Chapter Text
Night was upon the small neighbourhood on the northern side of the Manchester area. It was there that a row of dark, creepy homes sat peacefully under the crescent moon. The houses one to live in. These homes were placed on a narrow little street called Spinners End.
"Will you please help me, Severus?" A dark haired teen asked in a hushed voice. "I can not go back the Malfoy's, Lucius had heavily implied that I would be inducted. I don't want to be a Death Eater, Severus, but all I remember is my life at the Malfoys, I don't remember my mother, and I hardly remember the days that I lived with my grandparents, I can't even tell you where it was they lived.
"Plus I still have to figure out what to do about my inheritance from the Black Family that I'm supposed to receive in two weeks, like what does a seventeen-year-old need with millions of gallons and four estates?" The girl rambled on and on, as she paced back and forth in her godfathers study. "I cannot even remember where those estates are. So, I have no place to go. Please."
Severus Snape pitied the young girl. He actually pitied most of the children he came across, for they would all soon be in a war that had started before most of them were even thought of. "I may be able to help you, but it would come with a cost, and you would have to be sworn to secrecy before you could even find anything about the option I would present you. If you refuse, you will be obliviated and sent back to the Malfoy Manor. "
She could not go back to the Malfoy Manor, not after what she heard.
Nova Sallow was walking down the second floor main hallway inside the Malfoy Manor when she heard something odd. Pausing for a moment, she looked around to try and find the source. Lucius' private office, there were sounds coming from Lucius' office. No, not sounds, it was more like hushed voices. Two distinct voices, and the two seemed to be in an argument. Arguments were uncommon in the Malfoy's Manor. No one argued, one was to accept what they were told or deal with serious reciprocation. This argument intrigued her and she wanted to hear more.
With her interest sparked, she quietly toed over to the office door and crouched down. She placed her ear near the handle of the door, in hope to hear better. She could clearly hear both of the voices inside. She could also make out what they were saying.
"The Dark Lord will need all of the supporters that he can get. Merlin knows that Dumbledore will have already started to try and rally some troops together." Lucius was speaking, his voice was quiet, calculating, and most of all authoritative. He was serious about what he was saying, that much was obvious.
"I realize that, but why are you offering her to him for the first draft? I would feel much better if she was able to stay out of the whole thing, as I was able to during the last war." Nova could hear the soft, airy voice of her godmother, Narcissa. Her tone of voice seemed pressed, as if she was desperate for Lucius to comprehend her words, as if her words might make a difference.
They were discussing the impending war, and the first draft of new Death Eaters that the Dark Lord would pick from the upper class purebloods. Nova wasn't sure who her godmother was speaking about though.
"I don't think anyone will be able to stay out of the war this time around, Cis." Lucius said, with a soft undertone lacing in his voice. "The first draft is for the very best of the best purebloods. She has the birthright to two lordships for two rich, pureblood lines that have all but died out. Her magic is shockingly powerful. Her test scores were off the charts. She is the best of the best. She would be in the first draft no matter what."
They were talking about her, about Nova. She has the birthright to two lordships. Her test scores were off the charts, save Transfiguration. Lucius was going to offer her up to the Dark Lord for the first draft. He was going to hand her over like she was no more than a pawn in a game of chess. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
It seemed Narcissa also could not believe what her husband was saying. "She isn't even seventeen yet. She shouldn't be used as a pawn, Lucius."
"She will be seventeen soon enough, and he will want her to join him no matter what. She might as well get in early and get on his good side while she can." Lucius spoke with a tone of finality. "But, we shall see what the Dark Lord has to say on this matter." That was it. Lucius had just won the argument with that statement.
She moved her ear away from the door in shock, as she was unable to comprehend what she had just overheard. She needed to get away. She needed to tell somebody, and soon.
Nova had know it was risky to ask this of her godfather, but she knew he would help her. He always helped her. He had helped her get over the nightmares she had after mother was killed. He had helped her with her Defence Against the Dark Arts studies when her professors were complete dunderheads. He had helped her to decide what career path would be the best for her. He had helped her excel at Potions to the point that she was far above everyone else her age. He had always helped her, even when it wasn't easy for him, and she knew that he always would, as she was the only living person that he cared for.
The girl slowed her pacing to a stop and turned on her heels to face him. "Would it buy me time till I am of age and out of school?"
He looked upwards towards the ceiling with a frown, "Yes, I'm afraid that that is all it may be able to do for you. The cost may far outweigh the reward."
"I will do it. Whatever the cost, I would rather die than become a Death Eater." She looked him straight in the eye with a serious face.
She had spoke with conviction. So much conviction that Severus knew then that he needed to speak with the Order of the Phoenix, mainly Hogwarts' Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. He would speak to him tonight to try to work out a solution that might just save his goddaughter from the Dark Lord.
"Go try and get a few hours sleep. You may use my guest room. I will wake you early to speak about this." He told her, as he stood up from his seat to go speak with Dumbledore.
The girl nodded. As she headed for the hall, she let a small sigh escape from her lips. "Thank you, Severus. Goodnight."
