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in_the_grass ([info]in_the_grass) wrote in [info]wished,
@ 2010-04-10 21:37:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:!1998: 04, !incomplete, hestia jones, severus snape

Who: Snape and Hestia
Where: The Hog's Head, upstairs, Rm. 7B
When: Tonight, a few minutes past ten o'clock
What: Snape is mining for Order intelligence
Rating/Warnings: TBA

The bar in the Hog's Head was unpleasant enough that Severus had no qualms at all about walking straight through it, ignoring the bartender's objections and beginning the climb up the rickety staircase to the upper floors. He had put up his hood - there was no use trying very hard not to be recognized, these days, but it didn't hurt to be as cautious as he could without being too conspicuous about it - but he lowered it again when he found the landing. He paused briefly at the mouth of the hall. This place was full of wretched memories. He wondered if he was about to add another to the pile.

But he could explain his presence here, if caught, and he was more than confident that he could fend off anyone Jones might have brought with her. With Potter in the know, he was sure his secret was becoming less and less a secret every day among the Order ... so it was time to let the information flow both ways. He didn't know how much of it Jones was privy to, but she had the advantage of being one of the only tolerable members of the Order free of Hogwarts, and he would work with what he could.

He didn't bother knocking; he leveled his wand at the door and unlocked it with a more powerful charm than was probably necessary and stepped quickly inside. He was aiming at her as he shut the door behind him. He supposed she'd understand. "Miss Jones," he said, searching the room with his eyes for any sign of treachery. "You're alone?"


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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-11 03:09 am UTC (link)
She had heard the footsteps coming before the door had banged itself open. The Hog's Head was an old pub, with floors ancient enough that every little creak and squeak were audible through the walls. She had been prepared, if not expecting, that this little meeting was going to be more than just a swap of information. She had told no one about it, had made no mention of where she would be- she knew that might have been a stupid move, but she would deal with the outcome herself if it turned out poorly.

"Do you see anyone here?" she asked him, an eyebrow raised.

She rose from her spot on the old queen sized bed, her wand at the ready. She had only just arrived to the room moments earlier, no longer than twenty. Her eyes traveled from his face to the wand pointed directly at her and she offered him a briefly amused smirk.

"And there isn't anyone lingering about under an Invisibility cloak, either. We're entirely alone."

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-11 03:25 am UTC (link)
"I'm glad you find it so amusing," Severus said, lowering his wand sharply and pulling out a battered chair from behind the room's unstable writing desk. "I have always so envied people who can face it all laughing. You make such charming corpses, when the bodies are recovered." He locked his eyes on hers; he didn't have much to fear from her or hers, he thought, but all the same he wanted to know if he was being passed lies. "Sit. - Please." He gripped the back of the chair tightly, waiting for her to take her seat on the bed again. "I have quite a few questions, and not much more than an hour."

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-11 05:54 pm UTC (link)
Hestia did as he asked, her wand laying on the bed beside her as she took her seat again. Her eyes set on him, taking in his appearance. Although she had him briefly as Potions Master during her last few years at Hogwarts, she had only known him on a personal level for the past year. And it seemed, as she watched him take a seat across from her, he did not change since the last time she saw him.

"And what would be the point of being so serious all the time?" she pondered aloud, raising her eyebrows in response. "We see where it's gotten you."

She paused, not meaning to sound cruel.

"Ask away," she told him, as she crossed one leg over the other. "I'll tell you as much as I know. However, I'll let you know now I've got a couple of questions for you as well."

More or less having to do with the war, of course.

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-11 08:50 pm UTC (link)
"I think where it's gotten everyone else is more to the point," he said, unable to keep a hint of snappishness out of his voice. Not that it had done him all that badly, either, by some measures: he was the (nominal) head of the seat of some of the greatest magical power in the country, in a position to do a good deal of hurt to his enemies, and, most importantly, still breathing. It annoyed him deeply to think that anyone thought him anything but perfectly content with the life he had made for himself. It always threatened to bring out the familiar old defensiveness that had never served him well (and which always left him with the infuriating suspicion that they were not entirely wrong).

He could see how someone might fail to be impressed, however, by furtive midnight meetings at dingy inns. He let it pass and took his seat, setting his wand on the table. "An answer for an answer, then." He sat straight in his chair. "I want to know what provisions are being made to take the muggleborns out of the castle - and if there are none, there should be. There may not be much I can do to help, but I do need to know what not to hinder. - And whom to warn, assuming I get any warning." And assuming there was anyone else prepared to listen to him at all, of course.

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-11 09:37 pm UTC (link)
If Hestia had any sort of idea about the life he actually led, her opinion on the man might have changed somewhat. Be that as it may, she held a respect for him that had momentarily waned when she first heard of Dumbledore's murder. In fact, it had been something she wasn't sure she would ever be capable of forgetting until she learned that he was in fact, playing double agent. Again. Hestia couldn't understand how he hadn't simply gone mad after all this time. She had a feeling she would have, certainly.

