Jennifer Craw and the Maze of Dreams

 

Chapter One

Elsewhere

  It had begun with a simple note.

  Severus Snape, Defense professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and temporary Co-Headmaster was hardly alarmed when he had gotten the Minister of Magic’s Owl Post asking if he knew where Jennifer was.  But he was definitely puzzled as he glanced between it and his pocket watch that pointed to his wife as being, “Elsewhere.”

  It was not completely unlike his wife to wander off and have adventures without telling him.  What wasn’t like her was to forget something like picking up her oldest two children Alexandria and Aurelius from the train when they got off for the summer holiday.  But what disturbed Severus the most was his Dragonheart Diamond ring, which was in tune with her emotions, the color a reflection her every mood and sometimes giving him warning that her patience with him was coming to an end.  Now, however, the ring was as pale as he was.  He had only seen it that clear when she was either in a deep dreamless sleep or on the rare occasions she had taken it off.  Neither of those made much sense, however, considering she was “Elsewhere.”  At least, he had thought attempting to keep himself calm; it wasn’t stuck on “Mortal Peril.”

  He had been in the Headmaster’s Study at the time that the note arrived; buried under a pile of letters he needed to send out; school correspondence that had gotten neglected while he was helping with the negotiations between Goblins and the current Ministry.  To say it had been shaky over the last year would have been saying the least, for a series of strange events, beginning with a strange ‘princess’ appearing and the Fomorian race being held captive by Ciardoth in an ancient Goblin city had caused the tension between Goblins and wizards to escalate to nearly the point of war.  But with the help of the school’s Goblin librarian, Boulderdash, Harry Potter and Jennifer, not to mention a fluke curse that made the Goblins a bit more hospitable to the idea of accepting outside help, those tensions finally eased to the point that both sides were willing to compromise again.

  But the school correspondences were once again abandoned as Severus paced the office waiting for more word.  He often climbed up to the Observatory, looking out at the rain that had begun to fall not long before the note came.  A very irate bat suddenly darted in from the cloud soaked night, without a note but making enough of a fuss that his wife’s familiar had Severus’ full attention as he tried to calm the usually lethargic bat down.  The sinking feeling of dread that had been descending on Severus was getting worse now… he had never seen Ratfly act like this before.  He rubbed the bat’s neck, trying to get him to calm down.

   “Go find her, Ratfly,” Severus said after a moment.  “Tell her to come home.”  Immediately the fruit bat took off again into the rain, and that was the last that Severus saw of the bat for quite some time.

 

  It had been Rose Bailey’s mother, Ashley, who had seen the two Snape children standing with their carts alone in the rain on Platform 9 3/4.  She had waited with them for a while, chatting with them to keep them company as well as to get information as to where their other two siblings were, then finally packed them up and took them over to the Weasley’s house.

  Molly Weasley wasted no time getting Alexandria and Aurelius to change into dry things and get cups of warm cocoa in their hands, sending them upstairs to wait with their other brother and sister, Andrew and Alicia.  Alex quickly got a fire going in Andrew’s room and the four of them gathered on the bed.  The walls were bare and drawers empty as Andrew had already packed to head home, but nobody seemed to mind not having their games out much, content to sit on the bed and talk about school and about Aurelius’ birthday in two days.  But all of them were distracted by the noises of people coming and going downstairs, and Alex got up and went to the window in time to see Arthur meeting up with Minister Brown, Thurspire, and a large team of Enforcers on the lawn, Disapparating all out at once.

  “Where do you suppose Mum went?” Alex asked, folding her arms against the chill air.

  “Probably off to save the world again,” Aurelius said acidly.

  “Not now, Rel, can’t you see that everyone’s genuinely worried?” Alex said, heading back to the bed.  “This isn’t normal.”

  “Why are you angry at Mum this time, Aurelius?” Alicia asked.

  “Aurelius and I got into a slight argument about a school matter a month ago, and I’m afraid he’s not going over it yet,” Alex said.

  “She accused me of pulling a wand on you!  You expect me to forgive that?” Aurelius snapped.

  “Now, Aurelius, we know you’d never pull a wand on a sibling.  Except maybe Corey,” Andrew said. 

  “He’s not a sibling,” Aurelius said flatly.

  “Look, your wand came out.  It looked pretty bad, and we were fighting, Rel,” Alex said.  “Besides, considering no one seems to know where she is, you could try to be a bit more supportive.”

  “Well, I’m frightened,” Alicia admitted, pulling her legs to her chest.  “I want to know what’s going on.”

  “I guess that’s my cue, isn’t it?” Andrew said, the other three sets of eyes on him as he stood up.  “You sit tight.  I’ll go hang downstairs until I find anything out.”  As quick as a wink, Andrew disappeared.

 

  At the end of his last year at Stoddard, Andrew Albus Snape had been voted unanimously by his classmates as the student most likely to have been switched at birth.  He was patient and kind, quiet and attentive, and yet still outgoing enough to jump into any class project that happened to be in the works, a think tank that preferred to sit back and let someone else take on the headache as leader.  But although he had gotten along with all of his classmates well, there was never one or another that he particularly was close to.  And his talent as much as any other of the Snape’s talents had to be a safely guarded secret, for Andrew could make himself nearly undetectable at will.

  That talent had proved to be quite useful over the years in his never-ending quest to fill his stomach, as well as overhearing adult conversations he wasn’t supposed to be privy too.  That hadn’t always worked at home, however, for his father often wore a chain that told when someone else was around.  But Andrew had found on those occasions that if he kept his mind on his food run and not particularly on the conversation they were having, the chain seemed to ignore him.  But that did, of course, mean quite a number of food runs whenever he wanted to learn anything in the Broom Closet.

  The Weasleys, however, didn’t seem to have such troublesome devices, and Andrew had soon taken to the habit of sitting on the steps invisible in the evenings and listening to Arthur talk with guests of every sort, barging in for one reason or another to discuss something that happened at the Ministry.

  That rather took an unexpected turn one day when they were talking at breakfast, and Andrew had forgotten himself and made a rather startling conclusion to one of the problems to what Arthur had been working on.  In fact, what he had forgotten most was the fact that Arthur and Molly listened to them, and that Arthur was quite interested in the insightful ideas that Andrew came up with.

  That had been the first weekend that Arthur had invited Andrew with him to the Ministry on the odd Sunday that he went, and Andrew had learned quite a lot from those visits, not that much really happened there on the weekends.  One thing he learned was how to never take anything at face value.  It was an important lesson for someone with such an uncanny talent for information gathering.

  Those talents were certainly going to come into play now, he knew, and Andrew took his position as ‘family spy’ even more seriously than usual, sitting on the step and waiting for something to happen.  Only Molly was there at that moment, cleaning the kitchen while taking a break every now and then to check her knitting project…probably a new jumper for Aurelius’ birthday, Andrew thought, for it was made in green wool yarn.  Then she straightened the living room, not that it needed it… it was busy work, he realized, trying to keep herself occupied.  Finally the door opened and Arthur came in, drenched from his reddish silvery hair down to his boots and a solemn expression to match.

  “No luck?” Molly asked, knowing the answer already.

  “Hermione is on her way to the school now to take his place.  I expect he’ll be arriving soon.  It’d probably be best if they stayed here another night,” Arthur said.

  “Yes, you’re right.  I’ll make up some hot drinks and try to get them settled in, then,” Molly said, going over to the wood stove and getting out a pot and getting out the milk.  “What should I tell them, Arthur?”

  “Tell them…we’re doing our best,” Arthur said quietly.  Just then there was a pounding at the door and Andrew slipped down a couple more steps to see Arthur open it up, letting Severus in.

  “So?  What happened?  Any sign of her?  Where is she?” Severus asked, Arthur putting a hand on his shoulder to try and slow him down.

  “I just got back from Diagon Alley, Severus, there’s a full team down there now.  We found that she had been last seen at Gringotts sometime between six and seven.  After that, we can’t find anything.”

  “She was going to head to Knockturn Alley,” Severus said.  “Why aren’t you looking there?”

  “We talked to all the shop owners in Knockturn, but none of them report her having come in tonight.”

  “Of course they wouldn’t report it!  It’s Knockturn!” Severus snapped.

  “Severus, Jennifer to her credit has always been very open about any business she has in Knockturn, and despite its…problems, I believe the shops are truthful in saying they hadn’t done business with her.  Whatever happened either happened somewhere in between or somewhere else entirely, but right now there is no evidence that anything at has happened, other than the fact she is missing.”  Arthur said.  “Have you any idea where else she might have gone?”

  “No, the only other place would have been the station,” Severus said.

  “Thurspire has some men there now,” Arthur said.

  “Then I’m going.”

  “I’ll join you.”

  “We’ll just keep the children here tonight, Severus, you just take care of what you have to,” Molly assured him.

  “Don’t tell them too much,” Severus said.

  “I won’t worry them,” Molly assured him as the two men went back out into the rain.  Andrew slipped upstairs as Molly finished pouring the milk into cups, slipping in the door and turning visible, quickly hushing their questions and sitting on the bed.  She knocked and peered in, pushing the door open when she saw they were all there.

  “I thought I’d bring you something to help you sleep.  It seems you’ll all be staying here with me tonight, just like old times,” she said cheerfully, handing them each a cup while they thanked her quietly.  “You need me to help you through your trunks for your bed things?”

  “We’re all right, Mrs. Weasley,” Alex insisted.  “Any word about Mum?”

  “Oh, nothing to worry about, Alexandria, I’m sure she just got waylaid somewhere,” Molly said pulling Alex’s bangs out of her face.  “She’s a very accomplished witch and I dare think she can take care of herself.  But since it’s so late and she’s been delayed, we all thought it’d be best if you stayed here one more night.  Well, I suppose I’d be making up your beds, shouldn’t I?”

  “If it’s all the same,” Andrew said, “I think we’d rather all just stay in here for the night.”  The others quickly agreed, valiantly attempting to prove to Molly that they could all fit in the same bed still.

  “Making a sleeping party out of it, are we?” Molly smiled.  It was a very strained smile.  “All right then!  But do get your sleep.  And I’m sure when you wake up in the morning, everything will be all right,” she assured them, closing the door behind herself and resisting the urge to collapse.

  “Everything’s not really going to be all right, is it?” Alicia asked quietly.  Andrew slowly shook his head. 

 

Chapter Two

Snapes on the Move

 

  After a restless night of almost comforting side jabs and occasional kicks, Andrew woke up to a growling stomach and to the smell of breakfast.   He got up and then quickly pulled pairs of legs to the floor in attempt to wake his other siblings, who merely complained loudly and tried to push him away.

  “Come on, I’m hungry.  Besides, we need to find out what happened overnight,” Andrew pointed out.

  “Then go already!” Aurelius snapped, crawling back into bed.  But the girls were sitting up and trying to clear their eyes.  Alex began to poke Aurelius mercilessly until he finally sat up as well.

  Andrew headed down the stairs to find that there were three children already there.  Joanie Weasley, Ron and Hermione’s daughter, sat next to Jamie Potter talking about what they were going to do that morning, while Jamie’s brother Cedric merely sat at the table yawning continuously.

  “Ah, Andrew, get the cups down for me would you please?  Did you wake your brother and sisters?” Molly asked from where she stood over the stove.

  “Yes ma’am,” Andrew said, getting into the cupboard.

  “Andrew!” Jamie called with her arms out, waiting for a hug.

  “Sit by me, Andrew!” Joanie insisted, patting the seat beside her.

  “Oh great, breakfast at the dwarf society,” Aurelius murmured when he appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Mind your manners, Aurelius, and have a seat,” Molly said, frowning at him.  “There’s always room for more at this table, you know that.”

  “Mum had to work,” Joanie said matter-of-factly.  “She said she’d stay home this summer, but she’s not home.  Isn’t it summer yet?”

  “I’m sure you’re Mum will be home as soon as she can, Joanie,” Molly told her, filling up their plates.

  “And what about ours?” Alicia demanded as she and Alex stood by their chairs.  Molly hesitated a moment before continuing her way around the table.

  “Have a seat dear.  Your eggs are getting cold,” Molly said.  Alicia and Alex glanced at each other.

  “My mum went to work.  But Dad didn’t come home last night,” Jamie said, looking suspicious.

  “Your Dad is with your granddad, Jamie.  Less talk, more breakfast,” Molly warned, sitting down herself.

  “Is our father with them too?” Andrew asked.

  “Yes, of course, dear.  Would you like some more sausages?” Molly offered.

  “Yes, please, but what I’d really like to know is if they’ve found her yet,” Andrew said persistently.

