Snape eased the doors to the Hogwarts Grounds open, careful to make no noise. While there was no rule against teachers heading into the forest, Snape was in no mood for explanations. *What an inane place and time. Middle of the night in the most dangerous forest in existence. Other than the forests of Romania.* Snape glided out into the dark night, a liquid shadow, soundless as Space.

Once the doors were safely shut, Snape padded easily across the grass, not stepping on even a twig. *I don't even see why the Guildmaster wants to see me. He read my report.* Snape paused outside Hagrid's hut, listening. No sound other than snores - the giant was sleeping peacefully. *Good.* Snape kept moving, making less noise than a mouse on thick carpet.

*How can they deny the signs? The Wielder has risen, both Muggles and Wizards alike have seen the rise of Evil. Has the Guild grown so complacent in these past fifty years that we no longer remember the Call?* The apparent neglect of duty rankled the honor-bound Professor. *I have not forgotten.*

Within moments, Snape had entered the Dark Forest.

Harry sneaked quietly behind Snape, careful not to make a sound. Hermione's words in the Tower came back to him.

"How many times have you suspected Snape, and how many times has he been totally innocent?" She'd asked.

"What honest person would go sneaking around in the night?" He'd returned. Hermione's reply had stung.

"That's what I was just acting myself." Harry shook his head. They were entering the Forest. Harry had been in the Forbidden Forest before. It was just as scary then as it was now. The trees were dark and foreboding, only slightly darker than the surrounding air. The underbrush was thick, perfect for hiding dangerous creatures such as werewolves. Branches tugged like fingers of the Dead at Harry's cloak, roots seeming to lunge up from the ground to trip him. The occasional hoot of owl or cry of rage shattered the normal silence.

Harry didn't have much time to worry about what might be eyeing him for lunch. Snape burst into full tilt as soon as they were out of sight of Hogwarts. The dark was no hindrance to Snape, it seemed. The older man moved with the speed of a panther, and the silence of a shadow. Roots and bushes remained miraculously unbroken, no trail was left. Soon, Harry had to run just to keep within sight range of Snape.

*For an old guy, he sure moves fast.* Harry thought, trying desperately to keep his breathing quiet. Without warning, Snape froze. Harry skidded to a halt, clapping a hand over his mouth.

"Blade of fire, blood of steel." Snape said quietly. His keen eyes swept over the forest. *Dang!* Harry thought, cursing his heart for beating so loudly. The bracelet on Snape's right wrist gleamed black in the pale moonlight. It was a continuous circle of onyx that clung like a second skin. Harry found it's prescience somehow foreboding and familiar at the same time.

"Potter." Snape suddenly said. Harry's heart no longer betrayed his position - it had stopped. "Fifty points from Gryffindor, Potter. Get back to the school. I don't have time for your infantile games." Harry stifled a gasp, keeping very still. *Please don't let him find me. Please. Please.* Harry begged silently.

But to no avail. Snape began walking strait towards him, hand outstretched. Harry desperately threw a rock, and the bushes rustled.

In the opposite direction.

"Professor!" Harry screamed, throwing secrecy aside as a acromantula hurtled out of the dark forest, scooping Harry up in its pincers. "Professor, help!" *He's gonna leave me. That's what this was, it's a trap, Snape's gonna feed me to the Acromantula and that's it!* The acromantula began to escape, but froze at Snape's authoritative bark.

"Drop him. Drop him or die." The spider turned, speaking through a mouthful of Harry, whose cloak had drifted to the forest floor.

"You? Harm me? I think you are much mistaken, Dessert." The spider's voice was muffled and grotesque, a parody of human speech. Snape said nothing. He extended his arm, forming a fist. The bracelet gleamed again, and suddenly snicked into a new form; that of a gauntlet that reached to Snape's elbow. A black blade extended from the back of the gauntlet's hand.