She cocked her head to the side, a small nod following his question.

"Fred and George have been working on setting up a tunnel leading into the basement of their shop in Hogsmeade," she told him. "I've seen the blueprints, myself, but where exactly the tunnel is leading from, I can't be sure. We've got safe houses set up in and around the area as well, a few are filling to capacity but we're constantly looking."

She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears. A brief part of her wasn't sure she should really be telling him all this. But as she looked at him, she had a feeling that he really was on their side.

"I'm not positive," she started again. "But I believe the twins are doing a lot to make sure the basement is stocked for whomever we eventually have go through. Extra clothes and such things."

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-11 10:19 pm UTC (link)
He made himself push through the little swoop of despair that followed the revelation that Fred and George Weasley were heading up the rescue effort. Times had changed, after all. - And they had always been good at sneaking about, very nearly the best. "I'll need to know where they come into the castle. If you can find me that, I can at least keep them clear, when the time comes." Hopefully. What happened to the children once they actually left Hogwarts would have to be someone else's concern.

He found himself relaxing, just a little; and when he spoke again, it was a bit less urgently. "That's one, then." He waved his hand. "It's your turn, I believe." He wouldn't normally have engaged in this sort of back-and-forth - better to get all of his answers up front, when he could bully someone into it - but she had shown more faith than ... well, anyone, really. He wouldn't have admitted to gratitude, but it was certainly refreshing, and was without a doubt behavior that he wanted to encourage. Not having to pull teeth was a pleasant surprise. ... Which should have made him suspicious, but he flattered himself that he knew, by now, when he was being lied to.

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-11 11:49 pm UTC (link)
Although she had been doing her best to steer clear of Fred and the rest of that crowd of people as of late, she made a mental note to send the twins a note questioning where exactly the tunnel would lead from within the castle. "I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I find out," she told him.

A million different scenarios had run through her mind about how this evening would pan out. So far, things seemed to be calm and dare she say, relaxed. He seemed to be far more at ease than she had ever see him at an Order meeting. Though considering the company, she could perhaps understand.

"I was hoping you could let me know about a certain-" She paused as her brow furrowed. "Argus Pyrites? I believe you know him."

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-12 12:22 am UTC (link)
Severus looked at her for a moment, inscrutable. He couldn't think of any reason why someone would ask after Pyrites in particular, which was a little unsettling, but - perhaps he'd learn something, if he listened. "Yes," he said with a nod. "I do - to some degree, in any case. The Death Eaters are not the ... tightest-knit community." He had never made any real effort to seek the man out, either, seeing as they had so very little in common. "And he was several years ahead of me in school. I don't know how much I'll be able to tell you, but you can ask what you like." He kept the why? to himself, for the moment. Pyrites kept a rather public profile, after all - ah. "He is a Death Eater. If that's what you mean."

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-12 12:48 am UTC (link)
"Precisely-"

She pursed her lips as she leaned forward slightly in her position on the bed, letting her elbows rest on her knees. She had always been quite hard on herself, it was easy to do so when you had a lot to live up to. Her mother's reputation alone at the hospital gave her trouble enough as she tried to become a Healer in her own right. The slight predicament with Argus was just adding to her recent issues.

"And he was the one keeping Luna Lovegood locked up, correct?" she asked, though she already knew the answer. "Do many Death Eaters spend their time at Shalott?"

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-12 01:06 am UTC (link)
Severus didn't quite know what to make of her ... disappointment? Several alternatives presented themselves. Some were more amusing than others. "He was responsible for carrying out her abduction, yes. As to Shalott - never having been there, I couldn't say. I know he's offered it up, on occasion, but I don't know who takes him up on his hospitality." Probably the set that didn't live on a professor's salary, and hadn't spent a decade or two in Azkaban. The place was a bit out of his range, not that he'd have gone even if it hadn't been. Why bother, when there was quite literally no one he wanted to see? "Do you?" he couldn't quite help asking. It sounded like she was interested in more than scoping out the barkeeper, really.

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-12 01:39 am UTC (link)
An idea was brewing in her head. How well it would work or how possible it was, she couldn't say yet. But as she leaned back on her palms, with her nose screwed up in thought, she wondered how much pull Severus might have had in terms of organizing events of some kind. But that was for another question, another time.

She looked up at him, suddenly, at his question.

"Do I?" She offered him a look that could only best be described as sheepish. "I have. Once, twice only."

But she didn't want to say more than that. She had a feeling he was not interested in her social woes.

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-12 02:02 am UTC (link)
"Hm." He kept his face carefully straight. "Well. I don't imagine he'll be shut down any time soon, considering. You may have another opportunity."