  “It’s only been one evening, Andrew,” Molly said gently.  “Sometimes these things take time.”

  “Yes, remember when Thera disappeared nobody saw her again for over a month!”

  “Alex, that’s enough dear.”

  “A month?” Alicia said, her face paling.  “Is she going to be gone that long?”

  “I think they’d find a corpse by then.”

  “Aurelius!” Molly barked, glaring at him warningly.

  “Besides, Thera left on her own.  I gather no one thinks Mum did, right?” Aurelius pointed out.  “Or did she?”

   “Mum wouldn’t just leave us,” Alex said firmly.

   “Then one of her enemies must have caught up with her.  Do you really think they’d leave her alive?”

  “That does it!” Molly said, quickly getting up and dragging Aurelius out of his chair and towards the kitchen door.  “You and I are going to have a little talk,” she said as they went outside.

  “Why is Alicia crying?” Joanie wanted to know as Andrew and Alex got up and over to her side, trying to comfort her.

  “It’s going to be all right,” Andrew told her softly.  “I don’t think Father thinks she’s dead, and you shouldn’t either.” 

  “We can’t just sit here.  We’ve got to do something!” Alicia insisted.  Alex and Andrew looked at each other thoughtfully, but before they could say anything they heard a strange noise. 

  “Sounds like a car,” Joanie said sagely as Andrew went to look out the window. 

  “It’s Aunt Anna,” Andrew said.

  Alicia suddenly burst out of the room and over to the car just as Anna got out, clinging onto her and sobbing while Anna helplessly held the child, barely able to keep her own eyes from watering.  Her face was almost expressionless, and for one quick moment Andrew saw the same haunted look in her eyes that his father got from time to time.   

  With a firm arm around Aurelius, Molly led him over.  Joanie, Jamie and Cedric were soon peeking out the door curiously unsure of what was going on, waving to Anna.

  “Hello, Molly.  I see you have your hands full today,” Anna said, looking quizzically over at Aurelius who was avoiding her gaze.

  “Everyone does I think in one way or another,” Molly said.  “If you’re looking for your brother, he and Arthur haven’t returned yet.”

  “No, actually, I saw him at the Ministry this morning…”

  “Have they found Mum yet?” Andrew asked.

  “Or at least gotten a lead or two?” Alex added anxiously.

  “Nearly the entire Ministry is out looking for her now.  Your mother has a lot of friends,” Anna reassured them, hugging Alicia again.

  “And one too many enemies, it would seem,” Aurelius said, earning another arm squeeze from Molly.

  “I’ve come to take them back to the Broom Closet, whenever they’re ready to go, that is,” Anna said.

  “We’re going to get to ride in the automobile?” Alex said brightly.  “I’ll go get my things!”

  “Come in a moment, have something to eat,” Molly insisted.

  “Oh, no, I had a late dinner, honest,” Anna said.

  “At least some coffee?”

  “That I could use,” Anna agreed, following her in.

  “Where are Zoë and Zacchius?” Alicia asked, feeling a little better for being told they were going to be taken home.

  “They’re going to stay with their grandparents for awhile.  But I’m going to be staying with you, unless there are any objections,” Anna added, looking at the others.

  “None here,” Andrew said.  “Can you cook?”  Aurelius rolled his eyes.

  “I’d rather send out for pizza,” Anna admitted.

  “That works too,” Andrew nodded.

  “Andrew, why don’t you three run along and get your things together?  Perhaps Jamie and the others would like to help,” Molly suggested.

  “More like get in the way or break things,” Aurelius said, earning another stern look from Molly.  “All right, all right.  Let’s go upstairs, Gnomes.”

  “I’m not a Gnome,” Cedric protested.

  “Are you sure?  We can take you all out to the backyard and see if you don’t get thrown over the wall.”

  “Aurelius!”  Molly snapped.

  “Can’t anyone take a joke?” Aurelius said, stomping up the steps.  Molly shook her head.

  “He’s taking this pretty hard,” Anna said quietly.  “Alicia too.”

  “Yes, they are.  I’m surprised the other two are handling it so well, but then Andrew always did take everything in stride,” Molly said.  “Alex just doesn’t believe in waiting.  She only believes in results.”

  “Well, you look exhausted,” Anna scolded her.  “Sit down, I’ll get the coffee.”

  “Was it just yesterday that we got the note saying she would be here after she ran some errands?” Molly said, rubbing her eyes a bit and thanking Anna gratefully for the cup she was handed.  “For some reason it seems so much longer.  I just don’t understand where she could have gone.  This isn’t like her at all!”

  “No, it’s not.  And I’m glad Arthur realized it soon enough to go ahead and start looking last night, even if they haven’t found her yet,” Anna said, sitting down.

  “And how was Severus when you saw him?” Molly asked worriedly.

  “Exhausted, but otherwise all right so far…” Anna shook her head.  “To be perfectly honest, I don’t think it’s really hit him yet.  I don’t know if it’s faith, optimism, or just shock.  He’s so determined to find something…anything…that will make it seem real to him, and I don’t know how long it’s going to take before we find that.”

 

  Little did she know, however, that even before she had driven up to the small seaside cottage that the Snapes called home, the four children had devised a plan of action.  The moment they got there the four of them headed upstairs, assuring Anna that they’d like to unpack their things themselves and needed a bit of time alone.  Accepting it as grief, Anna decided to stay out of their way and let them support each other for a bit, turning her attention to trying to make the house feel alive again by getting some candles and lanterns lit and throwing something on the stove.

  Alicia immediately began to look over her paintings when the four of them got into her room.  Finally she found a decent one of her mother and hung it on the wall, looking at it objectively.

  “Okay, I’m ready.  Everyone else?” Alicia asked.  Alexandria and Aurelius took out their wands, and Andrew showed her the phial of liquid in his hand.

  Alicia took a step forward and a second later was standing on the edge of the painting, giving the rest a hand until they were all there.  Making sure everyone was paying attention, Alicia stepped to the edge of the painting and off into the darkness, searching for the next frame edge, the others following close behind. Within an instant they reached the edge another frame.  Cautiously Alicia peered through it, then frowned.  “Well this isn’t right at all,” she said at last.

  Andrew peered through the frame to find that he was looking at the ceiling of Alex’s bedroom.

  “Oh, I see, it’s the next painting over.  Is this where we’re supposed to be?” Andrew asked.

  “No, not at all!” Alicia said with frustration, jumping into the darkness once more.  It took quite a few minutes walking in the darkness before Alicia was ready to step into another painting.  It was a much bigger frame, and all four of them could comfortably stand along the frame without disturbing the painting itself.  “Well, at least we’re not in the house any more.   It looks rather like Hogwarts,” she mused.

  “This is Father’s office,” Aurelius agreed, stepping out of the frame.  A moment later the others followed, looking around.  Nothing seemed out of place there as they cautiously wandered about the room.  Severus’ familiar, Rasputin, gazed at them through his one glass eye from where he lay across a small wooden box near the fireplace.  “If Father asks, you didn’t see us,” Aurelius hissed in parseltongue.

  “Why would he ask?” the Basilisk wondered, laying his head sleepily on the edge of the box.

  “Well, there’s definitely nothing here,” Alex sighed, glancing back at Alicia.  But Alicia was busy staring mesmerized at the painting they had come out of, for it was a painting of their mother.

  She didn’t look all that different, and yet Alicia knew the painting was fairly old.  She was dressed in velvet for the holidays, and was gazing back at Alicia with open concern.  The other three stopped to stare at it a moment as well, watching the exchange between their younger sister and the image.

  “It’s just taking us to other paintings of her,” Alicia said.  “Mum, where are you?”

  The painting of Jennifer frowned as if troubled.

  “She can’t know, Alicia, she’s only a painting,” Aurelius sighed.

  “But you don’t understand.  I’ve done this so many times before.  Gone in paintings to find people, I mean.  What normally happens is that it leads me to the frame of the closest painting to them, and we know she’s not here.  As long as the painting is good, it should have worked, and I chose one of my better ones!” Alicia insisted.

  “Maybe we’re taking the wrong approach,” Alex said.  “Alicia, you were able to find Ciardoth by using the diamonds… do you think you can do the same with Mum’s ring?”

  Alicia turned and looked at the ring on the Jennifer portrait’s finger.

  “Yes, let’s try that,” Alicia agreed, grabbing a piece of paper from the desk and sketching it, using as much detail as she could.  “I’m afraid that’s the best I can do in such short notice,” admitted at last, putting down the quill.

  Alicia stepped into the sketch with Andrew then offered hands to the other two, and the four of them were off again, stepping into the black beneath the frames.  It was a very long time before Alicia found the edge of the frame they had been led to.  She frowned as she peered in, not saying anything for a long time.  Impatiently the others stepped further over to take a look.

  It appeared to be the most dismal shop they had ever seen.  Magical antiques and artifacts were cluttered about around cases of smaller items, and most of them looked like the sort of thing that their father might demonstrate in class for hexes and curses.  Dust covered many of the items as if the House Elves had long abandoned the place, and even in the late morning light, the shop was dim and grey.  One by one they stepped out, looking around but very careful not to touch anything as they read off warning labels and price tags to each other.

  “We seem to be in a pawn shop,” Aurelius whispered after a moment, slipping over to the window display and leaning over a bit to read the sign.  “Borkin and Burkes?  This is in Knockturn Alley!”  Alicia’s eyes went wide.

  “We’re not allowed to be here!  Boy if Mum knew…” Alicia caught herself then, unable to continue.

  “Rel, you don’t think the ring would really be here, do you?” Alex asked, sounding a bit frightened.

  “What are you kids doing in here?” A gruff shopkeeper called, coming out of the back.  “I didn’t hear you come in.  Get out and don’t touch my stuff.”

  “Excuse me,” Aurelius said, raising his chin and walking up to the counter while the others gazed at him with surprise.  “My name is George Stockford.  Haven’t you heard of me?” Aurelius said, looking over the man as if he weren’t worth the trouble.

  “Ah, the heir of the Superstition gold mine, yes.  And how are your parents?” Borkin sneered slightly.

  “Still holding out, hoping to get any Knut I throw at them,” Aurelius snorted.  “I was looking for something I could either curse them with or bribe them with.  My mother especially, of course.  I think I may have a chance at bribing her to sign guardian papers over to my lawyer with the right persuasion.  Do you have anything in diamonds?  She’s rather partial to them.”

  “As a matter of fact, I have something that might suit your needs perfectly, Mister Stockford,” Borkin grinned, pulling up a black velvet tray and taking out a rather gaudy ring.  “This ring, as long as it is freely accepted, has a nice little charm curse on it.  Once it is put on, one cannot take it off, and are bound to do whatever the person who gave it to them wants, provided that they ask politely.”

  “Clever,” Aurelius agreed thoughtfully, gazing at it.  “Could use a bit of polishing up.”

  “I’m sure if you’re interested, I can arrange to have it cleaned so she would take it,” Borkin said smoothly.  “Of course, being that it’s cursed I have to be very careful not to let it fall in the wrong hands, but I’m sure we can come up with something suitable to make it worth my risk and your needs, Mr. Stockford.”

  “I’ll have to check my allowances, of course, to see what my current totals are,” Aurelius said casually, his eyes still feigning interest in the ring.  “Do you suppose this would qualify as an investment?  I have a much larger allowance for that.”

  “Oh, indeed, I think it would definitely be a very solid investment, for your future happiness, don’t you?”

  “Very much so,” Aurelius agreed with a grin.  “I’ll be back straight away then…” He said.  But as he begun to turn towards the door he paused, glancing at the tray.  “Interesting ring there.  What does it do?”  The other three, standing silently behind him, exchanged subtle glances.

  “Actually, nothing that I know of,” Borkin said with a shrug, putting the tray away.  “Someone’s family heirloom I suppose, a street scoundrel turned it in for lunch money.  Just a pretty trinket with a nice diamond, but nothing so valuable as the one you had the taste to notice, Mr. Stockford.”

  “Yes, of course you’re right,” Aurelius said dignity.  “Follow me, you three.  Time to go to the bank,” he stated, stepping out of the shop.  The others followed behind, exhaling from the relief of being out of there.

  “That was brilliant, Aurelius!  Wasn’t he positively brilliant?” Alex said excitedly.

  “I think all those acting scenes out actually paid off for you, Rel,” Andrew agreed.

  “I thought we were done for when he saw us that first time,” Alicia admitted.  “But what do we do now?”

  “We need to find Father and tell him what we found out,” Aurelius said, leading them in the direction he assumed Diagon Alley would be, making sure the others were staying with him.

