desperately here than I was there. I think your patronus passed me just as I was giving Fluffy a good old scratch behind the ears, Professor Smith."

"Potter's inside with Quirrell." Severus said, his voice tainted with the slightest tinge of alarm.

"Stand out the way, Professors." he said calmly.

He removed his wand and silently cast a spell. Without fear of scalding, he extended his own hand and opened the door handle with ease. A burst of hungry flames leapt forwards, and Circe gasped, recoiling as she felt the intense heat on her face. Dumbledore did not move, casting another swooping spell with his wand and the flames died down before him. All three of the Professors rushed forwards into the final chamber.

What they found were the crumpled, dusty remains of Quirrell's body, next to an unconscious Harry, sprawled on the floor.

"Oh my God…" Circe breathed, taking in the heap of purple silk on the floor. "What happened?"

Dumbledore swooped forwards, taking Harry into his arms and picking him up with the strength of a young man. Circe rushed forwards to help, but stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted herself in the huge mirror at the end of the room.

There was someone else in the mirror's reflection who was not in the room in which she stood. Standing with her was a woman she recognised from many a distant dream or memory... The commotion around her seemed to fade into the distance as she stepped past the crumpled remains of Quirrell, even the arrival of Mcgonagall and the hubbub around Harry going unnoticed by her. She walked up to the mirror's face and stretched out a furtive hand to the glass.

"Mum." she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Once Harry and the other children had been ushered away to safety, Severus let out a sigh of relief. He looked around the chamber and saw Circe in enraptured inspection of the mirror. As he approached her, his blood went cold as the lone figure of Lily materialised for him in the mirror's reflection, just behind Circe. He turned away sharply, his heart threatening to break from his body. He choked down a sob and closed his eyes.

"Circe... " he said shakily. "Come away from it."

"What is this thing?" she asked, her voice thick with tears.

"It's the Mirror of Erised. It's… it's not real, Circe."

"My mum… I couldn't remember what she looked like before…Severus, look, it's like she's here next to me."

"I.. I won't see her. It shows everybody something different. What they want the most in their heart of hearts."

Circe sobbed and caressed the glass where her mother's face was reflected. Although she bore the lines of age and a more striking nose than Circe, she had the same bronze curls and emerald eyes as her daughter.

My God, no wonder Dad couldn't stand the sight of me .

She turned from the reflection and saw Severus with his back to her.

"What do you see…?" she asked slowly.

He did not respond, or even turn to look at her. Only shaking his head slowly.

Circe sniffled and fought with everything inside her not to turn back around to the Mirror's surface and steal one last look at the previously forgotten face of her mother. Whatever she was seeing, she concluded, it was clear that Severus suffered just as much from his manifestation as she did. Perhaps even more so. She walked slowly to his side and took his arm gently. As much as she hurt within, she latched on to Severus's own pain and ignored her own suffering to tend to his.

"Come on." she said gently. "Lets go."

-----

"Professors, I hope I do not have to reiterate to you the seriousness of what occurred on the Third floor last week." Dumbledore said sagely, peering over his spectacles at Circe and Severus.

The both stood, arms behind their backs in front of the Headmaster's desk. Circe felt rather like a schoolgirl receiving a telling-off. They had been summoned to the office earlier that day, once the initial commotion and shock had worn off from Potter's exploits. The whole school had breathed a collective sigh of relief as Harry had recovered fully and rejoined his friends in Gryffindor tower with a confident and triumphant smirk on his face. But that had meant that the questions had then been turned to her and Severus. It didn't look good, and she planned to be totally upfront and honest with Dumbledore. Even if it cost Circe her role. She held her head low, trying to look repentant, whilst Severus met the Headmaster's gaze head on.

"Now would you mind telling me what you were doing there?" Dumbledore asked. "And how you knew Quirrell would be there too? I would have thought you would have come straight to me if you suspected the Professor of any wrongdoing."

Circe sighed, mentally preparing herself for a dismissal. She felt her home at Hogwarts slipping away through her fingers.

"Well you see, Headmaster-"

"I asked Professor Smith to accompany me into the corridor that night." Severus cut in.

"Professor Snape?" Dumbledore replied, inviting him to continue.

Circe cast him a sideways glance, not daring to breathe a word.

"We had no clue of Quirrell's presence that night. I heard the students out of bed and noseying about in the corridor and I thought it prudent to take another staff member with me to retrieve them."

Circe shut her open mouth, trying not to display her surprise at the ease with which Severus lied. Her moral compass, however, abandoned her in that moment and she decided to go along with whatever Severus said.

"Ahh, I see." Dumbledore mused. "I was rather worried that there had been a breach of trust amongst our staff here, you see."

"As well as a security breech thanks to the oversight of Quirrell's true loyalties, Headmaster?" Severus replied, raising a brow.

Circe gasped, shocked at his audacity.

"Indeed, Severus." Dumbledore replied, ignoring Snape's dig. "I dread to think what may have happened if Harry had not been able to fend him off for himself… and of course what may have occurred if yourself and Professor Smith were not randomly patrolling the corridors in that exact place at that exact time of night."

Circe's eyes widened and she scrunched her lips together.

What the hell does Severus have on Dumbledore? He knows and he's choosing not to discipline either of us. She thought cynically to herself. I bet I'd be out on my ass if it had been just me acting alone .

"Now that Nicholas has agreed to destroy the Stone, our guardianship of it has come to an end. But I'm afraid the events of last week raise more questions than they solve…" Dumbledore lamented.