But that was enough needling, probably. He had no intention of alienating such a willing source of information. "Now," he said, back to business, "I want to know who it is you have inside the castle. I assume there aren't any proper members, save Minerva -" since he had helped to purge them all from the faculty, of course - "but then, I've been rather under-informed of late." He imagined there was no one, but it didn't hurt to hope. It would have been nice to have someone to rely on who had actually graduated.

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-12 02:52 am UTC (link)
"Another opportunity to, indeed."

At his next question, Hestia shifted in her seat. "As of right now, there is not one single member of the Order inside the Castle. Any chance we had of having eyes on the inside are gone, now-" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Except for you. There isn't a chance we can change that, is there?"

It was a question she hadn't thought of until now. It didn't hurt to try, did it? Or would adding in a new faculty member seem too suspicious now that the changes had already taken place?

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-12 03:25 am UTC (link)
"I highly doubt anyone useful would survive the interview process," he said, dry, and meant it in every sense of the word. "I will have to suffice, I'm afraid. I can provide you with whatever information you may need, but I am - limited, in what I can do. I've invested quite a lot in my facade. I won't throw it away." He didn't know what he had been hoping for. Malfoy would be enough, in any case, and it wasn't as though he really needed more secrets to keep. He had enough on his plate. "No matter how hard Mr. Potter tries to shatter it for me. That is how you found out, I suppose." He couldn't deny it made his skin crawl to think that the boy had told any students, no matter how loyal to the cause. He'd been miraculously lucky to find even one who could keep his mouth shut.

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-12 03:59 am UTC (link)
There went one idea down the drain. She wasn't sure where she thought she was going with it, exactly, but she thought she ought to try anyway. She shrugged her shoulders slightly at his mention of Harry. "If it makes you feel any better, everyone thinks he's off his rocker," she told him, shaking her head. "In fact, I might be the only one who fully believes him."

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-12 04:13 am UTC (link)
It does, actually, he wanted to say; but he was very much aware that the only reason she was here, telling him what he needed to know, was because Potter had spoken on his behalf (although he thought that was probably a generous way to phrase what had actually happened). Still, he couldn't keep the sour taint out of his voice. "He's always had his loyal acolytes," he said, glancing aside to the grimed-over window. "Even if the Prophet won't take his side, I doubt he lacks for admirers. The ability to charm up a band of followers does seem to run in the family." Based on little enough, too, as far as he was concerned. One of the only things Potter had going for him was that he was on the right side, and sometimes that hardly seemed like enough.

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-12 05:15 am UTC (link)
She followed his gaze to the window, wondering how on earth the Hog's Head seemed to manage without a cleaning service before looking back to him. Her brows furrowed. "I think you ought to feel a bit thankful for that," she said, not bothering to the hide the bite to her tone of voice. "His loyal acolytes are doing their best right now, I'd say."

She raked her hand through her hair.

"How many Death Eaters are stationed inside the castle?"

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-12 08:32 pm UTC (link)
"Yes, they always manage to pull him out of his mire at the end of the day." And he was the one who was supposed to feel grateful? "With a little help, of course." Not this time, though. This would be the end, one way or another. It felt strange, after so many years, to be waiting to direct the boy to his death. He had thus far avoided giving it very much thought, and it hadn't been difficult - there was plenty more to distract him. "The number shifts," he replied, not wanting to put too fine a point on it lest he encourage an outright mutiny. There weren't that many, really. "With comings and goings, perhaps some impending additions to the ranks ... But whatever the number, they have considerable resources at their disposal, including, I'm sure, quite a lot of backup." There was a knowing weariness to his voice. "So please don't go doing anything rash."

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-12 09:43 pm UTC (link)
Hestia waved her hand, frustrated for a moment at his first comment. It was truly hard for her to understand how he could possibly feel the way he did, but then, she was ignorant of any prior history between the two. She considered, for a moment, her own time spent as a pupil to his professor. It was odd to her now, to be on such even terms with him. Well, even in her mind. She couldn't exactly speak for him.

"The last thing I want to do is put any of the students at risk," she told him, her voice rather soft. She had spent too many emergency shifts at the hospital as of late, and she had a damn good idea of what was sending so many patients in. "I was just curious, is all. I'm starting to worry that we may not have enough people behind us. Especially with a few out of commission due to, well, pregnancies and the like. Newborns."

She closed her eyes for a moment. Newborns. How strange.

"What else can I tell you?"

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-13 03:17 am UTC (link)
"We won't be made or broken by strength in numbers." As much as it grated on him to admit it, they had the key in Harry Potter, and very little else mattered to him. He doubted the Dark Lord's demise would put a stop to all of the trouble, but ... well, it would put a stop to his trouble. He gripped the arms of his chair thoughtfully, looking at her with a little less severity than he had before. "Once the head's cut off - I think you'll find our numbers will increase. Until then, it's probably too early to know whether congratulations are in order." Not that any birth at a time like this was something he'd have celebrated. Especially not to a werewolf; what that man was thinking, he just didn't know. No surprise there.

