This fic is the translation by Septentrion of the French fic by Kelokelo.
Everything you recognise belongs to Jo Rowling
Thanks to Kasukage and Potionsmistress for betaing this chapter
Any remaining butchery of the English language is mine
Warning : not HBP compliant, a lot of AU and OOCness
Chapter 1: An old memory
Dumbledore sighed with relief when the Hogwarts Express left the
station at Hogsmeade. Since the start of the school term in July, this
was the first time in five years that Harry Potter didn't get mixed up
in an adventure. Of course the petty quarrelling with Draco Malfoy had
persisted and both boys had collected an impressive number of
detentions because of their altercations but they hadn't done anything
which could not be repaired, according to Madam Pomfrey, who had seen
them both in the Hospital Wing a certain number of times this year.
His relief didn't last for long as Professor McGonnagall knocked at his door.
"Yes, Minerva?"
"Albus, you-- someone's here to visit you," she said in a toneless voice.
"Well, who is this someone who has you in such a state, Minerva?"
"It's me, Dumbledore," a tall man said while entering the Headmaster's office.
For the first time in a very long while, Hogwarts's Headmaster was
rendered speechless. He recognised the man immediately, even though he
had seen him only once, sixteen years ago. He remembered it as if it
was yesterday...
hr
It was the Transfiguration professor who had shown the man into
the Headmaster's office back then. It was on the day after he had
placed the bundle containing little Harry Potter on the doorstep of
number 4, Privet Drive. There remained a niggling thought which led
him to doubt that Voldemort was dead. What it was, he couldn't say.
Meanwhile, all of the wizarding world rejoiced in Voldemort's
disappearance and he would have been called a barmy old spoilsport if
he gave voice to his doubts, so he remained silent—for now.
When he had seen his visitor, a tall man, rather the same age as
himself, with delicate features, come into the office, he knew he had
a very powerful wizard in front of him. But who? He knew nearly all
the great wizards of the world!
"Good day to you, Mr.--?"
"Greetings, Albus Dumbledore," his visitor spoke in a deep, melodious voice.
"Arlin Gryffin."
While speaking, the visitor had fixed Dumbledore with a steady gaze
and Headmaster felt like the man had examined and judged him in the
space of a heartbeat. If he didn't know that he was endowed with a
very powerful mental screen against other Legilimens, he could have
believed his visitor had just used legilimency on him. He had the
sensation of seeing his entire life pass by in front of his mind's eye.
Before he had time to question his visitor, the man continued speaking
"Do you know the Lendoren, Dumbledore?"
"I must admit that I don't know that family," Dumbledore answered in a
quiet voice. "But I don't know all of the wizarding families, either."
"Lendoren doesn't refer to a family name, Dumbledore, but to a very
particular branch of wizards coming from every kind of Magical
tradition. We, for I belong to it, never mention this branch of
Magical study but for exceptional circumstances like those which drove
me to you."
"A particular branch of magic?" Dumbledore questioned.
"To make things simple, let's say we can access a particular branch of
Light Magic, one which we are uniquely attuned to use. That type of
magic is very powerful and we have reasons to believe you'll need it
in years to come."
"So you're here to teach it to me?" an amused and surprised Dumbledore asked.
"No, for only the Lendoren can learn that magic. Yet, I wish for you
to take here at Hogwarts one of us as a teacher. You can take him for
whatever position you may need him for, he's competent in all subjects
taught in this school."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because it's your only chance to win against Voldemort in the future,
for we can, and he can, use all of Hogwarts's wards in a very
efficient way. And more, because I'm going to show you, here in this
office, why you must put your faith in us."
Gryffin rose to his feet, and skirted Dumbledore's desk while the
latter watched him, intrigued. He stopped in front of Godric
Gryffindor's statue, waved his hand and the statue pivoted, leaving
Dumbledore stunned in amazement. His predecessor never told him
anything of the secret entrance which was now revealed…
Gryffin climbed down the narrow staircase behind the statue after he
indicated to Dumbledore to follow him. Dumbledore did so while
clutching his wand. 'What was all this about?' Since when were there
secrets rooms in Hogwarts he didn't know about? They arrived in a
simple room inhabited by four armchairs and an old book displayed on a
pedestal. Gryffin motioned for Dumbledore to read it. It took half an
hour for Dumbledore to read it all. The implications of what he was
reading astonished him. But how could he, a mere Hogwarts's Headmaster,
help these… people? Community? What could be the right word?
"I think the word 'community' is the most appropriate," Gryffin
answered calmly.
Dumbledore stared at him unblinkingly, but with great respect.
"Tell me what I have to do and I'll do it," he answered.
Gryffin introduced him to the man whom he wished to become a teacher
at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore nearly regretted what he had said in the
hidden room when he saw the perspective new teacher.
"But he's a Death Eater!" he cried, outraged. "He received the Mark
when he wasn't yet sixteen."
"True," Gryffin answered with a quiet voice, "but you see, our ...
condition of Lendoren is only revealed to us, at least to the
men, when we reach our seventeenth birthday. And when it is revealed,
we become unable to perform Dark Magic in any form and we're guided by
an instinct that doesn't allow us to form an alliance with it. I admit
Severus's Mark troubled us in the beginning--for his connection with
Voldemort is very real-- but we made the best out of it."
While Dumbledore was watching Severus with look which spoke of both
intrigue and a certain degree of anger, Gryffin spoke again.
"Severus continued officially as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters so
that we were able to know the precise moment when he was going to
strike and defeat him a first time through Harry. But Voldemort isn't
dead and he'll come back, that's why I need you to take Severus as a
teacher in this school."
"For how long?" Dumbledore asked in an icy tone.
"Several years, I'm afraid. Young Harry won't be able to face
Voldemort as long as he's a young child."
Two pairs of blue eyes confronted each other but for once, Dumbledore
was the one to give in. In front of him was a much more powerful magic
at play than his own. If he had to have a Death Eater as a teacher, he
would do it--but he would also keep a vigilant eye on him! And above
all he wouldn't give him too… tempting... of a position!
That's how Gryffin came into Dumbledore's life, and Severus Snape came
to Hogwarts as a member of the faculty though he was barely twenty. He
remained jaw-clenched when Dumbledore announced to him that he would
be teaching potions, but whatever Dumbledore thought of it, Severus
knew he hadn't any other choice. It was simply that teaching potions
from first to seventh year was hardly rewarding. Potions began to be
really interesting only after …