*That looks like the Witchblade!* The last Charms lesson came back to Harry in full force as he stared at the strange weapon. *But the Witchblade's silver, this is black! And only women can wield the Witchblade.*"This is your second warning." Snape said ominously. The spider creature shifted Harry into chewing position, and Snape moved.

A black blur of motion, the professor ducked under the acromantula's leg, lashing out at he sensitive leg joints. The magic blade cut through the monster's leg, severing it completely. Harry fell when the monster stumbled.

"Hide." Snape ordered, keeping under the monster and dodging the sprays of acromantula silk. Harry grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and scrambled under a bush. Snape cut again and again, always a second too quick for the giant spider. Black blood and bits of flesh sprayed everywhere.

"Hold still, worm." The spider raged, pincers snapping. Snape grabbed one of the leg hairs, holding on as the monster jerked the leg to his mouth. Snape jumped clear just in time, and the monster bit its own leg.

"Where are you!" The giant creature bellowed. Harry noticed Snape's position just before the acromantula. Snape dropped onto the creature's head and plunged the magic blade into the magic-born deformity's head. The gauntlet changed to a full suit of armor, protecting Snape from the acidic blood.

The beast choked and fell, dead. Snape stepped calmly off the creature. The armor glowed black, and the carnage was gone. In an instant, the weapon was a piece of jewelry once more. Snape opened his mouth, but another voice cut him off.

"Glad to know you're still sharp, Blacksnitch." The voice said. Harry whirled around so quickly he made himself dizzy. A man in black robes stood behind him. The man was tall and thin, as old as Dumbledore. But unlike Dumbledore, this man's eyes glinted rather than twinkled, where brown rather than blue. This man was dangerous, skilled... and kind, somehow.

Snape bowed deeply.

"Hello, Guildmaster Keenblade." Snape said politely. Harry stared. That was the first time he'd ever seen Snape polite in his prescience. "This is Harry Potter."

The keen, brown eyes looked Harry up and down. The man nodded.

"Good to see you." Keenblade walked over to Snape. "Is it true?"

"I would not have told you if it wasn't. The Dark Lord has risen again, more powerful than before. The Wielder has returned. The Evil has come - even the Muggles feel it." Snape said without shame. "We will soon be called upon by the Lady." Keenblade sighed.

"What is her name? We all feel her prescience, but she is not in the land of the Celts."

"Sarra Pezzini. She is in Los Angeles, Muggle America. She has just now been empowered by the Perriculum." Snape said curtly. Harry gasped.

*The Wielder. The Witchblade... the Call. Just like Hermione read in her book. The Blackthorne Assassin's Guild.*

"You're assassins!" Harry blurted, backing away. "You're planning to kill Dumbledore, aren't' you? Or something evil. Murderer!" Harry turned to run, but something was blocking his way. A man in wizard's robes. Harry backed away, looking for a way out.

"Severus is not going to kill me any time soon." The man said. Harry froze, felling like an idiot. The man was Headmaster Dumbledore. "These nighttime journeys have to stop. Severus has my trust and has proven himself time and again. Hello, Master Keenblade." Dumbledore greeted the old man, and returned his attention to Harry. "The Blackthorne Guild's weapons all contain a piece of the Witchblade, made from a culture entrusted to them by Cleopatra. Each blade is carefully wrought, totally bonded to it's owner, a symbiotic circle. They are a highly trained Guild, each sworn to the service of the Wielder of the Witchblade whenever she calls them. Now, tell me, Harry, would a warrior for good serve Lord Voldemort?"

Harry hung his head.

"No." He said softly. Dumbledore nodded.

"Hagrid, take Harry back to school. Gryffindor will loose points for this when I return. You have detention, Harry." Dumbledore said sternly. Harry flinched, not daring to look up at the giant who led him. Dumbledore had never given him detention before, never chastised him before. It hurt.

"Keenblade, who is the new Wielder?" Harry heard Dumbledore ask as he was led out of earshot.