Laurel was sitting by the window, looking out at the desolate gardens that at that hour were barely lit by the faint rays of the sun of that autumn afternoon. She let out a rueful sigh as she saw no sign of the beautiful albino peacocks that had entertained her during the last weeks she had spent alone in the suite. It now served as her luxurious prison, since Severus had to return to Hogwarts to fill his position now as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Every evening, the familiar figure of the only sorcerer who had - to this point - shown her any kindness, stepped over the threshold and breathed life back into her withering confinement. He brought interesting anecdotes from his class, rumours that circulated through the castle corridors, new ideas to apply in his investigations. Often, he brought clean clothing, Muggle cigarettes, and the odd delicacy pinched from one of Hogwarts's many banquets. His presence was a lifeline in the sea of tribulations in which Laurel was barely able to stay afloat.

However, the relief he provided was short-lived. Severus always said goodbye before dawn, with a bow of the head, a brief caress on her hair and a look in his eyes that suggested a deep nostalgia, an uncertain longing that produced mixed feelings in her. The gaze lasted only a moment, before the thick darkness took control of the jet-black eyes. Then he would turn around, walking to the doors with his wand held high, reinforcing the protection spells that kept the Death Eaters at bay and Laurel resisted the urge to run after him when seeing the brim of his long cloak disappear behind the door.

She dropped back into the armchair and took one of the hypodermic needles that she had insisted on getting after they had decided there was no other way to investigate further without obtaining samples of her blood. She tightened the elastic band on one of her arms, and took a deep breath, trying to locate her vein in the reddish skin, sore from so many puncture wounds that she had had to inflict on herself daily. This was better than having to cut her skin with a knife, she thought, remembering the shine of the sharp dagger with which wizards used to take their blood to use in their potions. Unlike them, who could cure their wounds instantly, Laurel had to learn to draw her blood with the Muggle method that she had seen the nurses perform at the nursing home so many times.

There it was, she could feel the elasticity of her bulging vein and tried to find a point where she had not punctured before. She brought the needle close to her skin and was about to insert it ...

"GET OUT OF THERE, YOU FILTHY SCUM!"

The doors of the room cracked under the strong ramming of Greyback, who at least once a week tried to enter the suite of the Akardos. Insulting and humiliating her just as he was treated by wizards throughout his life as a werewolf. Finally, he had within his grasp a being that was even more despised than him and he wanted to make her suffer all kinds of humiliations, he wanted to hear her beg for her life, bite and tear her body apart, he wanted to feel the taste of her blood that now invaded the entire wing of the manor where the suite that Snape had adapted as his laboratory was situated.

Laurel cursed when she stuck the needle in wrongly as her body shook in panic at Greyback's bellow. She yanked the needle out furiously and tossed it aside, ignoring the stabbing pain and trying her best to fill the test tube with the blood that was now trickling down her arm. She turned her eyes towards the door and could see how the magical wards that Severus had summoned around the room vibrated with the savage thrusts of Greyback, who had discarded all magical attempts to break them and now called on his bestial physical strength. Little glints of golden colour descended from the ceiling of the bedroom and flocked to the cracked door, reinforcing it and repairing the splintered wood. The werewolf's snarls of defeat rang out over Narcissa's protests and Bellatrix's demonic laughter.

"I don't understand why you keep bringing that lycanthrope into my home! You know very well that it is not welcome!"

"But Cissy, Greyback just wants to play with the Akardos a bit! Sharpen his claws with her body! You won't stop that poor beast from having a bit of fun, right?"

"The Akardos belongs to the Dark Lord, Bella. I will not allow a disgusting werewolf to destroy the job our Master entrusted Snape to do. As long as she's under my roof and Snape needs her alive, no one, not even you, will enter this room. Understood?"

Bellatrix put on a false pout on her face and turning her wand towards Greyback threw a Cruciatus at him that caused the werewolf to fall to the ground whimpering like a dog and spasmodically kicking against the door.

"Very soon you will be mine, little rat! When that nasty half-blood gets tired of you, I'll be there to take care of you as you deserve, soulless bitch!"