  “They said last night that they were investigating around the bank, so he might be in the area,” Andrew said.

  “We can’t go to him like this!  He’ll be sure to know how we got here, and Aunt Anna will be cross,” Alicia said.

  “No way to escape that now.  We have to tell father what we know and how we know it,” Andrew said.  “Do you suppose he’s still at the Ministry?”

  “And just what do you think you four are doing?” 

  The Snapes looked up in surprise to see a tall lanky man in Ministry Law Enforcer robes standing with his arms folded and a suspicious look on his face.  It was none other than Ederick Thurspire, Deputy Minister.

  “Well if he is at the Ministry, it looks as if we’re going to get to see him soon,” Aurelius said wryly.

Chapter Three

Positively Foul

 

  The denizens of Knockturn Alley darted quickly out of the wake of Thurspire, Weasley and Snape as the bore down on the pawnshop, their faces so grim, pale and exhausted that not even a fool would have tried to stop their descent.  Mr. Borkin looked up from where he was rearranging a strangling fox wrap, quickly hurrying up to the front the moment he caught the look in their eyes.

  “Minister Weasley,” he greeted stiffly as stepped behind the counter.  “Something I can do for you today?”

  “The tray, Borkin,” Arthur said.

  “Tray, sir?”

  “The velvet ring tray in which you keep the cursed ring you illegally attempted to sell to a minor,” Arthur said evenly.

  “Ah, I see.  No, Mr. Weasley, I merely showed a minor a ring.  Selling would imply a change of coin, which never took place,” Mr. Borkin said smoothly.

  “We don’t care about that ring.  Show us the tray.” Arthur said again.  Borkin sighed and slowly brought it out, while Ederick and Arthur shifted their gazes Severus, whose face seemed to turn to stone and his black eyes darken as they captured the sight of the Dragonheart ring, dull and ownerless.  “Severus?” Arthur asked quietly.

  “Who sold you my wife’s ring?” Severus said in a voice so low it was almost a whisper.

  “Your wife’s ring?” Borkins repeated, his leathery skin paling a bit from surprise.  “It wasn’t marked, I had no idea…”

  “A name, Borkin,” Severus said, his voice so cold and dangerous that Arthur and Ederick exchanged a concerned look.

  “I’ll go get the book,” Borkin said somberly, stepping away from the counter.

  “Severus, you know, now that you’ve identified the ring, perhaps you’d like to step out, get some air, some rest, a drink perhaps…” Ederick began, his words dying on his lips as Severus gave him a murderous look.

  “Severus, all we ask is that the moment you hear the name that you don’t do anything drastic,” Arthur said in a gentler tone.

   “I wouldn’t have to go anywhere to do anything drastic,” Severus said in a tone that sent chills down Arthur’s back.  But he certainly wasn’t about to send him out of the shop.  How would he have felt if it had been Molly?

  “I think I found it,” Borkin said after a moment.  “Just as I remembered, too,” he added, putting the book on the table and showing the entry.

  “Irma Luckless?” Thurspire repeated.  “She’s nothing but the Alley’s local panhandler, Arthur.  A squib at that.  She must have found it scavenging.”  Arthur read off the pay amount and took it out of his pocket, putting it on the counter.

  “We’ll be taking the ring and the book,” Arthur said, glancing at Severus, who was gazing at the entry with a grave look.  “Ederick, go see if you can’t track her down and see where she got it.  Come on, Severus.  I think it’s time that you headed home and got some rest.”

  “No,” Severus said flatly.

  “Severus, you haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours, and neither have I.  If I have to, I’ll make sure you get rest in the Tower.  But if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather just take you home,” Arthur said, leading him out by the arm.

  “You wouldn’t do that to me,” Severus snapped.

  “That and more for a friend, Severus,” Arthur assured him seriously.  “So will it be your key or mine?”

 

  It hadn’t taken long for Ederick to track down Irma, for he knew her fairly well.  The homeless woman had caused a complaint or two any time she got brave enough to try her luck digging in the trash at Diagon, and as Deputy, Ederick often got called on to deal such trivial matters when Brown was busy looking into ‘real’ cases.  But as troublesome as the homeless woman could be at times, there was no doubt in Ederick’s mind that she had nothing to do with whatever truly happened to Jennifer.  She couldn’t have even if she had wanted to; for not a breath of magic had been endowed to her, and she had grown thin and tired over her many years of rummaging in trash cans for her survival. 

  Not that there hadn’t been an occasional attempt to ‘save’ her by some local patron or another.  But no matter the amount of effort they spent attempting to get her cleaned up, a home, and once…even a job… Irma would in a matter of days wander off again, and in no time was back to her old habits.  Something either just wasn’t right in her head, or perhaps she merely wanted to be left alone, Ederick mused.  But in any case, the woman was very startled to see him when he came over to her corner of stacked boxes, looking skittish and defensive.

  “What you doin’ ‘ere, Ed, I ain’t dun nuthin’,” the old woman said immediately.  “Haven’ been seen in Diagon since Christmas, I ‘aven’t!”

  “I’m not here about that Irma,” Ederick said, holding out the ring in a gloved hand.  “I just want to know where you found this.  Did you see who dropped it?”

  “I didn’ steal it!”

  “I didn’t say you did,” Ederick said impatiently.  “Where did you get it?”

  “In a dumpster, where else would a respectable tramp get anything?” Irma said irritably.  “It was behind the pawnshop near where it cuts over to the candle shop.”  

  “You found that tiny ring in a dumpster?” Ederick frowned.

  “Well, it wasn’t just the ring,” Irma admitted almost embarrassed.  “But I knew the pawnshop would buy it.  I didn’t know if he’d buy the wand the ring had been snug about.”

  “Wand, what wand?” Ederick snapped, feeling a lump in his throat.  Reluctantly the old woman bent down to get in one of her boxes, and what seemed to Ederick like years later came back out with a bunch of old fish paper that she carefully unrolled to show him a black rosewood wand.  “Oh, dear God,” Ederick murmured, choking back his emotion as he glanced at the puzzled old woman.  “It was an acquaintances,” he explained.  Gingerly she offered it to him then, her eyes somber and her gaze was even older than her years.

  “The Alley can be a very cruel mistress to the unsuspecting,” the woman said softly.  “I am sorry about the ring.”

  “Next time you find something like this, find me,” Ederick said, putting a few coins in the woman’s weathered hands.  “Borkin cheated you, you know,” he explained before walking out of the Ally.  The old woman watched him go silently, testing the coins thoughtfully with her teeth before heading back into her box once more.

 

  “Jennifer, did you see that?  Jennifer?”

  “Severus, get down, I can’t see.”  

  “There he is, right there, arrest him at once!”

  “Drop it, Snape.  You’re under arrest under the suspicion of committing intolerable acts as a Death Eater.”

  “Mr. Thurspire!  What are you doing!   Let go of him at once!”

  “You’re an idiot, Ederick, and I don’t have time for this, Professor Craw has disappeared.”

  “Go, Severus, I’ll take care of this.   I only hope we aren’t too late.  Make haste, Severus.   Time must be on our side.”

    Severus awoke and sat up in a cold sweat, a bit disoriented until he recognized his room in the second basement of the Broom Closet.  Immediately he pushed himself off the cot and got dressed, combing his hair back with his hand as he headed upstairs.

  It was quite early and the sun had not even risen, but Severus heard voices in the kitchen as he headed upstairs.  Mercy, it seemed, was busy helping Anna get used to where everything was, although she was rather puzzled by Anna’s insistence of making her own toast and coffee.  Anna looked up when the basement door opened, regarding her brother silently for a moment as he paused at the top.  Finally he made a move to the kitchen window to grab the post.

  “So how are you doing?” Anna asked.

  “Any word from the Ministry yet?”

  “No, I already checked,” Anna said, watching him carefully.  “Want something to eat?”

  “Hardly,” Severus said, glancing at a note.

  “I don’t think anyone’s going to think less of you if you take some time to breathe,” Anna said.

  “Time is something we don’t have,” Severus snapped.  “Here’s a note from Essie, letting us know she can take the children at any time if needed.  If the Ministry comes looking for me, I am going to go to the school and relieve Hermione.”

  “You’re going to work?”

  “I’d like to think I’m getting something accomplished!” Severus snapped.  “Besides, I have to feed Rasputin.” 

  The sound of echoing footsteps preceded the opening of the front room bookcase as the four Snapes came out, already dressed with their brooms in hand, leaning them by the corner near the fireplace before coming to the kitchen.

  “And just where do you think you’re going?” Severus said dangerously, his eyes flashing in a way that Andrew and Alicia hadn’t seen before.

  “Father, it’s June third, we’re going to meet Aurelius’ friends at Aviation Park,” Alex said.

  “You’ll be doing no such thing.  Until further notice I don’t want any of you going anywhere without some direct supervision, and I’d prefer that someone stay here in case I need contacted.” Severus said.

  “But we’ve been planning this for almost a week, since Alex’s…”

  “Plans change, Aurelius!” Severus snapped angrily.  “Or do you think I wanted this to happen any more than you did?”  All four of children grew very quiet.  “I am returning to work.  I had better not be hearing one single complaint of discipline about any of you,” he said, his eyes glancing over at Aurelius.  “Is that clear?” 

  Just then there was a knock on the door, and Severus’ attention immediately shifted away from his children as he scrambled for the door.  It was Thurspire with two other men, all of them looking incredibly solemn.  Quickly Severus stepped out and closed the door behind himself, feeling a chill before he even asked the question.

  “Well?”

  “We were able to locate her wand,” Thurspire said quietly.

  “Jennifer?”

  “No, just her wand,” Thurspire said.  Severus knew what they were thinking.  He felt his temperature rise at the look in the deputy’s eyes.

  “She’s not dead,” Severus said firmly.  “If she were dead, her watch hand would have stopped on Mortal Peril, not Elsewhere.”

  “Are you quite sure that hand is still active?  Have you had it checked since she disappeared?” Thurspire asked. 

  “We’ll check now,” Severus said acidly, Disapparating.

  Gribitz’ Emporium was a small watch shop nestled on the far end of Diagon Alley, run by the Goblin watchmaker Gribitz himself.  His shop had not yet opened for the day, but Gribitz was there, answering the repetitive banging on his shop door and finding himself quickly surrounded by intent Ministry officers as the professor handed over the watch for him to study.  He gazed at it through a monocle for some time, nudging each hand with a fine, needle-like instrument, opening the back and checking all the mechanisms before closing it again, satisfied.

  “One of my best pieces, if I do say so myself.  It could use a detail cleaning,” the Goblin suggested, “But in perfect working order, Professor Snape.”

  “What about the malfunctioning compass?” Thurspire asked.

  “It is not malfunctioning, Deputy Thurspire,” Gribitz said.  Turning it to Alexandria’s hand, the compass immediately responded with a direction. “If something is interfering with the compass, it is something on Jennifer’s end.”

  “Could it be affecting her personal hand as well?” Thurspire asked.

  “Yes, it could,” Gribitz agreed.

  “So it’s possible that she might have been killed?” Thurspire asked solemnly.

  “Oh, no, she is definitely alive,” Gribitz said.  “Didn’t I say this watch was not malfunctioning?  If she were dead, it wouldn’t be working.  This watch was custom made at her request to keep track of her movements.  It’s bound to her, just as the watch you had made is bound to you, Severus.  As long as it’s taken care of, which it seems to have been, it’ll last as long as she does, short of a loose spring now and again.  But if she does die, it’ll never tick again.”

  Severus exhaled audibly, while Thurspire nodded and thanked the watchmaker.  Gribitz carefully closed it, polishing its cover before returning it to Severus who gripped it tightly in his gloved hand for a moment before reluctantly putting it away.

  “Well, I think we’ve definitely made some progress,” Thurspire said as they stepped out, sounding a bit less troubled than he had been going in.  “Where there is life, there is hope.  And the wand’s appearance supports the theory that there was definitely foul play involved.”  Severus stopped short in the middle of the alley, staring at him.

  “Just what do you mean by that?” Severus snapped.  “Of course it was foul play!  What else would it have been?”

  “Well, no offense meant, Severus, but when the ring ended up in a pawnshop like that, it looked as if she might have just left you on her own.”

  Not one of the other officers moved one muscle when Severus turned and planted a fist in Thurspire’s nose, sending him flat on his back in the ally.

  “None taken,” Severus said acidly, turning and walking towards the Leaky Cauldron.

  “Don’t just stand there.  He just struck a law enforcement official!” Thurspire barked, holding his nose and attempting to sit up, but dizzily laying back down.

