Double O - Who?
November 21, 1998
Green eyes met the black. Severus Snape stared up at the boy who looked so much like his father James Potter...except for the eyes. He had her eyes,
"You have your mother's eyes."
Severus didn't remember anything after that. Not until he woke up...in bed...in a white room with white walls and an amazing 360 degree view of ocean.
"Hello, Mister Snape."
A man dressed in a black muggle suit stood beside the bed. Four other men, in the same black suits, stood some distance away. Severus opened his mouth to speak. A raspy cough was all he could produce.
"You've been in a coma for seven months. Your voice might need a minute to catch up."
Severus was gobsmacked,
Seven months! Sooo...not dead then.
He tried to swallow. It burned. He coughed again. The man reached by the bedside and poured out a glass of water.
"Here, this might help."
Severus narrowed his gaze. The man smiled.
"It's just water."
Severus mentally threw a diagnostic spell toward the glass. Nothing happened.
Blast! My magic isn't responding!
"It really is just water, Mister Snape. The last thing we want to do is hurt you. On the contrary, we have looked after you, protected you for seven months. We want you very much alive."
Severus cautiously accepted the water and took a sip. He coughed before taking another drink. Then another until his throat no longer stung or felt dry. He held onto to the glass looking up at the man. He was not in any position to argue with anyone,
"Who are you?"
The man smiled again and pulled out a flat black leather badge holder. Flipping it open he pronounced,
"My name is Darius Humphreys, Special Branch."
Severus glanced briefly in the direction of the warrant card but did not read it. He knew credentials could be faked. Warily he glared at the man,
"Special Branch of what?"
The man chuckled,
"Of course, my apologies. You might not be aware of our side of things. We are MI5 of Her Majesty's Secret Service."
Oh, that Special Branch, Severus thought.
"Where am I? More importantly, why am I here...wherever here is?"
The man tucked his ID back into the breast pocket of his black suit.
"Very good questions, Mister Snape. I am authorised to tell you that we have been keeping an eye on you for some time now. Ever since we received word of the madman who was trying to overthrow, uhm, your side of things. When your operation went awry...or rather when Riddle attempted to kill you, we stepped in. Three of our operatives were on the ground immediately, got you out of that dilapidated shack and transported you here, to this secure facility off the coast of Australia, as planned. You have had the best care on the planet...at Her Majesty's request."
Again Severus found himself speechless, and not because of the injury to his throat. Which, by the way, felt well healed when he reached up to check.
"The Queen? The actual Queen of bloody England...requested...what?...I receive medical assistance in case of...my near death?"
The man inhaled, somewhat amused at the quickness with which Severus Snape grasped the situation however sarcastically.
"To put it succinctly...yes. As I said, MI5 was ordered to keep an 'eye on things' in your world. Reports of Riddle's...return was troubling. Your clandestine activities were noted about six years ago. It was decided that you, in other circumstances, might be of use to Her Majesty's Service."
Severus took a moment or two to think over what the man had said.
"Ok, so let me see if I get this straight. The muggle government knows about the magical world. And is alright with it. So much so, that the Queen ordered the muggle Secret Service to intervene on my behalf should ill befall me. Now, I am sequestered in a secret facility in the middle of the Pacific ocean on the other side of the world. All on the off chance I would...what?...spy for England?"
The man's brow quirked. He seemed impressed.
"Actually so, Mister Snape. And, incidentally, we are currently off the coast of Victoria, so technically it is the Indian ocean, more specifically the Great Australian Bight. Anyway, you have some...unique skills. You're bravery is now revered throughout your world and even known of by several...muggle, is the word, yes?...muggle security agencies on an international scale."
Severus stared at the man in disbelief. Then considered,
"If I'm so well known as a spy how could I be of any further service as such? Surely I would be recognised by any foreign targets and my cover blown. What possible use could I be. And I'm not really looking to get myself killed...again."
Severus was not sure exactly how much of 'his world' was known so he thought he would test the waters. The man smiled knowingly,
"Mister Snape, we are quite thorough in our intelligence gathering. You are considered to possess a brilliant mind, highly skillful at deception and disguise...and then there is that little thing your people call Polyjuice. When you became a candidate for the Intelligence service, we watched and studied you very closely. You see, there are wizards in our employ as well as in the family trees of many...higher ups, shall we say."
Severus took another sip of water, mainly to give his mind time to digest what has just happened.
"So. You want me to work for you?"
The man nodded once.
"Precisely, Mister Snape. You will be handsomely compensated for your efforts. Something your previous employer did not offer you. A meager teacher's salary hardly covers unspeakable dangers and grievous bodily harm on a continuous basis for the past eighteen years, now does it Mister Snape."
Severus thought about the death of Albus Dumbledore and his part in it. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly,
"No it does not, Mister Humphreys. There is no small matter of the death of my previous employer. My world wants my hide for that."
Humphreys nodded,
"We know all about that. In our line of work, Mister Snape these things happened frequently. It was his choice and his direct order to you, as he was dying a slow and agonising death at best. You did as instructed by a superior officer. Is this not so?"
