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."Professor, do you mind if I run across the street to bookstore? I need to make a quick purchase.""Sure, dear," McGonagall replied with a slight slur to her pronounced Irish brogue."Come on, Harry," Hermione said, grabbing her friend."I need your company."The group nearest Harry began to protest, but Harry insisted he didn't mind.As he made his way out, he could hear a group of girls grumbling and heard mention of the word 'girlfriend.' If only they knew!As soon as they stepped outside and the noise of the bar was behind them, Harry said, "Thanks, 'Mione.""No problem, Harry.What's this about?""I'm getting a gift for Severus and I need your advice.I had planned to mail-order something, but I figure, since we're here, I should look around.""What's this for?""This Friday is our two month anniversary.""Congratulations, Harry," Hermione beamed.An hour later, the pair had argued the merits of each potential gift they'd come across.But nothing seemed to satisfy Harry.Now they were scanning the shelves at the Hogsmeade Apothecary."Harry, you need to pick something because we really have to get back.Professor McGonagall may be looped, but eventually she'll notice we've been gone too long.""But I don't know what to get.""How about a book? The selection isn't as good as Flourish & Blotts, but I think I have a pretty good idea of what he'd like.Not to mention that I pretty much know what's in his library by now.""I've already gotten him a book before.Besides, if I get Severus a book, he'll know you picked it out.I want it to be from me, you know? Something meaningful.""Oh, you're so sweet, Harry," Hermione said somewhat wistfully.What boy did she know that was so invested in a relationship that they tormented themselves over the perfect two-month anniversary present?Harry must have sensed her thought."I just don't want to muck this up, 'Mione.""You can't, Harry.If he cares for you as much as I think he does, you could get him a red and gold scarf and I'm sure he'd like it.Well," she amended with a smile, "maybe not that."They both began to laugh, when something caught Harry's eye: a shelf of decorative glass potions vials.One in particular grabbed his attention; it was about three inches in height, cobalt blue with flecks of platinum embedded in the glass."It's perfect," he said.Calling over the proprietor, he said, "I'll take this and also I'll need some ingredients; an ounce each of Belladonna leaf, yarrow flowers and mandrake root.""Of course, sir, but unfortunately our stock of mandrake root has just expired.We've a fresh batch coming in soon�""No, the old stuff is fine, and if you could just put all those ingredients inside that vial for me, that'd be great, we're in a bit of a hurry."The proprietor eyed Harry as though he were insane but did not argue.Hermione, on the other hand, protested at once."Harry, old mandrake root is almost worthless and all these ingredients need to be packed separately to preserve their potency and integrity.""Don't worry, 'Mione, I know what I'm doing."------------------------------------------Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's tower, Severus Snape was finishing his second cup of ginger honey tea.He eyed Dumbledore, who was seated in the chair across from him and had steepled the tips of his fingers together as he often did when he was deep in thought.Neither had spoken for several minutes.Snape was not at all uncomfortable by the long silence; he knew Albus needed the time to think.Finally, Dumbledore reached for his cup of tea, reheated it with a wave of his hand, and said, "Are you certain, Severus?""It was clear as day.""Quite the talented Legilimens you've become, dear boy.""Hardly.Lucius was never an Occlumens, although he does fancy himself one.Tonight's supposed raid on the Muggle Ambassador is definitely a ruse - there is no such raid planned.""That does fit the lack of intelligence from the Order about such an attack.""It gets even better.I discovered another very useful piece of information while Lucius was doing his level best to intimidate me.There will be a raid, but tomorrow night, and not on the Ambassador, but on a Muggle village.""And this wasn't mentioned at the meeting?" Dumbledore asked."Not even a whisper.""And there is no way you could have been privy to this information?""No.It's been kept secret from me deliberately, Albus." Snape paused briefly, allowing Dumbledore to digest this new information."It's perfect, wouldn't you say?""It is indeed.I assume you already have something in mind?""In fact I do," Snape replied with a hint of a smile and began to detail his plan.------------------------------------------From within the bushes, two dark eyes watched three men in the darkness.The trio had been lurking outside the heavily warded compound where the Muggle Ambassador to the Wizarding World resided.After waiting for nearly three hours, the small creature watching them heard one of the hooded and masked men say, "No one's coming."The soft cracks of Disapparition could be heard as the men disappeared.A moment later, a tabby cat emerged from her hiding place with what appeared to be a satisfied smile on its feline face.Minerva McGonagall was in the Headmaster's sitting room less than 10 minutes later, relaying the events of the evening."They waited for three hours and made a few attempts to interfere with the outer wards, probably only for show.They finally gave up and left," McGonagall said.She stood and asked, "Is that all you needed?""Yes.Thank you, my dear, for your assistance," Dumbledore said.He waited until McGonagall had left the room before continuing, "This should help eliminate you from suspicion, don't you think, Severus?"This information had confirmed Lucius's trap - the blond wizard had been counting on Snape to relay the information about the supposed attack on the Muggle Ambassador to the Order."It's a good start, but unfortunately, a lack of action on my part won't be enough to dissuade him or the Dark Lord.There's no better alibi than a scapegoat," Snape replied."Then let us hope, my boy, that tomorrow night goes according to plan," Dumbledore said.------------------------------------------The next evening, when Severus Snape apparated to the outskirts of the Muggle village where the raid was to take place, he wouldn't have described the scene that was unfolding as going 'according to plan.' Where there were only supposed to be three Death Eaters, there were in fact five, and the members of the Order had their hands quite full.Snape watched from the shadows, cloaked in his Death Eater robes and mask, hoping that the tide would turn.But when he saw Tonks stunned by whom he presumed was McNair, and a bolt of fire narrowly miss Shacklebolt, Snape carefully aimed his wand at Avery and Dolohov and petrified them both.Those two out of the way seemed to give Moody the upper hand - the ex-Auror was able to quickly bind Malfoy and Wormtail.Shacklebolt then incapacitated McNair by hitting him with a Stunner squarely in the chest.That was Snape's cue.Emerging from his hiding place, he quickly stunned Shacklebolt.Moody immediately retaliated and the two battled for several minutes, exchanging a series of nasty hexes.As Moody's assault intensified, Snape wondered briefly if the crazed wizard had forgotten that it was him behind the mask [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]