Laurel closed her eyes and huddled in the armchair, wrapping herself tightly in Severus's black cloak. Bellatrix's screams and laughter frightened her far worse than Greyback's onslaught. Despite the repeated attacks, Laurel had not yet finished getting used to the constant insults and threats. Severus had promised that she would be safe, but he could not protect her against the terrible and merciless shouts of contempt that she constantly received from the Death Eaters that made her psyche crumble. She clenched her hand tightly around the test tube she'd managed to fill up and waited until the voices faded and her body stopped shaking.

Slowly she got to her feet and walked over to the long worktable, her gaze going over the row of glass vials that each glowed with a different coloured liquid. Taking care that the still warm blood was enough for all the vials, Laurel poured small amounts into each of them, noting the exact time and observing how some of them changed in consistency and colour. One of them looked promising. The green liquid had curdled on contact with the drops of blood and now a silver foam overflowed the vial. She collected a sample and sat down, watching the foam swirl inside the test tube, creating hypnotic iridescent twirls. She hoped it was a good sign, an indication that Severus's experiments were leading somewhere.

A cold draft of air filtered through the chimney and Laurel shivered. She pulled on Severus's cloak again and hugged herself, inhaling the scent of damp and medicinal herbs impregnated on the soft black fabric. She called his name several times in her head, wishing he could somehow hear her thoughts. She missed him terribly. Little by little the burning in her chest, which at first she thought was only warm sympathy for Tobias's son, had ended up spreading through every inch of her body, torturing her with an insatiable desire to have the sarcastic wizard near her all the time.

"Quit the stupid ideas". - Her conscience did not take long to drown her useless dreams with a huge dose of reality. - "You don't know anything about him. He has not deigned to share anything with you. You're just a Muggle. A wizard would never pay attention to a soulless woman. You are falling in love with the person that is holding you prisoner. You're an idiot!"

As her inner voice pestered her, Severus's deep, silky voice invaded her head as well, adding even more chaos to the woman's poor state of mind.

"You are an Akardos".

"Drink it, Laurel. It will make you feel better".

"I will tell you all in due course".

"The price I had to pay for joining the Death Eaters, you could never understand".

"I will not let you die, Laurel".

"You cannot even understand how dangerous this war is, how many lives have been lost, the woman I loved, murdered..."

Laurel, she could sense it. It was the first time she had an anxiety attack, but she knew the symptoms. She didn't have time to light one of her cigarettes:

The dim colours of the tapestries seemed to blend into each other, causing the room to grow darker and darker. The the ruthless voices in her head drilled into the mind of the woman who had remained motionless, unable to see beyond those four walls that surrounded her and seemed to swallow her whole. She had the sudden urge to go to the door and escape from that maelstrom of restlessness that would not let her breathe, but her legs did not respond to her. Her body had been anchored to the chair, to the table and Laurel could barely let out a furious and desperate cry from the back of her throat that served to break the spell.

Without thinking, she stood up and stumbled to the double wooden doors and grasping both handles, she tried to open them in vain. Her mind was blank, she did not care what she might find on the other side, she had to get out of there at that very moment. She banged, kicked, and shook the doors with all her might until the sound of faint laughter brought her to her senses again.

"So, the little lamb finally wants to venture out of the fold?" - Greyback's throaty voice crept through the doors. - "There's no way, sweetheart. I would have knocked it down by now. But I promise you that very soon, I will be the one to experiment with you, no stupid potions, no... Just my teeth on your delicious neck... You are bleeding".

Laurel gulped in fear as she discovered the werewolf was still outside. She looked down at her arm, realizing that her blown vein had not stopped bleeding. The dark red liquid continued to flow, staining her skin and black robes as it fell in heavy drops to the ground.

"It is unique, you know? Your blood. I can't stop thinking about your scent. A fucking git like Snape doesn't deserve the luck to have his way with you. If it were up to me, you wouldn't have lasted more than an hour alive. I would eat you whole: skin, nails, bones... Maybe I would even be saddened by not savouring a prey like you again... But how would I enjoy tearing your body apart! I would start with your thighs, so I wouldn't kill you right away and I could hear your moans..."