  “I didn’t see anything,” the first wizard shrugged.

  “I was looking the other way,” agreed the second officer.

  “Ed, you need to be careful coming out of the shop like that, you may trip and fall or something,” the third one advised.

  “For the record, you’re all on report,” Thurspire said, sounding very strange through his injured nose.  “As soon as I’m able to stand.”

 

  Andrew offered to play chess with Aurelius, but Aurelius was most definitely not in the mood.  In fact, it was obvious that his brother was feeling a bit sorry for himself, and perhaps he had some right to be.  It was, after all, his birthday, and not only was his mother not there, but his father had left as well.  It was almost seemed, in Aurelius’ mind, as if Severus were running away from them… as if looking at them was a reminder of what was missing.  Upstairs, Aunt Anna was busy with something to do with her profiling work and hadn’t spoken to them much, and even Alicia was bored of sketching and painting.

  “Do you suppose Aunt Anna would let us go swimming?” Alicia wondered.

  “I doubt she wants to go out there and ‘babysit’ us,” Aurelius said. 

  “Let’s just go sit in the tree, maybe act something out,” Andrew suggested, Alex’s face brightened and she nodded.

  “I’m not in the mood.  To be myself, or anybody else,” Aurelius said.

  “We can’t just sit here all day and mope,” Andrew said, pointing out the large window on the other side of the family room.  “Look out there, it’s gorgeous.  And I’m sure going outside will make us feel better.  Come on, Rel.  We can stop by the kitchen for a snack on the way.”

  “Don’t you think of anything besides snacks?” Aurelius complained.

  “Birthday cake wouldn’t hurt,” Andrew said cheerfully, heading upstairs.  The others followed behind, opening the door to see their Aunt with papers spread out on the table.  She gathered the papers quickly, as if not wanting them to see what she was working on.  “Anything to eat?” Andrew asked.

  “Again?” Anna said, glancing at her wristwatch. 

  “Can we go outside?” Alicia asked.

  “As long as you leave all quills, chalk, paints, paper and broomsticks here, yes,” Anna said. “Sorry, your father’s orders.”

  “We might as well all be grounded,” Aurelius complained. 

  “Well, after what you pulled going to Knockturn Alley you’re lucky that you’re not,” Anna pointed out.

  “Is it too early to order pizza?” Andrew asked wistfully.  “We can head over to Essie’s now to wait for it.”

  “I want to handle the Muggle money!” Alex volunteered excitedly.  “I know how it works now, you know.”  Aurelius rolled his eyes.

  “Reading an exchange pamphlet hardly qualifies you for knowing how to handle Muggle money,” Aurelius sneered.

  “All right, all right, hang on,” Anna sighed, pulling out her pocket phone as the four Snapes watched her intently.  Her explanation of how wireless phones worked had gone straight over their heads, but it was fascinating to watch just the same.  “I need to check my messages first.”

  “How exactly does she get the Owls to tap on that key thing again?” Alicia whispered to Andrew.

  “Cellulite,” Andrew whispered back.

  “Satellites, dimwit,” Aurelius said more loudly, getting hushed by Anna.  All four of them began to watch her then, because her face had taken on a sudden look of alarm, putting one hand over her other ear as she walked around with it.

  “Why in the world would a cottage with no electricity get such lousy reception?” She said with frustration, pushing more buttons.  The four Snape children shrugged at her, not having the faintest clue what she was talking about.  “Look, I need to make a call about work real quick.  Why don’t you go ahead over, I won’t be long.”  The four glanced at each other again and headed outside, Andrew grabbing a Quaffle on the way out, tossing it as they walked.

  “How come every time she says that it ends up taking forever?” Alicia sighed.

  “Because adults are liars,” Aurelius said bluntly.  “Why do I get the feeling we’re going to be abandoned again?”

  “No one’s abandoning us, Aurelius,” Andrew sighed.

  “Mum did, didn’t she?”

  “Rel, that’s a terrible thing to say!” Alex scolded.  “And Aunt Anna is busy with all that criminal stuff she does… she didn’t have to come and be with us, but she did.”

  “And brought her work with her,” Aurelius pointed out.  “So we’re expected to go off and be good little children and not to make any waves that might further upset the adults.  This entire thing is positively stupid.  And for what?  They’ll never find her.  It’d be so much easier if they’d just admit that she’s dead so we can get on with our lives.”

  “Mum’s not dead!”  Alicia said, ready to take a swing at him.  Andrew jumped in quickly, grabbing her arm gently.

  “Of course she’s not, Alicia, he’s just upset, that’s all,” Andrew reassured her.

  “Then how come you couldn’t get to her in a painting?  Answer that then?” Aurelius challenged.

  “I…I don’t…” Alicia suddenly burst into tears, jumping over the boundary wall and running ahead through the field, a herd of disturbed Slumber Sheep baaing at her noisily as she passed.

  “You just have to push things to the limit, don’t you?” Alex said angrily to Aurelius, before hurrying ahead after her.

  “I don’t suppose you want to talk about it?” Andrew asked Aurelius as they climbed over the wall themselves.

  “Please, don’t start the patronizing thing again, I’m not in the mood,” Aurelius scowled at him.

  “I was just wondering what was really bothering you, is all.  You wouldn’t be saying all this stuff you didn’t really mean without a reason.”

  “I mean every word I say, now shut up and stop pretending to be an adult,” Aurelius snapped.

  Andrew sighed, deciding perhaps it would be best to let it go for now, and turned his mind to thoughts of the carload…no, no, perhaps even the truckload of pizza coming.  But as they got to the porch, Andrew spied Doug Brim watching them with his arms folded, and he looked far from happy.

  “Is there a problem?” Aurelius challenged.  Andrew sighed again.

  “Well, now, that depends on you,” Doug said.  “If you want to come in this house tonight, I suggest you find a way to control that foul mouth of yours, because it’s not going to be tolerated in there.  Or if you’d rather, you can stay out here all night, birthday or not.”

  “I don’t take threats from sheep farmers,” Aurelius retorted.  Behind him, Andrew shook his head.

  “Fine.  Then you can have your pizza in the barn.  Sorry I haven’t had time to clean it.  Hope you don’t mind the smell,” Doug said.  “Coming, Andrew?”

  “You go on, I’ll be along in a bit,” Andrew said.

  “Suit yourself, but I’m not sure he’s worth it,” Doug said, eyeing Aurelius once more before heading inside.

  “Porthos the Sheep Farmer.  Pathetic,” Aurelius said the moment he went in, sitting on the edge of the porch.

  “You can’t blame him for being cross, can you?  Your mouth has been going past even your normal limits ever since Mum disappeared,” Andrew said.  “Even if you don’t care about what Doug thinks, you could at least think about what you’re doing to Alicia.”

  “Alicia needs to learn to face the facts,” Aurelius said.  “She’s not coming back.”

  “And to think you were sorted into Slytherin,” Andrew said.  “I never imagined it’d turn you in such a quitter.”

  They were both in the dirt by the time Anna arrived, plucking them apart and shouting at them while Doug stood in the door, and obviously had been watching for some time.

  “Enjoying the view?” Anna asked him irritably.

  “I thought maybe letting them fight it out might wear down some of that penned up aggression one of them seems to be having,” Doug said, not bothering to mention Aurelius by name.

  “Nice thought, but it won’t work,” Anna said, motioning Andrew to sit on one side of the porch and Aurelius on the other.

  “Why’s that?”

  “He’s a Snape,” Anna said dryly.

  “Good point,” Doug agreed.  Essie appeared in the doorway beside him.

  “You’re not supposed to be here right now,” Essie said matter-of-factly.  Her knack for divination had earned her more than just honors in school, and despite her choice to stay and take over the family farm still practiced the art of Prophecy now and then as a hobby.

  “No, you’re right, I’m not.  Something’s come up back home that I really need to attend to,” Anna said in a low voice.  “A major suspect in a case I’ve been profiling for the last year and a half was just arrested, and they want me at the interrogation.  Believe me, the last thing I want to do right now is leave with my brother in the state he’s in, not to mention these kids.”

  “No, we understand,” Essie said. “What happened with Jennifer interrupted all of us, really.  You go try to get things squared away at home.”

  “I wish that were as easy as it sounded,” Anna sighed, glancing at the two boys on the porch.  “I’ll be back as soon as I can, seven or eight hours…”

  “Just stay safe,” Essie said.

  “Pizza’s on the way, boys, if they think you deserve it,” Anna told them as she headed off the porch, Disapparating.

  “Let me know when you’re ready to get back to that promise.  Might get cold sleeping out here tonight,” Doug said.  Essie seemed slightly amused by that, whispering something to him as they stepped back in and shut the door.

  “I knew it, I just knew it.  Every adult in this family has now officially abandoned us.  Unless you count grandfather,” Aurelius scowled, folding his arms.  “Who doesn’t have much choice in the matter.”

  “Poor grandfather,” Andrew agreed.  “I wonder how he is taking this?”

Chapter Four

Champions of the Witch

 

  “Counselor advisories and restriction negotiations be damned!  I want to talk to the parole board now!”

 Audacious Belle sighed and shook her head.  She had known this wasn’t going to be easy, watching Thomas Craw pace in fury on the other side of the table.

  “Twelve years of community service to this hell should buy me something!  If Malfoy died tomorrow, all those damned injunctions of ‘public safety’ concerns that keep coming up during my parole hearings wouldn’t even exist, and you know it.  Potter gets treated like a hero for taking on Voldemort and his followers, and so did my daughter, and I am still paying my debt to society for trying to do the same thing!”

  “Neither of them went on a killing rampage, Thomas.”

  “I was merely acting because no one else was,” Thomas snapped.  “And how many did those Death Eaters kill?  How many more would they have gotten had I not come along?”

  “Not all of them were Death Eaters anymore, Thomas.”

  “Once a Death Eater always a Death Eater!” Thomas barked. 

  “And what about you and Severus?” Audi asked.  She really wasn’t in the mood to get into this conversation again.

  “My wife was killed for me trying to leave them,” Thomas growled.  “And now Severus is in the same position.  It took them a year before they knew for certain Alice was gone.  But I knew,” he said, sitting down with sudden exhaustion on his face.  “I knew.”

  Audi sighed and sat there just reading his face for a while, and then the door opened, Severus slipping inside.  He glanced at Audi then relaxed a bit, realizing that Thomas already knew what was happening.  He had not been looking forward to telling him.

  “Severus,” Thomas said tiredly.  “Do me a favor and go kill Lucius Malfoy so they will let me out of here, so I can go look for Jen-girl.”

  “Tempting, but I don’t think Dumbledore would appreciate me trying to run the school from Azkaban,” Severus said.

  “To hell with the school.  To hell with me for that matter.  Go avenge my daughter!” Thomas snapped.

  “She’s not dead,” Severus said firmly.  “Wand found or not.  The watch says she’s alive.”

  “Severus, please trust your common sense instead of putting faith in some overpriced Goblin gadget.  Even if she is alive, she’s probably better off dead, being kept alive just to amuse someone tormenting her,” Thomas said bluntly, ignoring Audi’s hisses at him.  “Meanwhile this poor excuse for a Ministry is running around in circles instead of finding leads in their normal incompetent manner!”

  “Thomas, please,” Audi sighed.

  “Well, deny it then if you can!  They haven’t caught Ciardoth.  Harry and Jennifer caught Voldemort, and it was Harry who ended up rounding up all the Death Eaters afterwards with Severus’ help.  They wouldn’t have caught me either.  I had to turn myself in.”

  “From a hospital bed, as I recall.”

  “That’s beside the point,” Thomas grunted.  “Nearly every problem that they’ve had, even tracking down that bastard who killed my wife at Malfoy’s order, was all solved thanks to some involvement from my daughter.  And now that it is her number being erased from time, tell me who exactly is left to defend her if not Severus and myself?”

  “Wait here, maybe I can answer that,” Audi said, tapping the table once before leaving the room.  Severus quietly took a seat, aware that Thomas was studying him but didn’t meet his gaze.

  “So where was Malfoy when she disappeared?” Thomas asked.

  “Apparently he was in meetings with his account brokers most of the evening,” Severus sighed.  “He has plenty of alibis, including the bank.”

  “Alibis be damned, you can’t tell me he doesn’t have something to do with this,” Thomas grunted.

  “They have not ruled out Ciardoth,” Severus said softly.