Severus nodded solemnly,
"It was a matter of loyalty...mostly."
Darius Humphreys stood up straighter sticking out his chin as if at attention before a superior,
"Exactly, Mister Snape."
~~~
After a another two weeks of recouperation, mainly along the lines of regaining his physical strength, Severus became a member of Her Majesty's Secret Service, MI5, four days before Christmas. He was given an apartment, a bank account, a wardrobe full of black suits including a tuxedo, and a special mobile phone on which he was given a crash course in how to use.
A knock at his door the day before Christmas Eve roused Severus from his kip on the sofa. He stretched in front of the warming heat of the fancy gas fireplace set in the wall of his posh flat. Just when he thought he could not be any more surprised ---
Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry Potter and Darius Humphreys stood at the entrance. Severus showed them in. Shacklebolt's voice was booming in normal circumstances but now it was quiet and polite...almost reverent.
"Hello, Severus."
"Kingsley? Potter?...Darius, what is this? And may I remind you that my magical core is healing nicely and I am quite capable of wordless and wandless spells as well as unaided flight. So this better be good."
Humphreys threw up his hands in mock surrender,
"No need, Severus. Minister of Magic Shacklebolt, and Mister Potter are here to thank you for your service."
Severus eyed the group warily and scoffed,
"Yeah, I bet."
Kingsley spoke professionally, unrolling a parchment he had pulled from the inside pocket of his colourful African robes. A muggle disguise perhaps, Severus considered. Potter was dressed in a muggle suit not unlike Humphreys. Shacklebolt cleared his throat,
"Severus Snape, you are hereby awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class, for bravery and heroism in the face of the enemy. Here is the medal and a muggle check for five hundred thousand Pounds, drawn on the Bank of England. Thank you for all you have done. And anytime you wish to return, the Unspeakables could use you. Name your price."
Kingsley extended his hand. Severus looked at Shacklebolt then at his proferred hand. Taking hold of it Severus shook it once emphatically,
"Right. I'm good...for now."
At that Harry Potter stepped from behind the Minister as if he was about to face death, again. The young man had grown in the last year and now stood almost eye to eye with Severus; he swallowed hard and stuck out his hand,
'Thank you, Prof-- Sir...for everything. I- uh, I- I'm glad you're ok."
Severus took the boy's hand and looked him in the eyes. No, he wasn't going to say that again.
"Pot-- Mister Potter. You may not believe this...but I am...pleased to see you survived as well. I don't know everything that happened after-- But I've no doubt...you were very brave."
Harry Potter's jaw dropped leaving his mouth wide open. It took him a second to close it.
"Thank you, Pr-- Sir."
~~~
The following morning was Christmas Eve day. Severus tugged at his tuxedo jacket and rubbed his hands on his thighs to get rid of some of the nervous perspiration that had accumulated on his palms. Can't meet the Queen with sweaty palms.
He thought the limousine was a bit over the top when Humphreys showed up that morning grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
<<<~~~~
"Severus. That tuxedo still in your wardrobe?"
Severus was confused. He had just stepped out of the shower when the entry buzzer went off. Now Darius was standing in his sitting room asking about a tuxedo.
After a few more words of explanation Severus got dressed and tied back his hair as Humphries fixed his tie. All Severus remembered of Humphries unexpected appearance were the words,
"Have to look our best if you are to be presented to Her Majesty, the Queen."
~~~>>>
~~~
The ceremony was held in private without the usual cameras or press presence. There was still the Statute of Secrecy to be upheld. Humphreys, Shacklebolt, Potter and Minerva McGonagall were standing next to him.
Severus mentally ran through the procedure as told to him by Darius on the ride to Buckingham Palace. At the moment his name was announced it was like a Muffliato charm had been cast over the proceedings. Severus could hear nothing as he stepped forward and bowed his head to the British Monarch trying to occlude enough not to pass out completely.
~~~
Later at his flat Humphreys, Minerva, Potter and Shacklebolt left after a congratulatory dram of whiskey and Holiday wishes. Minerva could not help herself engulfing Severus in a crushing hug and proclamations of regret over misplaced anger and even hate.
Finally alone, Severus loosened his tie, fell backwards onto the black leather sofa, propped his feet up on the large leather ottoman and stared at the medal hardware he had received in the last two days.
The Order of Merlin, a check for half a million quid (apparently the muggle equivalent to a galleon is five pounds sterling)...and a bloody pardon as well. Then there was The George Cross he had not yet removed from his tux jacket, having been pinned there by the Queen herself.
He drew in a breath and shook his head,
"Blimey. Happy freaking Christmas, Severus!"
~~~OVO~~~
Note:
The George Cross is the highest civilian gallantry medal in the UK, and is awarded for acts of heroism or courage in extreme danger. It is equal in status to the Victoria Cross, the highest military gallantry award.
Also, huge thank you to my friend, who wishes anonymity, for another wonderful piece of artwork!!