"Professor…" Circe asked, finding her courage. "Why did Quirrell want the Stone?"

Severus eyed the Headmaster, his face set in a mask of seriousness. Circe saw Dumbledore cast a similar look back to the Potions Master and look away quickly.

"The promise of eternal life is an irresistible draw for many people, Professor Smith."

Circe frowned, her dissatisfaction with his answer obvious.

Severus and Circe descended the steps to Dumbledore's office solemnly. Circe felt that she had narrowly avoided being made redundant. She felt a dizzying sensation of triumph, like she'd gotten away with sneaking another cupcake out of the fridge at midnight. Severus, as always, seemed unphased. The end of year ceremony awaited them, but Circe was in no mood for a feast. Although she felt happy to still have a job at Hogwarts, she also somehow felt unsettled and hollow.

More questions than answers indeed…

" I have requested that should your timetable be lacking next year, I would concede to have you continue to offer your help in the Potions department." Snape said finally.

Circe looked at him. His face betrayed nothing and he avoided looking at her. Her belly flooded with butterflies.

"Goodness, Severus, don't sound too enthusiastic." She teased.

Snape fiddled with a finger on his left hand awkwardly, unsure of how to reply.

"But thank you." she added quickly.

"Are you… going back to Edinburgh for the summer?" He asked.

"There's nowhere for me to go there. I gave up my flat when I came here. No, Dad and Jane are clearing out their spare room for me."

"Ah."

"It should only be for a month or so." She continued. "But no one would rent a place to me for that short a time. Minerva's right, this job is really a bachelor's game." She sighed to herself, watching a group of Hufflepufs hurrying excitedly to the Great Hall. "And you? Back to Spinny End?"

"Spinner's End." He corrected. "Yes."

"Oh. Well…" she paused, stopping in her tracks, forcing Severus to turn to look at her. "Don't be a stranger over the summer, Severus. Do write to me… if you want."

Severus again felt the wriggling sensation in his guts and he nodded. There she went again, being relentlessly kind.

"Oh that reminds me…" she added, delving into her pocket. "I thought it was curtains for me here so I got you something to say thank you, just in case I was asked to leave."

"I would not have allowed that." He said firmly.

Her heart swelled and for a second she lost all sense of cohesion in his fiercely set black eyes.

"Still, if it had come to that… here."

She extended a small, thin, plastic looking box out to him. He took it reluctantly from her, unsure of exactly what it was. He turned it over in his hands, peering at it from down his nose.

"It's a CD, Severus." Circe offered when she saw his visible confusion.

"Oh those muggle things that you like."

"Music, yes." She smiled warmly, the brightness in her eyes touching his soul.

"The Beatles 1962-1966."

She laughed. "A little reminder of our adventure, and a small attempt to give you some cultural education."

"Mmmm." He grumbled. "Well… thank you, Professor."

-----

Circe and Hagrid stood on the Platform at Hogsmeade waving the train off. Her belongings were stored nice and safely in her VW Beetle and after a few false starts, she'd been surprised that the car's engine had rolled over after a whole year parked up. She bade goodbye to her giant friend and to Minerva, who was off to catch her own train to her Nephew's for the summer.

Circe couldn't quite believe it had almost been a whole year since she'd arrived there. She sat in the driver's seat and cast her eyes for a final time up at the Castle. A long drive awaited her to her Dad's house and she looked back to Ziggy, in his cage by her side.

"You ready for some more singing, buddy?" She asked the bird.

His blinked his wide orange eyes at her and hooted happily. Circe searched in her glove compartment and scrabbled around for a CD to place in the player. She of course, like any self respecting music officionado, had the same CD she had gifted Severus earlier. Her hand found the box and she stared down at the red cover and the faces of the four young men on the cover. She popped open the case and slid the CD in.

***

Severus, still up in the Castle, busied himself with his own packing for the summer holidays. He silently seethed at Dumbledore's earlier decision to overturn Slytherin as the House winners for the year. He'd been quite frankly ridiculous to outright reward Potter for his exploits on the third floor.

Bloody old fool, he thought bitterly.

A knock on his door dragged him from his speculative scolding. He wondered who it might be; there was no one left in the castle now as all the students had left on the Hogwarts Express and most of the staff had gone too. He half expected it to be Circe as he pulled open the door.

"Professor." Filch said as Severus opened the door to him.

Severus noted that he felt a little disappointed.

"Yes?" He asked the greasy, leathery caretaker.

"This was on the floor outside your rooms." He said, holding something out to Snape. "I think someone left it for you before they departed."

He took it wordlessly from Filch and slammed the door in his face.

Snape looked at the odd disc shaped thing in his hands. A thin wire emerged from one end of the contraption that split into two buds. Luckily, a small note had been taped to the top of the strange thing.

" Realised that you probably don't have anything to play your present on! Press the lid down and put the CD in the top. Then put the earbuds in your ears.

Track 3.

First verse.

See you in September.

C

X "

He rifled through the items on his desk, looking for Circe's present, and dutifully followed her instructions. He pressed the lid of the Walkman down and the disk began to spin inside it. Holding the earbuds to his head, he tentatively presses a few buttons until he thought he'd got track three.

Little did either of them know that they were both listening to the same thing almost at the same moment. Circe began to sing along to The Fab Four as she pulled out of the village, Hogwarts in her rear view mirror.

And Severus too smiled softly to himself as he listened to his message from her…