  “No, this is too low scale for her,” Thomas said, waving off the idea.  “Ciardoth would rather destroy everything and just have her enemies there to witness it on the way down.  And if she was going to exact revenge on Jennifer alone, I expect she’d have you there to watch.”  Severus paused to knead his temple a moment.  “No, and she wouldn’t have ditched the wand like that…neither would a Muggle for that matter.  And I guarantee you, Severus, if it was a witch or wizard, Malfoy was probably the one pulling the strings.”

  “Malfoy can’t touch Jennifer even indirectly.  Jennifer’s curse makes sure of that,” Severus murmured.  “But regardless of who is responsible, she is still alive.  And as long as she is alive, I am going to keep looking.”

  “Without a miracle it sounds as if you’ll have to do enough looking for both of us,” Thomas said somberly. 

  Just then there was a quick knock as the old Auror reappeared, a smug look on her face as she propped the door open for Alastor Moody and then Harry Potter, who was preceded by a colorful haired woman who nearly tripped over Harry trying to get in.  One by one, Aurors filled the room, some Severus recognized but hadn’t seen in years, others he barely knew at all.  Eleven there were; and then in stepped Sirius Black, standing by the door.

  “Someone must have forgot to lock the door at St. Mungo’s geriatric ward,” Severus said dryly.  Several of them chuckled at him good naturedly, and Mad-Eye Moody gave him an uncomfortable clout on the back.

  “Thomas Craw, I’d like you to meet my search committee,” Audi said cheerfully.  “The best Aurors in Britain, and a couple of us in Europe as well.”

  “And then there’s Harry,” Tonks teased.  The rest of them laughed, chattering a bit amongst themselves.  Apparently his fame had become something of a running joke with his fellow Aurors.  Harry just grinned and didn’t speak.  Today he was just one of the crowd, showing his support.

  “And what about him?” Severus said, looking accusingly at Sirius.

  “Oh, I was just here to offer helping you with school security for the rest of the year,” Sirius said.  “But this group was such a statement heading down the halls of Azkaban, I had to tag along.”

  “The point is, Thomas, and you too Severus,” Audi said, “That there isn’t anyone here that’s going to give in looking until she’s found.  And you’re right, she did help a lot of us get through a lot of tough times, including you, Thomas.  We’re not about to let her down now.”

  “Right.  As far as we’re concerned, she’s one of us,” Moody said.  “At least she always seemed like an Auror without a title to me.”

  “Or a license,” Audi added mischievously.

  “Or that little gold star badge we get after training.  You know, the one with the six intersection points that… sorry,” Tonks apologized sheepishly when everyone turned to stare at her.

  “Thank you.  But I still want to speak to the parole board,” Thomas said stubbornly.

  “Thomas, dear, don’t you think the dozen of us have enough to do without having to follow you around and to make sure you don’t kill that rat Malfoy and get stuck in here again?” Audi said demurely.  “You just sit tight for now.  Don’t worry, your time will come.  You happen to have quite a bit of support too, you know.”

  “Including me,” Sirius said solemnly.

  “And me,” Harry agreed.

  “Just get out of here and find my daughter,” Thomas said, taking his seat once more.

  “You got it,” Audi said, nodding to the others who filed back out of the room, chatting with one another once more.  Sirius nodded to them all as they left, but didn’t make a move, ignoring the irritable look on Severus’ face when Severus realized he was staying to wait for him.

  “I will keep you updated,” Severus said to Thomas, standing up.

  “What are your plans now?” Thomas asked him.

  “I need to go back to Hogwarts for awhile so that Weasley can return home,” Severus explained, taking out his watch.  “And while I’m there, I’m going to try and figure out what sort of spell might be throwing the compass off.”

  “Rest and a bite to eat probably wouldn’t hurt either,” Sirius suggested, earning a glare from Severus.  “What, it’s not like I suggested you take bath or something.  I’ll wait a couple days first before I do that.”

  “Don’t you have something better to do?”

  “Actually, I cleared my entire schedule,” Sirius shrugged.  “So do you want help watching the school while all this is going on or not?”

  “Fine,” Severus snapped.  “But my personal habits are none of your concern.”

  “Fine,” Sirius nodded.  “I’ll just buy a clothes pin.” 

  “A gag would be more useful,” Severus retorted, nodding to Thomas before heading out, Sirius not far behind.

 

  Hermione met Sirius and Severus just after Severus had gotten into his regular office, his attention first absorbed on the care of a four-foot monitor lizard basilisk that had been laying in the fire in a wooden box that looked uncomfortably too small for him.  Severus had attempted to get the stubborn, one-eyed lizard a different one on several occasions, but each time, Rasputin ignored it, preferring the box that Severus had originally kept him in, despite his change in size.

  “Just don’t ‘accidentally’ over-adjust that eye patch on Rasputin’s good eye, Severus,” Sirius said dryly.

  “There’s no point.  Hermione knows how to cure you,” Severus said evenly.  Hermione merely sighed and continued what she was saying.

  “Filch has gone back to only being able to make sparks again, but he did at least seem to retain something, because I saw him light a fireplace the other day.  You know, he’s going to need a tutor.  We can’t have him experimenting around the school and accidentally blow something up, because he really has no clue what he’s doing.”

  “Agreed, I’ll speak to him about it,” Severus nodded.

  “And, there’s a letter here from Xavier Platt’s father, expressing concern because the paper states that our Librarian is a Goblin,” Hermione sighed, handing it out to him.  Severus grimaced slightly, taking it.  “It doesn’t sound as if Xavier told him them he was actually being mentored by him.”

  “Xavier is hardly stupid enough to mention it,” Severus said, glancing at the note before tucking it in his pocket.  “Anything else?”

  “No, well… except there was an official letter from the Ministry for you,” Hermione said.  “I peeked since it was addressed to the school as well.  It was a list of fines for assault and a hospital bill.  I didn’t know if you wanted me to go ahead and pay it…”

  “No, it was a personal matter.  I’ll pay for it from my own funds,” Severus said. 

  “Have you written to Minerva about all of this yet?” Hermione asked.

  “No.  I was hoping to have something concrete to tell her before I did that,” Severus said.

  “Well, don’t bother writing it then, I already did,” Hermione admitted.  Severus stared at her.  “She’s on her way back, in fact.”

  “You were supposed to be here for security reasons, Hermione, not to take over administrative decisions!” Severus snapped.

  “She has the right to know when one of her staff is missing.  Besides, that is a security reason as far as I’m concerned,” Hermione said firmly.  “We could use another hand here to juggle duties while this is going on.  Chances are you’re going to be called away by the Ministry at a second’s notice, and you’re not going to want to wait for me or one of the other backups to get here.  Admit it, you need her here.”

  “Any more cavalry coming that I don’t know about yet?” Severus said, eyeing both of them this time.  “You had better not have sent for Dumbledore.”

  “No, I thought that I’d let Minerva talk you into that one,” Hermione admitted.  “It’s not a crime to ask for help, Severus.”

  “It wouldn’t matter if I did ask, it’s obvious now it’d come whether I want it or not,” Severus grumbled.  Smiling slightly, Hermione gave her goodbyes and headed out, leaving Sirius to keep Severus company… whether he wanted it or not.

 

  Once Anna had gotten back to her nieces and nephews she seemed quite tired, but much more relaxed and attentive than she had been before her trip.  After making sure they had done their lessons she agreed to take them down to the shore.  She didn’t let them use the Gilly Potion to scuba dive, though.  Andrew wondered if she didn’t quite trust it.  But unlike their parents that often just sat and read a book on the rocks, Anna was quick to get in the water and participate.

  The next day, Alex’s friend Ben, the Muggle boy who lived next door, came over for Muggle football then a walk along the bluff.  By the time they had gotten back for dinner even Aurelius’ mood had improved, the four of them just grateful for the distraction.

  “Aunt Anna, do you suppose we could go to Aviation Park for my birthday, since we didn’t get to go for Aurelius’?” Andrew asked.

  “Well, it depends on what happens between now and then,” Anna sighed.  “We’ll see.”

  “What’s the good of me having a new broom if I can never use it,” Aurelius scowled.

  “If everything stays the same as it is, we’ll go.  Maybe make a picnic out of it,” Anna suggested.

  “How long do you think this is going to last?  All this waiting?” Alicia asked quietly, picking at her dinner.  Anna sighed.

  “I have no more way of knowing than you do, Alicia.”

  “But then how long are you going to stay?  I mean, I’m sure you’ll need to get back to work and Zoë and Zack and everything,” Alex said.

  “Where is Uncle Sirius at anyhow, if they’re at their grandparents?” Andrew asked curiously.

  “Your uncle is helping at the school.  Probably driving your father completely crazy by now,” Anna admitted wryly.  “And yes, I’m still working, as much as I can here, anyhow,” she said, looking distant again.  “It’s not the first time I’ve had to live on two continents at once.  But I can be here until it’s time for you to go back to school, short of a night every now and then where the Brims are going to look after you.  So don’t worry about that, okay?”

  “Do you really think she’s going to be gone that long?” Alicia asked, her face looking increasingly alarmed.  “But that can’t happen, it just can’t!  You’ll all be going to Hogwarts and I’ll be all alone at Stoddard!”

  “You’d have been alone at Stoddard this year whether or not Mum disappeared,” Aurelius reminded her.

  “Oh, but it’s not the same, it’s not the same at all,” Alicia said, getting up and running upstairs.

  “You did it again, Rel,” Alex said.

  “I didn’t say a thing wrong!” Aurelius protested.  “I was merely stating a fact.”

  “Alex, it’s not his fault,” Anna sighed.  “But you all need to be a bit more understanding.  She is younger, and I think it’s more than just that your Mum is missing.  It’s because she’s realizing that if her mother can disappear like this, it might happen to anyone, and it frightens her… the idea of losing something else, and the fear that it might happen to her.”

  “But, how do we help that?  I mean, I can understand why she’s afraid,” Alex said.

  “Well, I guess the only thing you can really do is help her feel more secure, and be there when she needs to talk to someone,” Anna said.

  “Well the last part is easy enough for now, but I don’t see how we can make her feel more secure,” Alex said.

   “Reality sucks, she might as well get used to it,” Aurelius shrugged.

   “Attitude has a lot to do with how one perceives ‘reality’ as well,” Anna said evenly. “It’s a lot easier to cope with a problem if you’re actually attempting to solve it instead of curse it.”

  “And what if we’re not allowed to solve it?” Aurelius challenged.

  “Then I suggest you make things easier for those who can,” Anna said with a thin smile.  Aurelius folded his arms and shrunk back in his seat defiantly.

  “I know what makes Alicia feel secure,” Andrew said, politely ignoring the exchange that had just occurred.  “It’s her art.  She always comes alive any time she has a paintbrush in her hand.  Especially when Mr. Pyther is here teaching.”

  “Oh, yes, there’s something really reassuring about having a vampire in the house who’s afraid of his own shadow,” Aurelius said.

  “Do you suppose we’ll have our lesson this week?” Alex asked as if she hadn’t heard her brother.

  “It’s definitely an idea worth trying.  I’ll send him an Owl Post.  He should be awake by now.  And if you all really want to support your sister, and I’m sure you do, you’ll all attend her lesson with her, and be especially nice to Mr. Pyther.”  Anna looked pointedly at Aurelius as she got in the kitchen draw for notepaper.

  “I’ll make sure everyone does,” Alex volunteered.  “After all, it’s for Alicia.”

  Aurelius sighed softly, glancing at Andrew who was nodding in support.  Aurelius nodded then slowly, and the two of them smiled at him, knowing Aurelius was always good for his word.

  He did nearly regret it the next night, however, when Francis Pyther got into the use of fan brushes and he couldn’t make a single comment, contenting himself to endlessly stirring his linseed oil in boredom.  Achilles, perched on his easel, glanced at the squiggly line on Aurelius’ paper.

  “It doesn’t look much like me,” Achilles said disappointedly.

  “Just what I need, a snake who’s an art critic,” Aurelius hissed back.  Alex chuckled softly at them.

  “Am I missing something?” Francis inquired, hearing only hissing, and glancing at Alex with a smile.  He stood up from where he had been crouched near Alicia and over to Aurelius, looking at it.

  “Achilles doesn’t like it,” Alex said, getting a glare from Aurelius for saying anything.

  “It’s very simplistic in design, which is not necessarily a bad thing,” Pyther said solemnly.  “But if you’ll pardon my saying so, Aurelius, it does seem to lack spirit.  You know, it takes many people years to really know their familiar, but with your gift, I’d suppose the two of you are already closer than others only dream of.  When you paint him, try to think of everything you know about him.  He’s hardly lifeless, is he?” Francis said, smiling at the snake who was eyeing them curiously.  “Add to what you have already, paintings should be built like friendships, layer by layer.  The more you know, the more others will be able to see.”

