Severus was taking a more active role in the Dark Lord's activities, often accompanying Death Eaters as they went to their tasks. He watched and only participated rarely when people were injured and killed. He went to meetings afterwards and continued to be offered a place in the festivities with which they were rewarded. He always declined.

He couldn't decline when punishments were handed out, but afterwards there was always Emily. Emily healed his hurts, and listened to the stories he was willing to tell her. On the rare nights Severus wasn't injured, she always welcomed him home with open arms. At night she made love to him with the passion and sweetness he had always known in her. However throughout the summer there remained some piece of her that was aloof and watchful.

He tried to probe Emily's mind to see what his master had told her but he had not yet learned how to do so without causing her pain. Severus attempted as well as he could to reassure her, but feared that until he understood what had happened at the dinner party he would not be completely successful. For some reason, he found no way to bring up the subject without distressing her and chose instead to leave it alone.

The new school year began. Professor Slughorn was still the nominal Head of Slytherin House, but other than working with the seventh years, he had turned the management over to Severus. The younger professor now had an uncomfortable task that he hoped his wife would help with. Perhaps it would distract her from what troubled her as well.

“Emily, could you help me with something?”

“What is it?”

“I find that some of these younger girls, third year and below, are woefully deficient in understanding how their own bodies work.”

“Oh, no! What can their mothers be thinking?”

“Some might be orphans. Do you think you could have a meeting with them?”

“I would love to.” Emily smiled up at her husband in a way he hadn't seen in a while.

One meeting turned into several as the girls asked more and more questions about life and boys and dating. Emily met with them as a group and also individually as certain issues came up. Severus found himself greatly relieved as Emily regained her self-assurance and cheerfulness. The Snape family was doomed if it depended upon the husband and father for cheer.

Now that the Slytherins were, for the most part, well behaved, the Gryffindors were becoming a nuisance. For some reason, a few well-chosen punishments never seemed to deter the young lions. Whenever Professor Snape thought he had dealt the deciding blow to one group within that House, another group would start to tempt his patience. It would be a never ending battle with a house that apparently had adopted him as its nemesis.

---

Emily knew her husband was worried about her. He didn't realize how worried she was about him. She had been given a reprieve by their child but the Dark Lord would exact payment eventually. If Severus learned the specifics of the conversation, he might try to kill his master now.

Emily knew it would be a fight to the death, and she knew that Severus could not be the person mentioned in the prophecy. She would be left without her husband, Hope and the new baby would be without a father, and they would all be defenseless. That man would become her master and when he no longer wanted her, she would be at the mercy of the Death Eaters.

Worse still was Emily's reaction to Voldemort's touch. She had taken a certain pride in knowing that only Severus could move her in that way. Her body belonged to him and only responded to him. It had been one of the foundations of her life since the night she had made the offer and his hand had been on her body. She now knew that was not the case. She was no better than a tramp, or a prostitute, because if it came to it, Emily would feign even more than she felt to protect her husband. This confirmed a newfound wickedness in her own mind.

Meanwhile there was the question of whether Severus would actually ask for the life of Lily Potter if the Dark Lord succeeded in finding her. Emily wanted to believe that it would be due to a lingering affection for a childhood friend. She wanted to believe in her husband's love for her. Yet a doubt had been sown, and as she doubted herself, she began to doubt her husband. Emily began to brood on the possibility that if she did not lose Severus to death at his master's hand, she would lose him to the other woman whom he once loved.

It was a relief to have the task of helping the young Slytherin girls with their questions. They were so frank in their curiosity sometimes and so shy at other times. They had started coming to her in ones and twos, as well. One or two older girls had come to her with difficulties they had with their boyfriends. A couple of girls had been abused by people they should have been able to trust. Emily helped them all as she could. As the fall wore on, Emily began to feel that she had a purpose at Hogwarts and she started to shake off her misgivings.