Greyback's voice had turned into a string of aroused growls and his breathing began to get heavier as he spoke. The nasty noises he was making left no doubt in Laurel's mind about what he was doing now. Her heart stopped beating for a second. Then she exploded:

"FUCK OFF!"- She yelled at him in all her rage as she kicked the door hard while hurting herself. – "DISGUSTING BEAST, YOU BETTER FUCK OFF!"

Greyback's laugh made her furious. She took whatever was within reach and threw it with all her strength, wanting to kill that imitation of a man with her bare hands. She was seeing red. She had made up her mind never to be weak in front of anyone... She had already shed enough tears, enough blood... She threw one of the wooden chairs and it smashed against the door. The next thing she had on hand were the vials on the table. She took the test tube, where the silver foam still swirled and she was about to toss it too, but she stopped at the thought of Severus, she thought of all the work it had taken him to make those potions, all the sleepless nights he had spent with her searching through ancient manuscripts for anything that would help them... She was not going to destroy their work.

"Never, Greyback". - She whispered, approaching him again. - "You will never put a finger on me. I will not allow it".

Laurel backed away as the werewolf punched hard enough to pierce the wood, his claws trying to catch her, but the golden sparkles swarmed to the door again, burning Greyback's skin and forcing him to abandon his attempts. Laurel barely caught a glimpse of the werewolf's wild blue gaze glaring at her through the gaping hole before the door magically repaired itself.

"Do you think you are better than me, soulless one?" - He scoffed. - "We are both scum, deserving only of death, according to the wizard kind. You and I are not that different".

Laurel gritted her teeth and backed away from the doors with an exasperated grunt. She looked disdainfully at the destruction of the room. Bottles of liquor, which had escaped her devastating fury, waited for her in the parlour minibar.

≫ ──── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ──── ≪

"She is suffering, Albus!"

Severus rested his hands on the stone parapet at the top of the astronomy tower. The long curtains of black hair couldn't hide the weariness and concern on his sallow face. He had decided that perhaps if he showed more urgency in his voice and gestures, Dumbledore would at least be kind enough to take an interest in his cause.

"She is suffering from trying to attempt the impossible! I have to get her out of there."

Dumbledore kept his countenance calm, his gaze fixed on the orange glow of the setting sun on the horizon. The colors of the sky almost competed in beauty with his elegant robe of purple silk and gold brocades.

"You must be patient, Severus. Rome wasn't made in a day, and I see you are starting to make progress. You've managed to isolate the gene that makes the Akardos so threatening, it's only a matter of time until you can do something with it."

"Threatening?" - Severus narrowed his black eyes as he looked at Dumbledore. - "She is just a poor woman! A fairly innocent and naive one, to tell the truth. She has agreed to help me without complaint, despite having to endure some rather painful trials."

"She has no choice but to accept what you offer her, Severus". - Dumbledore replied as he ate a sherbet lemon. - "A sign that she is quite brave and cunning. I don't think she's naive at all. I am afraid, once she is free from death threats, she wouldn't want to continue assisting you".

Severus felt that painful wound that had been a constant for the past few weeks. He knew it, deep down he understood it perfectly. Laurel wouldn't want anything to do with him or with the magical world once she was free. She wouldn't want to stay with the bitter, ugly, pale wizard who had, technically, abducted her, who was holding her prisoner. Like Lily, she would probably just give him a contemptuous look before turning her back on him, disappearing forever from his life.

But, although it was perfectly logical and understandable, Severus refused to accept it. He resisted thinking that Laurel's kindness and affection were just a deception, a way to take advantage of the situation, a coping strategy. He clenched his fists trying to appease that hurtful feeling, a very similar one he already suffered the day when Lily had refused to speak to him again.

"I don't care if she wants to help me or not!" - he replied, straightening up and frowning. - "She is a human being, not a lab rat. She doesn't deserve to be locked up and be left at the mercy of the Dark Lord's wishes. I can save her, hide her. If only you would allow me..."