  “Did you know our mother well when you painted that portrait of her?  The one in Father’s office?” Alicia asked.  Alicia was busy painting Alexandria at her easel, but the image of Alexandria on her canvas kept wanting to do other things.  Alicia supposed she shouldn’t have put the bookshelf in the painting so soon.

  “Actually, we had just met,” Pyther said quietly, sitting on one of the stools with a sigh.  “But I often spend a lot of my time during a first sitting getting to know my subject better, asking them questions and trying to get as much of them into the portrait as I can.  Not that it took much with your mother.  In fact, she was very open and truthful… I suppose part of that was Dumbledore was in the room and he encouraged her quite a bit.  But also because she’s the sort of person that you can almost see into their soul any time an expression crosses their face.”  He faltered then, glancing at the four sets of eyes now staring at him.  “Terribly sorry.  Didn’t mean to go on so.  Mind the light source in your painting, Alicia.  Shadows should appear to have a life of their own as well.”

  “Mr. Pyther, how do you suppose Alicia is able to get to someone just by entering their painting?” Alex asked.

  “Goodness, I don’t think even Dumbledore’s figured that out yet,” Pyther chuckled, going over to look at Andrew’s painting of the Broom Closet.  “Now that definitely has some soul to it.”

  “I like it here,” Andrew agreed.  “Everything should be bigger on the inside than outside.”

  “But Mr. Pyther, it doesn’t work on people who are dead.  I mean, I’m not ever taken to a grave…it’s more like it’s one of those paintings that aren’t real things or places, and those just lead to the next frame,” Alicia said.

  “Well, yes, that’d make sense.  After all, they are hardly flesh and blood anymore.  The souls depicted in the paintings have moved on to other places, hardly accessible to us.”

  “We tried finding Mum through the painting.  We couldn’t get to her, either.  Aurelius thinks that means she’s probably dead,” Alicia said softly.  “Father says she is alive, but if that’s true, how come I can’t get to her?” 

  Francis Pyther looked at the girl for a long moment, not quite sure of the answer himself.  He wished she didn’t look at him as if he knew all the answers, but she always did, no matter how many times he reminded her how unique her ability was.  He puzzled over the question then, looking at each of their paintings while they took turns looking at him, wondering why he hadn’t said anything, even a simple, “I don’t know.”  But something was there…something he couldn’t quite put his finger on, and the more he thought about the question, the more he was bothered by it.  Suddenly aware they were all looking at him, he smiled and went over to Alex to check her progress.

 

 

  “I’m not interested in Sirius, I never have been.  He’s kind and generous and a good friend, but he’s just not right for me.”

  “Then may I add that I think you are very intelligent and have good common sense?”    

  “About Halloween…you’re right, what I did was stupid… it’s not the spell talking, Severus.  I was afraid and very angry, but at myself, not you.  I couldn’t bear the thought of me putting you in danger anymore… so when you said you didn’t want me to interfere any more I decided that you were right, and maybe this whole thing wasn’t a good idea.  But I still love you, I always will.  I just wanted you to know that.” 

“I knew perfectly well why you did what you did.  But this is the only failure, out of all those imagined failures that are swimming through your head right now, that actually did occur.  You didn’t get rid of me.  I’m not that easy to get rid of, and no matter how hard you try, so long as I have even the slightest hint that you still love me, you will not be rid of me.  And frankly, even if you didn’t love me anymore I’d probably still love you whether you wanted me to or not.” 

 

  Severus awoke to the sound of a knocking on the door, immediately rolling off his couch.  It was Minerva, of course.  She had arrived that afternoon, immediately attempting to glean as much information from Severus as possible about what was going on, and even had tried to send him home.  But the thought of going home right now seemed quite wrong to Severus.  Perhaps it was merely the house without her in it that bothered him.  Perhaps it was because he feared the questions from the children that would no doubt come from the moment he opened the door.  It was in many ways easier to work and keep busy rather than just sitting and waiting.  Minerva, of course, hadn’t been fooled by the ‘brave’ and ‘noble’ insistence that he be allowed to continue his duties.  She had known from the moment she saw his face how much he was attempting to bury.

  Throwing on a robe he glanced at his watch before opening the door.

  “Well?  What have they found?” Severus said, looking at Minerva with alarm.

  “I’m sorry for waking you, Severus, I know how late it is.  But Francis Pyther is here, and he insists on seeing you,” Minerva said.

  “Tell him to come back in the morning.”

  “Severus, please.  I don’t think he’d be here unless he thought it was important.  Besides, perhaps now would be a good time to ask him to send for Dumbledore,” Minerva suggested.

  “No.”

  “Severus…”

  “All that would happen if we had Dumbledore come back now is that he would be stuck in this school pacing the floors with us,” Severus snapped.  “We’re in a waiting game, and there’s no point in sharing that agony.  Where’s Pyther?”

  “Sirius is with him.  I’ll have him meet you in the Study,” Minerva said.

  Severus nodded curtly to Minerva and headed up the stairs without another word.  The halls were eerily quiet.  Only the main hallways were lit; everywhere else was dark, making it feel more haunted than ever in the dead of night.  There was an almost nerve-wracking sound of snoring in the halls, however, for being summer nearly every painting in the school was taking a nap so that they could be fresh and energized in the fall.  At last he got to the Headmaster’s Study, leaving the door open while he headed up the spiral stairs.  Coffee was waiting for him and a small plate of scones, but he only took one bite before pushing them aside, reaching for the coffee instead.

  A few moments later, Minerva, Pyther, and Sirius walked in.  Sirius immediately took a seat, while Pyther nervously came closer.  Minerva merely smiled at them from the door.

  “Do you need me?  I’m thinking about getting an early start tomorrow, perhaps look over next year’s budget and things…”

  “Goodnight, Minerva,” Severus said simply.

  “Oh, and that appointment Sagittari made with you for tomorrow?  He was wondering if you could come down and discuss it in his office,” Minerva added, one hand on the handle.

  “Why?” Severus asked, immediately suspicious.

  “I believe the topic is something about, ‘how high stress may effect the health of school staff.’”  Severus rolled his eyes.  “Good night,” she said closing the door behind her.

  “I suppose everyone couldn’t just try and leave me alone,” Severus muttered.  “What do you want, Pyther?”

  “I think I may have a theory about what might have happened to Jennifer,” Pyther said, immediately getting Severus’ attention.

  “A theory?”

  “Actually, it’s almost as much Alicia’s as mine,” Pyther admitted.  “It’s something she brought up at yesterday’s lesson.”

  “Wait.  You were at my house without me being present?” Severus said, immediately alarmed.  Docile or not, Pyther was still a vampire.  Pyther hesitated briefly, and then nodded.

  “Your sister invited me, sir,” Pyther said.

  “I’ll have to have a chat with her about that,” Severus said, hearing the appointment book as it scribbled down her name.  “Well?  Go on.”

  “Apparently before she had drawn a picture of the ring, Alicia had tried to get to her mother directly but it didn’t work, only she’s never had any trouble getting to other living people before.”

  “My wife,” Severus said icily, “is not dead.”

  “No, I don’t think she is either,” Pyther said quickly.  “Which is why I began to try to think of a reason that it wouldn’t, that’s when I came up with this theory.  With Anna’s permission, Alicia and I tried a bit of an experiment this evening.  You know Roy Lockhart, of course?  Used to be Gilderoy Lockhart?”

  “Yes?  Get on with it!” Severus snapped.

  “Well, before his accident, he had a number of paintings done of him.  Anyhow, he was kind enough to allow me to paint him again for this, and what we found was that Alicia could get through to him through the new one I did, but the old ones just led to one another,” Pyther said.  Encouraged by Severus’ thoughtful silence, Pyther finally sat down.  “You see, I think that when Alicia goes through a painting, it’s not about the quality of the work that makes it easier or harder for her to travel it.  Someone could do a stick painting of the Tower Bridge, and as long as they were thinking of it when they painted it, have walked along it, remembered it, she would undoubtedly end up at the actual place…or as close to it as there’s a painting to come out of.  Portraits, of course, are trickier than places…an artist tries to capture in the painting everything that makes that person who she is; likes, dislikes, personality, emotions, reactions…all of which have something very basic in common…they are determined in a very large part by the person’s experiences…their memory.”

  Severus’ face suddenly drained of color and his eyes widened a bit, staring at Pyther in such a way that Sirius was a bit worried that Severus was going to collapse on the spot.

  “Roy isn’t the same as he was then…in many ways, I rather like him this way,” Pyther admitted.  “But he doesn’t have the same memory, which is why the old painting doesn’t work.  If Jennifer has lost her memory, I dare think that hers wouldn’t work either.  Of course, it’s only a theory,” Pyther added quickly.  “I don’t really have any way of knowing for sure, Alicia’s talents are still a mystery in a lot of ways.”

  “No,” Severus said softly, his voice slightly shaky.  He lifted his head a bit, darting between Pyther’s worried face and Sirius’ intense scrutiny, forcing himself to regain his expressionless gaze.  “No, it’s more than a theory.  Ciardoth herself warned me that this would happen only I… wasn’t thinking that it would be this direct,” he said, exhaling a bit.  “You are right, Pyther.  Jennifer has lost her memory.  And that would explain also why I wasn’t able to wish her back home,” he added, his voice barely above a whisper.

Chapter Five

Jacqueline

 

  Everything seemed strange to the auburn-haired woman from the moment she opened her green eyes.  The room was very white and bleak, and the light above was annoyingly bright.  Just then, a hand suddenly took hers and she turned her head curiously where a man with tossed light brown hair and brown eyes sat, smiling at her.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said, glancing around the hospital.  “Who are you again?”

  “Jacqueline, it’s me, Mark,” the man said almost pleadingly.  “Don’t you remember?  Your boyfriend?” 

  The woman stared at him for a long time.

  “No,” she said at last, “I don’t remember you.  What did you call me?”

  “Jacqueline,” he said again, shaking his head.  “I had better get the doctor, you just wait here.”

  Jacqueline frowned, watching him go, then sat up in bed.  She was in a hospital, that was certain, but she didn’t really feel bad except for a slight bump on the head.  She touched it thoughtfully and felt the bandage, but the bump itself didn’t seem to hurt that much.  She glanced at the side of the bed where several flowers and balloons sat.  Picking up one of the tags, she read the back which read; Jacqueline Cassius, Room 4-11.  The flowers, it seemed, were from Mark.

  “Good morning, Jackie,” said a man with a clipboard coming in with Mark.  “I’m Doctor Miller.  How are you feeling?”

  “Why am I here?” Jacqueline asked.

  “Your boyfriend brought you in after he found you unconscious in your apartment.  Do you remember falling?” Miller asked.

  “I don’t remember anything,” Jacqueline admitted.

  “Well, we’re going to run a series of tests so we can try to find out, okay?” Miller said with a smile, making a note on the clipboard before heading out.

  “You want me to turn on the T.V. or something?  Or maybe I can go raid the snack room and sneak you something in,” Mark suggested.

  “T.V.?” Jacqueline repeated puzzledly.

  “Not that there’s probably much to watch, but I’m sure I can find something,” Mark said, turning the set on and flipping through the channels.  “Ah, here’s one you like!” He said.  But Jacqueline didn’t look at the moving pictures for long.  She didn’t recognize any of the people in it.  She got bored, looking around again.

  “So how long have we known each other?” Jacqueline asked.

  “A couple of years.  We met at the café.  You know, the one across from our apartment,” Mark said, gazing at her.  “Do you remember the café?”

  “No,” Jacqueline said with a frown.  “Our apartment?”

  “Sure, just off of West 12^th,” he said casually.

   A nurse came in then with a wheel chair, smiling at her.

  “The doctor wants you to take a few tests while you still have an empty stomach,” She explained, helping her up.

  “Then after that, I can leave?” Jacqueline asked.

  “Well, you’ll be able to get something to eat at least,” the nurse said, coaxing her into the chair.  Mark followed behind them but soon got shooed to the waiting room, contenting himself to watch the repeating local news on the T.V. set above until finally an attendant came to take him to Miller’s office.

  Miller was glancing over some pictures in his hand when he came in, placing them aside as Mark sat down.

  “Mr. Ghent, I’m not exactly sure why she was unconscious when you found her,” Miller said, “but there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with her, all the tests have come up negative.”

  “What about the bump on her head?” Mark asked.