*~*~*
Darkness covered Albus Dumbledore's office as he paced. It was very late at night, or maybe it was very early in the morning, he wasn't sure which of those were more true, but he didn't dwell on it. No, instead Albus chose to dwell on the message that he had received from Severus Snape.
Earlier that night when Albus laid asleep in bed, he had awoken from his slumber to a patronus. Not just any patronus, but one of a doe. And when the doe spoke, it asked, maybe more like pleaded, for a meeting with the Headmaster.
So Albus, now as awake as ever, paced his floor, waiting. He was eerily reminded of the last time Severus had come to him like this. The night that Severus come to plead for Lily's life. Severus didn't care about many people, but the ones that he did care about always seemed to be the ones in danger of losing their lives.
A green light soon filled Dumbledore's office as Severus stepped out of the bright green flames that flowed out of the Headmaster's fireplace. Severus looked as he usually did for the most part, with his flowing black cape and stringy hair, but something was off about him. The expression on his face wasn't that of his usual one, no it was one of concern and desperation.
"Evening Severus." Albus said, as he took in the other man's appearance, and expression.
"I am sorry for disturbing your night Headmaster, but it seems that I require your assistance." Severus said, getting right to the point of the meeting.
"Go on."
"Nova Sallow,my goddaughter, she came to me earlier this evening after she had overheard Lucius Malfoy's plans for her future." Severus said, before taking a pause, "He plans for her to join the Dark Lord's ranks. She came to me and asked me to help her, so I'm coming to you because you are the best option that I could think off to keep her out of the Dark Lord's hands."
Nova Sallow-Black.
Dumbledore thought of the girl, his knowledge of Severus' goddaughter flowing to the forefront of his memory. As far as hid memory served him, Dumbledore could recall the classic Ravenclaw was going into her last year of Hogwarts. A quiet, studious girl that was rarely in trouble, as well as the heir to the Black Family, and daughter of the late Regulus Black, a presumed Death Eater.
Legally, Nova would be the head of the Black Family on her seventeenth birthday. Of course, Sirius Black was still magically bound as the current head, but that didn't matter to the Ministry of Magic.
Nova's OWLs were straight O's and she was on track to be a healer once she graduated. She was friendly enough with her peers, and as such she had many friends. She was the type of girl that seemed to have acquaintances from every house and from every year.
Albus knew at that point that Nova could be of great use to the Order. She could watch the halls of Hogwarts from the inside. He could have her start persuading the students to fight for the light side before the war really even starts. He would be able to use Nova for intel on which students may be future assets to the Order. Albus Dumbledore did not want to let this young girl fall out of his hands and into the hands of Lord Voldemort.
As Albus paused to think over all of this knowledge, Severus has begun to grow nervous. He had just thrust his goddaughter's fate into the hands of Albus Dumbledore, and if he was honest with himself, he wasn't completely sure if it was a good thing or not.
"What is your suggestion then, Severus?" Albus asked, turning to face the man.
"Put her under the protection of the Order." He replied, as though it was an obvious answer.
Albus looked at his colleague and countered, "Why don't we have her join the Order instead?"
Even though the atmosphere was quite serious, Albus' eyes still twinkled at how utterly gobsmacked Severus seemed by the response. Severus' eyes widened, his nostrils flared, and even his jaw slackened ever so slightly. "Excuse me."
"Not as a full member, Severus." Albus said, moving through his point quickly, "I was thinking more as someone who could be the eyes and ears here at Hogwarts. She does have several friends in every house, she would be able to tell us what she hears from her friends in Slytherin. She would be able to tell us what her friends hear from their parents, as kids are more likely to tell their friends their troubles, than they are to tell their Head of House. She may also be able to help us know which seventh years may be of use to us after they graduate, and sway them our way, as that is exactly what Voldemort will be doing, if we can get to them first we can save them before he can get to them."
"She will be safe, you can guarantee me that?" Severus asked, as he didn't really want to use his goddaughter, but if this was the only way to keep her safe then he would. Nova was the only person that he considered to be his family, except maybe Draco.
"She won't be in any real trouble, Severus, not really. And she isn't a child anymore, she is almost seventeen."
Severus nodded, "If it is the best way to keep her safe, then I will agree. Will she be able to stay at Headquarters? She cannot stay with me, that is the first place that Narcissa will look for her."
"Of course, I am certain that Sirius would be delighted to have her there, and I believe that it was also her old home for several years."
Severus let out a few choice words under his breath as he realized that Nova would be sharing a home with his least favorite person in existance.
"What was that, Severus?" Albus asked, a knowing twinkle in his eye.
"Nothing, just that Nova hasn't been there since her grandmother died, I was just wonder how she would feel about going back."
"Oh yes, to return to ones childhood home." Albus wondered aloud, with a distant look in his eye, that he quickly snapped out of before Severus could notice. "I believe that it is time to retire back to our own for what is left of the night. Bring her to my office tomorrow morning and I will discuss with her the choice that she will need to make."
"Of course, sir." Severus nodded, as he turned towards the fireplace to floo home for the night.