"I would like to be able to keep closer track of Potter's whereabouts," he continued. "To the extent such is possible, of course. Otherwise ... so long as you find me the plans for the tunnels, I believe that's all I need. If I think of anything else, I will write you. - Thank you." He sounded surprised to mean it. "You've been helpful."

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-14 01:05 pm UTC (link)
"You're right, of course," Hestia commented. She knew that although, perhaps, the Order wasn't as large as it could have been, even with the four some odd new members they had acquired, their spirit certainly counted for something. "The idea that this all might suddenly end, whether for our benefit or not, it something that's a bit hard to comprehend, now, after all this time fighting for it."

She knew well enough that just because he could be stopped, that didn't mean all of his followers would suddenly just... disappear. She knew there would be more to do if they were able to finally defeat him.

"I'll send a note to the twins soon," she told him, offering a small smile. "And when I get word, I'll relay it on to you. One small question, how quiet do you want to be kept? I mean, Harry already talked about your helping them, but I imagine that isn't exactly what you want.."

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-15 01:53 am UTC (link)
"Yes," Severus muttered, not bothering to count the years - he knew the number well enough. "Some of us will hardly know what to do with ourselves." Some days he thought he'd decided, but it still couldn't come soon enough. He was determined to have nothing to do with whatever complications might arise after the main event, one way or another. He'd have done his part.

"I don't know how many people have caught wind of it," he said, very nearly cringing. "But - no one who doesn't already know, and no one in the castle. I don't care how friendly, or how many siblings they've got on the right side of things. It's too much of a risk." He couldn't bring himself to smile, but he did manage a little dry optimism. "And hopefully your small question will never crop up."

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-18 04:23 pm UTC (link)
"Hopefully not," she repeated, in a decided manner. "I'm not so terrible at keeping secrets, you know." Though some people clearly thought otherwise and Hestia hated that she gave them reason to decide as such.

She looked at him, her brows furrowing at she really looked at him. She had always felt that she was doing the right thing by working with the Order. There was never a thought in her mind as to who was the right party. But she was constantly amazed at how he managed to work with both parties, and to do so for such a long time- well, she'd have gone a bit bonkers if it was her.

"It's quite amazing that you're doing this and I wouldn't want to foul it up by opening my gob, so you won't have anything to worry about on my end. I promise."

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-18 07:15 pm UTC (link)
Severus cocked an eyebrow at her. Amazing was not a word that had ever occurred to him to describe his position - and it was strange to hear anyone putting forth opinions about it at all, now that Albus was gone. He didn't know whether to be amused or disdainful. He was no less hungry for recognition now than he had been years ago, but this ... This was just repaying a debt, and he would never get any thanks from the creditor, the only one who should have mattered.

"An amazing bother, perhaps," he said with a sour scoff. There really weren't words. "An amazing pain in the neck. So long as your comrades don't foul it up, either, I hope we can put it all behind us sooner rather than later." And though he never would have admitted to giving a damn - no matter that he was emphatically not doing any of this for the Order or its members - it was somewhat gratifying to hear someone giving him a little credit. He stood from his chair and raised his hood again. "And then, perhaps, we can all stop sneaking around like hunted animals - the next time we meet I would rather it not be here."

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[info]hastyhestia
2010-04-18 08:56 pm UTC (link)
Even as she spoke the words, she knew that perhaps it wasn't exactly the right thing to say. She did not know him very well, not at all, perhaps if she really looked at it. But she still meant it. Whether he wanted to realize it or anyone else, for that matter, it was still pretty amazing. She rose from her spot on the bed, the squeak of the frame stinging her ears.

"And here I thought the Hog's Head was just the quaintest of spots," she deadpanned, raising an eyebrow as a small smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. "Besides, we are hunted animals. But of course, we should find somewhere a bit better. I'll see you then, Severus."

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[info]in_the_grass
2010-04-18 10:57 pm UTC (link)
"Seeing as you find it so inoffensive, I'll let you stay a while longer." He came as close to smiling as he had all evening when he turned to the door, loosening his wand in his sleeve again. They couldn't be seen leaving together. "I have a madhouse to return to, and if I keep away very much longer someone's liable to burn something down." Before abandoning her to the miserable little room, however, he looked over his shoulder to give her a shallow nod. This had been much less of a struggle than he had anticipated, and he wasn't incapable of gratitude where pride allowed. "Thank you, Miss Jones. I expect you'll be in touch."

Then he left, hood pulled up around his face, in somewhat higher spirits than when he'd arrived. It was good to know there was someone on the outside who wouldn't insist upon being difficult.

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