  “Artificial, probably happened when she hit the floor.  I’d guess she fainted, but it doesn’t look as if there’s any physical reason why.  The only conclusion I can draw from that is that it must have been some sort of psychological trauma that is causing her amnesia,” Miller explained.  Mark nodded.

  “I see.”

  “Did you happen to have any fight, or perhaps there was a death in the family or stress at work?”

  “No, no fight.  Her parents are dead, which is why I had her sign a disclosure agreement so I could be here if anything happened,” Mark said.  “And she wasn’t working.  Laid off.”

  “Financial troubles?”

  “No, we’re comfortable at the moment,” Mark said.

  “Well, I am going to have to recommend that she get a full psychological evaluation before release.  Now we have a doctor on call here…”

  “Doctor Miller, I know a good psychiatrist upstate that my mother used to see.  Any chance I can ask him to look at her?”

  “Provided he’s state certified,” Miller nodded.  “What about her children?  Are they going to be told?”

  “Children?” Mark asked, startled.

  “We did give her a full examination when we weren’t sure what was causing the problem,” Miller said.  “She’s had several, and she must have been quite young at the time, considering from the records we have say that she’s only twenty five now.”

  “Yes, I was just surprised because it’s something she never talked about it, she gave them up a long time ago.  She was… as you say, young,” Mark said, a bit uncomfortable.

  “I understand,” Miller said.  “I’d like to talk to this doctor of yours when he gets here if you don’t mind…”

  “Erascus is the name,” Mark nodded, getting up as Miller showed him to the door.

   Miller stood in the doorway as he watched Mark head to her room, not quite sure why he was so bothered by the entire thing.  It had been known to happen before, and yet, there was usually an easily spotted cause.  He sighed softly.  At least now it’d be out of his hands and to someone qualified to deal with it.  At the same time, Miller couldn’t help but wonder if he wasn’t passing this one off too soon.

 

  When Doctor Erascus arrived, he didn’t talk to Jacqueline very long.  He had her read for him and a few other simple tests to test what she remembered and what she didn’t, filling out a report stating she had functional memory; knowing how to perform everyday tasks.

  “My initial prescription is that she refamiliarizes herself with her surroundings, but don’t leave her by herself until I give permission,” Erascus had told Mark, Miller standing right behind them.  “I’ll see her weekly, but call me if you have a problem and I’ll drop by.”

  “And I’d like to see her in a month,” Miller said, earning a raised eyebrow from Erascus.  “Just a quick follow up to make double sure I didn’t miss anything.  You can make her an appointment at my regular office, Mr. Ghent.”

  “I’m sure you’ve been more than thorough, Doctor Miller,” Erascus said.

  “Yes, I’m sure I have, but I’ve learned to trust my gut feelings when it comes to my patients.  If in a month she has a physical complaint to report, it can show us something we’ve missed,” Miller said.  “Quite a bit of our information comes from our patients, and she wasn’t able to give us that.  It’s hardly being overly cautious.  Of course, I do expect her in here sooner if the complaint is more than minor.  Especially things like constant migraine headaches, earaches…”

  “Yes, doctor, we’ll let you know,” Mark agreed.

  “Then I suppose that’s it,” Miller sighed, glancing back in the room where Jacqueline was reading a newspaper with a furrowed brow.  “I’ll let the nurses know that she’s ready to go home.”

 

  The apartment building was several stories tall with a colonial style entrance, and a curious metal speaker beside the door.  Mark got out a conglomeration of keys and opened it, and then led her up a staircase to another door he unlocked with a different key.

  “Here we are, home sweet home,” Mark said cheerfully, letting Jacqueline go in first. 

  The first room was a small living room with cream-colored carpets and rather boring, ivory plaster walls, covered with several framed printed photos.  To the right was a kitchen, open to the living room and sectioned off by a simple bar with overhanging ivory cabinets.  The back wall had large glass windows and a door leading out to a tiny patio while to the left were two doors, the far left leading into what appeared to be a small bathroom, and the closer one to a bedroom.  Jacqueline stared in the bedroom for a long time, frowning at it.

  “So, should I make us something to eat?  Drink?  I bet you want to change first,” Mark suggested, opening up the refrigerator.

   “There’s only one bed,” Jacqueline said flatly.

  “Well, yeah, I mean, you’re…we’re a couple,” Mark said.  Jacqueline stared at him.  “Look, I’ll sleep on the couch for now, okay?  But don’t expect me to do it forever.  I do have to go to work eventually, you know, and I can’t do it without enough sleep.  How about a Coke?”

  “Coke?  Yes,” Jacqueline said, looking around more.  “What sort of work?”

  “Trading assistant at the stock exchange.  Just got promoted from clerk, actually.  Basically it means I carry reports instead of coffee,” he said.

  “And what do I do?”

  “Oh, you haven’t been working lately.  You got laid off and all that,” Mark explained.  “It’s alright.  I do okay for the two of us, and I’ve made some investments.  Want to watch T.V.?”

  “No,” Jacqueline said, wandering around a moment before going over to the glass door, fiddling for some time before she figured out the latch and went outside.

  The patio was bare except for a couple of pots of thirsty flowers and a couple of chairs.  Jacqueline leaned against the rail, glancing out into the street and all of the surrounding buildings.  How crowded everything was!   Outside a group of teens on skates were dodging pedestrians, and cars seemed to pass by rather frequently, but none of them ever seemed to stop anywhere.  Across the street, the café was right next to Bergen’s Grocery and Kosher Deli, where several people stood outside, chatting.  But the more she looked at it, the more foreign everything seemed to her, and Jacqueline couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever remember.

  “I guess it is kind of hot in there,” Mark said as he came up behind her, handing her a can of soda and a pill.

  “What’s this?”

  “Erascus prescribed it.  One kind for daytime and one for night,” Mark said.  “I think I’ll go turn the AC on.”

  “The what?”

  “You know, the air conditioner,” he said, going inside.  She followed him in, watching him curiously as he opened a box on the wall and flipped a switch, then went to shut the patio door.  A moment later, Jacqueline felt air coming from around her and found herself staring at the vent.

  “Why didn’t we use the fireplace?” Jacqueline asked.

  “Well, it’s too hot for that, Jackie.  Besides, the fireplace isn’t a real fireplace.  It’s gas.  Safer really.”

  “Gas is safer?” Jacqueline said skeptically.

  “Sure, as long as it stays lit,” Mark said.  “You know you haven’t taken your medicine yet.” 

  Jacqueline had put her coke and pill down on the counter and was busy exploring the kitchen, looking curiously at the strange box under the cabinet, pulling the door open.  A light came on, but all it had was a glass plate in it.

  “Here, how about I give you a tour of the house.  Will that make you feel better?  I’ll show you where everything is.  But first, take your medicine.  It’ll help you remember things,” Mark insisted.

  Reluctantly Jacqueline downed the pill, taking several sips of soda with it.  At least the soda seemed familiar.  She gazed at Mark again thoughtfully.

  “It didn’t work,” she said flatly.

  “Well, it is going to take time.  I don’t think there’s a miracle cure for this,” he said with a sympathetic smile.  “Come on, let’s go through it all, one thing at a time.” 

  But the more Mark showed her, the less familiar everything felt; every light switch, every gadget, even down to her clothes closet, glancing at her things and wondering what in the world she must have been thinking buying all this.  She definitely had questionable taste in clothes, she decided.  Her first adventure into the refrigerator was even less appealing.  It was filled with lots of plastic bags labeled “fresh” when they obviously weren’t and “frozen dinners” that she was quite sure would break her teeth to try and eat them. 

   But the most annoying thing of all was when she finally gave up and headed for bed.    The moment she got nice and comfortable, she raised her hand absently and then frowning that the light was still on and the switch was on the other side of the room.  Staring at it in complete annoyance, she couldn’t help but wonder why anyone would put it so far out of reach from the bed.  Finally she got up and turned it off, stubbing her toe in the process of trying to get back in. 

  Noises of talking with music was coming from the other room…Mark must have still been watching that T.V. contraption.  Frustrated, she took her night medicine, lying with her eyes open for a long time.  She wished she had something to read, but she hadn’t seen any books in the house, and just a single financial newspaper.  She sighed as a car horn started blowing in the distance.  No doubt about it, it was going to take some time to readjust.

Chapter Six

The One Left Behind

 

  It was Corey Willowby who volunteered to take the Snapes shopping in Diagon Alley when Anna was called to the States a few weeks later.  He had laid out three potion kits before Essie had even gotten them to the shop, so that when arrived they could quickly grab them and into the fireplace with hands full of floo powder.  Alicia had gone along as well, but as each day passed with no new word of their mother and time for returning to school grew closer, she had become more and more miserable.

  Andrew had almost felt a bit guilty to open his letter when it came.  He didn’t want to leave his sister behind any more than the others did, even though they had all known that the day would come.  He and the others had done their best to cheer her up, all promising to write to her every day and reminding her they were really only a painting away.  But Alicia merely frowned and didn’t say anything.  She was even more somber now that they were actually shopping for school, stepping in Madame Malkin’s shop with a complete lack of enthusiasm.

  “One Stoddard jacket, coming right up!” the seamstress said cheerfully to Alicia while her assistant was busy measuring Andrew.  “And new socks and ties for the other sister, Ravenclaw, yes?”

  “And this one needs the hems adjusted,” Corey added, nodding to where Aurelius was holding his robes. 
 “Oh, goodness, for a moment there I thought you were the first year!  Your brother is so tall.  I thought he was older,” she said apologetically, measuring him herself while Aurelius brooded.

  “I remember that feeling.  I was pretty short too for a while,” Corey said.  “I bet you shoot up like a feisty weed in a year or two, though.”

  “I am hardly short,” Aurelius said defensively.  “Andrew is just a May pole.”

  “A half an inch, I think,” the seamstress decided, making Aurelius brood all the more.  Andrew in the meantime was having his hands filled up with robes, shirts and everything else, and Corey took out some coins.  “No charge for the hem, dear, it only took a moment.”  Aurelius glowered behind the seamstress’ back.

  “Shall we get books next?” Alex asked, having noticed Mandria and her parents going into Flourish and Blotts.

  “I was thinking Andrew’s wand next, but I suppose you two can run along first.  Just stay together and don’t leave the shop.  Dad would kill me if he thought I’d left you alone even for an instant,” Corey said.

  “That sounds like good enough reason to go to me,” Aurelius said snidely, holding his hand out for his book list then followed Alex to the bookstore.

  “I was rather hoping I could have one of your wands,” Andrew commented as they crossed the Alley.  “It would be rather neat to have people compliment me on my wand and I could tell them that my brother made it.”

  “I only do custom wands, really.  Alchemy is my true business,” Corey admitted, “but if you ever need a wand made once you’ve gotten used to one and know what you like, I’d be happy to make you one.”

  “Oh, I want one too!” Alicia said.  “From what I’ve seen so far, wands seem to lack something in color.  Black, brown, grey, white.  That’s about it, really.”

  “Alicia, if you had your way you’d be coming out of there with a pink wand with green spots wouldn’t you?” Corey teased.

  “Oh, no, purple goes much better with pink,” Alicia decided.

  Inside Flourish and Blotts, Alex noticed Mandria in the crowd and ran over to her, immediately finding herself getting hugged, not only by Mandria but her parents as well.

  “We’re terribly sorry to hear about your mother, Alexandria.  I hope it turns out well,” Dale Shea said.

  “Thank you,” Alexandria said awkwardly.

  “Here, let me help you, I have already found most of mine,” Mandria offered, pulling Alex away from her parents.  “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “No,” Alex admitted, “But it’s not so much of a shock as it was.  Rel and Alicia are taking it the hardest,” she said, glancing over at where Aurelius was talking to George Stockford.  “Not that you would ever get him to admit it.”

  “What electives did you take this year?”

  “Muggle Studies and Divination.  You?”

  “Creatures and Divination.  I should have known you would take Muggle Studies, the way you write about that Ben fellow in your letters,” Mandria said.

  “What do you mean the way I write about him?  He’s just a friend.  He’s just been very supportive this summer.  The entire neighborhood has been, really,” Alex said, accepting some of the books Mandria was pulling out.  “I just w… I mean… well, Father hasn’t been around as much as I’d like.”

  “I know.  I’ve heard Mum and Dad say that he’s had to spend most of the summer juggling between Hogwarts and the Ministry investigation,” Mandria said in a low voice.

  “You know it’s strange.  All of my life I’ve lived with weekend parents and never thought much about it,” Alex said.  “All the sudden, it just doesn’t seem like enough.”

  “Well, you’ll be back to school soon and you’ll be able to see your Father all the time,” Mandria said.