"And what will you do once Voldemort discovers you have betrayed him? Are you willing to die for the Soulless One?"

"So far, she has proven she has a purer soul than all of those who call her soulless." – Severus hissed angrily. – "And aren't you supposed to strive to save as many lives as possible? Is it not a norm for a Gryffindor to always play the hero? Why do you insist on keeping her in those horrible conditions?"

The blue eyes gleamed as they finally met the black ones. Dumbledore no longer needed any legilimency. It was evident that his initial fear of losing one of his most precious agents in the war against Lord Voldemort was becoming a reality. A reality that could be devastating to his calculated plan. However, the hint of a smile appeared on his lips:

Finally, the potions master's icy heart seemed to be pounding for another woman. It was a shame that it happened during those fateful circumstances. "It is our obligation to sacrifice everything for the cause, everything for the greater good." - he thought.

"Your determined perseverance to keep this acquaintance of yours out of the reach of Death Eaters is heartwarming. It kind of reminds me of your efforts to save the woman you loved all those years ago. Love is an extremely powerful form of magic, Severus. It was powerful enough to make you betray your Dark Lord. Powerful enough to make you forget the promise to protect Harry above all else. Perhaps even so powerful that it will cause you to break the Unbreakable Vow".

"Breaking the Unbreakable Vow would mean my death, Dumbledore."

"Oh, I thought you were willing to do anything to save the woman".

"Enjoy watching me suffer, don't you, Headmaster?" - Severus said in a dangerously low voice. - "Don't you think I've suffered enough? Love... This has nothing to do with love. Love has only brought devastation to my life. You know it better than anyone."

"This is precisely why I want you to be aware that your excessive concern for the Akardos could be your undoing, Severus. Yours and that of the entire magical world. Just focus on creating the potion. Is Voldemort aware of your progress?"

Severus crossed his arms, gave a resigned sigh, and turned his gaze to the horizon already tinted a twilight blue.

"He has been, for the most part, away from the manor. He is recruiting as many members as possible for his army. I have informed him of my progress, yes. He seemed pleased".

"So, he is not directly threatening the Akardos life. What about the other Death Eaters?"

"They have tried to get their hands on her from time to time, but none can pass the magic wards of the room she is being held in. Narcissa has given me her word she will try her best to keep her sister at bay. Only Greyback has taken the habit to harass her very often, of course, that disgusting werewolf is no match for my protective enchantments".

"Greyback, huh?" – Said Dumbledore thoughtfully. – "Interesting".

"What's interesting about it?"

"Greyback is always striving to infect as many people as possible. He wasn't going to waste his time with prey that he knows he can't catch. He also prefers attacking young children, not adult women. It's very curious".

Severus lost the little colour he had left on his sallow face. He looked flustered at Dumbledore, who put his blackened hand on his shoulder.

"Today is a full moon, Greyback must be prowling. I understand that you wouldn't want to stay for tonight's dinner either. The Akardos will surely appreciate your company today more than anything."

Severus gave a curt nod to Dumbledore, turned on his heels, and bolted to the tower staircase. How had he not noticed Greyback's grotesque obsession with Laurel earlier? How had he not noticed his strange pattern of behavior? He tried to remember what had happened during the last full moon, but Dumbledore's voice made his mind stop, as did his hurried steps.

"Severus!"

Grudgingly he turned to him, grateful that his occlumency hid the resentment that was growing in his mind.

"Severus, I give you my word. I will protect the Akardos. The moment her life is at imminent risk, bring her in. Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix will protect her. For now, just strive to maintain your credibility with Voldemort. We all depend on you, dear friend. We know that you won't let us down".

Severus gasped, he opened his mouth trying to thank Dumbledore, but it wasn't a thank you that came out of it.

"Her name is Laurel. The Akardos, her name is Laurel".

"Very well". - Dumbledore smiled and winked at him. - "Go through the kitchens before leaving. The elves have made a gorgeous treacle tart. I'm sure Laurel will love it".