Severus shakes his head, shortly says, "Far too late for that. The moment I failed to obliviate both of them it was too late; she's too well-connected to develop memory gaps, and I... I wasn't thinking clearly enough during the window of opportunity." And thinking men should never plan assaults they wish to keep private. It's only begging for complications-following-discovery. He smirks slightly, bitterly, and notes, "And he hasn't chosen to share this business with you? I can't say I'm surprised. But, well, never mind."
Very softly, he singsongs, "A tisket, a tasket, a head in a basket; it will not answer to questions you ask it..."
"Narcissa would have killed me," he says flatly. "Even if I'd used a removable spell, the whining would have become even more unbelievable, I should have had to remove his tongue, and death."
No kidding. :( I don't think machismo makes good men. u.u