A/N - And here we've reached the final chapter. This scene occurs Second War era, because Emmeline Vance, as canon tells us, was murdered "in a nasty way." Canon also happens to mention that a certain double agent took credit for his part in her death. Let's see what we can do with that. As always, read, review, and most importantly - Enjoy! And many thanks to all who have read/reviewed thus far - you're all awesomely cool people =) Here's to more fics in the future!

"Though those that are betray'd do feel the treason sharply..."

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Of course."

Emmeline cast a nervous glance over her shoulder, pulling her cloak tighter in the damp chill of the dark room. The lock clicked into place, the light from an extra spell shimmering green for a moment across the profile of Severus Snape. He had assured her that a contact of his would be meeting them here. A contact who had important information for the Order. Emmeline had never spent much time with Snape at school and had certainly not made much effort to seek him out now that they were more or less working together for the Order. Thus she had been greatly surprised when Severus had arrived at headquarters, interrupting her late lunch in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. He had at first demanded to see Mad-eye, who had in fact left a good hour earlier, and then inquired as to the whereabouts of Remus Lupin. When Emmeline revealed that she had no idea where either of the men were at present and rather crossly stated that she would very much like to finish her lunch now, Snape's eyes narrowed and he glowered down at her. Emmeline shifted in her seat, uncomfortable under the sudden scrutiny. Snape finally decided that she would do just as well, that he only needed a member of the Order, and she grudgingly abandoned her lunch and followed him out into the yard.

The overgrown gardens of Grimmauld Place were lost in a blur of grey skies and spinning earth, and then Emmeline was standing on a London street corner. Snape was already striding away, black cloak billowing in the wind, and Emmeline had to jog to catch up. The world was cold and drizzly and gray, far too gray for late August. Suddenly Emmeline was more inclined to believe Moody when he said the dementors were spreading. She quickly lost track of where they were going as Severus turned down one sharp alley, then another, and the bricks and sidewalks and noise all faded into one constant stream of city background. Snape finally stopped at a crooked door and he never even knocked before entering. Emmeline swallowed back a distinctly nervous feeling that had been plaguing her for a few blocks now and followed Snape inside.

The moment she entered the rundown little room, Emmeline knew something was wrong. The nerves suddenly flared into outright fear, and she fidgeted with the edge of her cloak, one hand tight around her wand. Snape was Dumbledore's spy, she reminded herself, he must know what he was doing. The damp chill of London lingered in the long abandoned room, and Emmeline cast a hasty Warming Charm on her chilled fingers.

"Who exactly are we waiting for, Severus?"

Snape had leaned himself against the door, dark cloak and dark hair barely distinguishable from the shadows. His pale face had a detached, resigned sort of look that Emmeline recalled easily, horrified panic swarming over her. Snape had often adopted the same look just before he allowed his little school friends to do whatever new cruelty they most wanted to try.

"Severus?"

No answer ever came, at least not in the form of words. Three pops echoed in the stillness, quick succession. One moment Emmeline was standing in the center of the room, shuddering within her cloak and watching Snape at the door. The next, three dark robed figures had appeared in between, and Snape departed as the door opened and closed. Emmeline nearly screamed, nearly ordered, begged for Snape to come back, for him not to leave her trapped. But she knew he would not return, knew her fate had been sealed from the moment in Grimmauld Place when Severus Snape decided she would serve his purpose. Serve as a good enough sacrifice. Emmeline raised her wand, a shaft of light cutting across the dark room and casting the Death Eaters into shadow and odd angles.

"What do you want?" she heard herself demand, her voice more confident than she felt, fearing she already knew the answer.

One spell knocked away her wand, the next sent her tumbling across the dusty floor. Emmeline coughed and reached out, trying desperately to summon her wand back. Fingertips scraped across smooth wood, and then the wand was in her hand once more. She swung out with speed that surprised her attackers, the nearest Death Eater falling backward with a shout and a bang, toppling over a table and vanishing into the shadowy edges of the room. Emmeline hurried to her feet, pressing her back to the wall and lighting her wand, desperately fighting to save herself from an enemy that blurred and blended into the shadows. One moment there were white faces and bold lights, the next only her own panted breaths and panicked, racing heart. With every breath Emmeline felt herself slowly, painfully resign herself to the fact that she would never leave this damp, dark room. White masks and red light, and Emmeline gasped as the air left her. She fell to the floor, wand rolling away from suddenly numb fingers. The Death Eaters loomed over her, masks blurred, and Emmeline could feel her heart thrumming, racing in her ears. A damp chill settled over her, bright spurts of crimson against the bold blackness of the room, and Emmeline felt her heart shudder and skip and finally cease to beat.