  “I’ll be able to see Professor Snape all the time,” Alex corrected.  “But how can I possibly go back to school knowing that Mum isn’t going to be there?  Who’s going to teach potions while she’s gone?  Assuming she ever comes back?”

  “Don’t talk like that, Alex, of course she’ll be back,” Mandria reassured her.

  “It’s been two months now, Mandria,” Alex sighed.  “If we haven’t found her yet, I’m not sure she can be found.”

  “Don’t give up yet,” Mandria said quietly.  “She’s got a lot of friends, you know, and I don’t think Harry and the other Aurors are ready to quit either.  Come on, let’s try and find that Muggle book of yours.”

  Alex sighed and glanced back to where her brother was standing, then did a double take when she realized they were talking to someone else.  For Lucius Malfoy had come up beside the boys as they were talking, listening a moment before drawing nearer.

  “It’s insane, really.  I never know where I’m going to be sleeping on any given night, tossed from one adult to the next whenever we inconvenience them, and Father barely acknowledges us except on weekends,” Aurelius told Stock, who shook his head.  “We don’t dare ask about Mum any more without him biting our heads off, and our aunt changes the subject every time.”

  “You see?  It’s as I’ve been telling you for over a year now.  Never put your faith in your parents.  The only person you can count on is yourself, you know,” Stock said.

  “Well, my brother and sisters have always been there, even if we don’t always get along,” Aurelius said.  “But I am sick of being shuffled around by everyone like we don’t matter at all.”  Lucius Malfoy coughed loudly, and the two boys looked up, startled to see him standing nearby.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Stockford,” he said, nodding politely.  “And how is your case going with your parents?  In appeals again?”

  “The court doesn’t think I have enough reason to divorce my parents.  Apparently, the fact they’re leeching me dry isn’t enough,” Stock said irritably.  “And now my parents are trying to counter sue my lawyer accusing him of leeching me!  Imagine!”  Lucius tsked and shook his head.

  “What will they think of next?  But I’m afraid it is something you are going to deal with the rest of your life, Mr. Stockford.  There will always be greedy little hands attempting to take money from the people that have it in any way that they can.  And how are you, Mr. Snape?  Any word about your mother?”

  “No,” Aurelius said warily.  Lucius nodded gently.

  “Well, I didn’t think there would be,” Lucius said.  “But for your sake, I thought I’d ask.”

  “And why don’t you think there would have been?” Aurelius challenged.

  “Well, it’s really no secret that your father and mother have quarreled quite a bit over the last few years.  In fact, I’ve heard of many parents mentioning it to the school board.  Pity that she would leave you four like that just because they weren’t getting along…but it’s not uncommon for someone to just pack up and do just that, isn’t it?  Tell me, Aurelius, did you get along with your mother?”

  “It’s not like that,” Aurelius snapped.  “They…they found her ring and wand, after all.  If she left, she wouldn’t have left her wand.”

  “A wand can be traced when it’s used, Aurelius.  It wouldn’t be difficult for her to get another if she chose to start a new life, would it?” Lucius pointed out.

  “Aurelius!” Alex came up behind her brother, tugging on his shoulder.  “Come away from there.  Don’t talk to him.”

  “Well, Miss Snape.  Haven’t had any more run-ins with rogue Bludgers I hope?” Lucius asked calmly.

  “Only the one that hit the day Mum disappeared,” Alex said curtly.  “You wouldn’t know anything about that one, would you?”

  “Why don’t you ask your father that question?” Lucius suggested, his eyes flicking over to Aurelius.  “If he ever bothers to visit, that is.  I will talk to you some other time, Mr. Stockford.  Good luck on your case,” he added, stepping towards the door.

  “What a perfect beast!” Alex declared, watching as Lucius walked towards the door.  He paused then as if frozen, looking at someone outside of Alex’s vision and had a quick exchange of words with someone before Alicia and Andrew came through the doorway, Corey following after them with a look of extreme irritation on his face.  Alicia ran up to Aurelius and Alex, nodding shyly to Stock before turning to her sister.

  “We just saw Lucius Malfoy!”

  “Yes, so did we,” Alex nodded, glancing at Aurelius.  “What was he talking to you two about?”  Corey and Andrew walked up, glancing between them.

  “Stock’s court case, mostly,” Aurelius said absently.  “Trivialities.”

  “Aurelius, I don’t think your father would be too happy to hear that you were even speaking ‘trivialities’ to Mr. Malfoy,” Corey said.  “Don’t you have enough sense to stay away from him?”

  “I am not afraid of Lucius Malfoy,” Aurelius said.  “Besides, he came over to talk to Stock.”

  “This isn’t about whether you’re afraid of him or not.  Next time walk away,” Corey said.

  “What makes you think you have the right to tell me who I can and can’t talk to?” Aurelius challenged him.

  “Because I’m the person you have to go home with,” Corey said in a firm but low voice.  “And I know what your father would think of this and he would not be happy.”

  “Just because you’re his favorite son all the sudden you think you have the right to speak for him?”

  “Aurelius, I’m not going there,” Corey said.

  “Why, because you know it’s true?”

  “Alex, would you help Andrew with his books?  Alicia, go get your drawing paper.” Corey said.  “Aurelius, it’s time to drop it and finish getting your books.  I’m not going to let you be responsible for embarrassing the family with a public tantrum.”

  “Oh, it’d take talent embarrassing this ‘family’ considering it doesn’t exist anymore.  Mum is gone, Father doesn’t want to have anything to do with us, and Aunt Anna keeps taking off abroad and leaving us with you, the Muggleborn that Mum felt sorry for, or even worse with Essie, who wasn’t even worth Mum bothering with!”

  “Aurelius, go get the rest of your books.  Now,” Corey said with a forced smile, turning to help Alicia.  Aurelius stood and stared at him furiously before he finally went to find his Charms book, leaving Stock to wonder about what had just happened.

  Back at the Broom Closet, Anna had returned and was waiting when they got home, greeting them warmly.  Aurelius stomped off to his room, not acknowledging her and not speaking to anyone else.

  “Trouble?” she inquired.

  “Not really, I don’t think.  Typical Aurelius stuff…well…typical for how he’s been recently, anyhow,” Corey added, getting a knowing nod from Anna.

  “So what kind of wand did you get, Andrew?” She asked.

  “Eleven and a half inch maple rabbit’s foot wand,” he said, showing her the box.

  “Sounds lucky,” Anna said.  “Except for the rabbit, of course.”

  “I’m going to write Father and tell him.  That is, do you think he’d want me to?”

  “Of course he would.  I’ll send with Dodger when I send mine after supper,” she said.

  “Anna, can I invite Ben over?  I want to show him my new school book,” Alex asked.

  “I can walk her over there, Anna,” Corey volunteered. 

  “Oh, all right, but be back by half an hour,” Anna said, turning her attention back to the post.  But as the rest of the children went their separate ways, Alicia lingered.  She shifted back and forth on her feet before finally getting a cup and sitting at the bar, watching her Aunt so closely that finally Anna put what she was reading down.  “Hello, Alicia.  Did you have a good day?”

  “Aunt Anna, do you suppose… I mean…  Aunt Anna, I don’t want to go to Stoddard this year.  Can I go back with you and go to school with Zoë and Zacchius?” Alicia asked.  Anna sighed, folding her hands.

  “Alicia, you know as well as I do that your father would never allow you to go to school so far away,” Anna said, “especially with… well, everything, I’m sure he wants you close to home.”

  “Isn’t there some sort of test I can study for and take or something so I can pass out of my last year, so I can go to Hogwarts this year?” Alicia asked.

  “Don’t you have any friends at Stoddard that you’re looking forward to seeing?” Anna asked.

  “No,” Alicia said, “Well, I mean, I do have friends, but I don’t want to talk to them.  Every time we go anywhere, it’s like everyone just stares, or says ‘sorry’ and then goes away.  I can’t talk to any of them, they wouldn’t understand.  And Jamie and them, well they’re too young to understand.  Please don’t make me go to Stoddard this year.  Can’t you try and talk Dad into letting me go to Hogwarts early?”

  “Alicia, it’s not that simple,” Anna sighed, “although in some ways, I wish it were.  But you know, once you get into school and back in routine it won’t be so bad.  And then before you know it, it’ll be your turn to go to Hogwarts.”

  “I don’t want to be left alone,” Alicia said stubbornly.  “I won’t be alone!”  She said, turning and pushing open the bookcase, running up the stairs.  Anna watched it close with a long sigh then took out another piece of paper, scribbling a note to her husband.

 

  It had been very hard for all four children leaving Alicia at the Weasley’s Burrow on the morning of the train.  Hugs were passed around more than once and a few tears were shed from Alex and Alicia, both boys looking unusually somber.

  “We’ll write to you, every day just like we promised,” Alex told her.  “Maybe even visit you now and again when nobody’s looking.”

  “And we’ll get you something special for the holidays.  Alex gets to go to Hogsmeade this year with the school,” Andrew pointed out.

  “Yes, I’ll send you lots of candy,” Alex agreed.

  “Guys, are you about ready?” Anna asked, peering in the door of the house where she and Molly were talking.  “I’m sorry, but the train does leave at exactly eleven,” she reminded them.

  Slowly, Alex, Aurelius and Andrew headed out the door, glancing back at Alicia before getting into the car.  Alicia stood there until the last car door slammed and then ran upstairs, Molly and Anna looking at each other knowingly.

  “She’s going to do it, I think,” Molly said.

  “Yes, I think so too,” Anna agreed.  “Guess I had better get going.”

  “This house isn’t going to be the same this fall without them,” Molly sighed.  Anna grinned at her.

  “Don’t you have enough in the way of grandkids to contend with?” Anna teased.

  “Nonsense, there’s never too many,” Molly chuckled, waving to her as she got in the car and down the drive. 

  Molly didn’t bother to go check on Alicia.  There would have been no point, for Alicia wasn’t there.

  At the train station the three Snapes were quickly preoccupied in getting their things together onto carts and over to the platform where an even bigger chaos loomed, as students of all years and their parents hurried to get everything into the baggage cars before time ran out.  Many of the parents stopped to look at them with sad faces when they passed or turned to whisper, and if they had had more than ten minutes to get their affairs in order, Aurelius might have stopped and said something.  But as it was, Anna quickly rushed them through until finally the three of them stepped onto the train one by one, just as the whistle blew to let everyone know it was about to leave the station.

  “I can sit with you, can’t I?” Andrew asked when they started peering in compartments.

  “No, I think it’d be more fun to let you dangle out the window,” Aurelius smirked.

  “Of course you can sit with us!  Look, I think I just saw Rose peek out of that back compartment,” Alex said.  “Come on!”

  It had been Rose, but Alex noticed that a curious change had come over her over the summer.  Her face, which had always been cheerfully round, had thinned a bit and had begun looking less childish; her short naturally curly wheaten hair pulled up into a haphazard knot and her figure didn’t seem as awkward as it used to be.   Mandria, however, though taller looked the same as she always had, with fine golden hair pulled into a braid and thin glasses, greeting them warmly as the three of them squeezed into the opposite seat.

  “So, how are you all doing?  I suppose there hasn’t been any change?” Mandria asked quietly.

  “No,” Andrew said.  “But we’re managing.  How are you both?”

  “All right,” Mandria said.

  “Really well!  I can’t wait to see the Elf Willow again, I hope he and his pot didn’t cause too much trouble over the summer,” Rose said.

  “I’m sure Father would have told you if it had,” Alex said.

  “So what house you want to be in, Andrew?” Mandria asked him.

  “Oh, I don’t know.  Doesn’t really matter to me,” Andrew said.

  “Nonsense, he’s going to be a Ravenclaw.  He’s got a very methodical mind,” Alex said.

  “Well maybe,” Andrew said, glancing at Aurelius.  “But I hear that Slytherin is closer to the kitchens.”

  “Proximity to the kitchens is no way to chose a house, trust me,” Mandria said.  Rose chuckled lightly.

  “You haven’t seen my brother eat,” Alex said dryly.  Just then there was a noise and Alex and Aurelius looked around to see Aurelius’ snake peeking out of his pack, slithering out the door so quickly that Mandria’s owl began flapping wildly in her cage and Mandria herself had jumped onto the seat.  “Where on earth is Achilles going?”

  “I don’t know, but you’d better catch him before he makes trouble on the train,” Rose suggested.  A squeal from the hall let Aurelius know that he would have to move fast, leaping to his feet and out the door, nearly bumping into a first year girl clinging to the wall to keep away from the creature as it headed down the hall.

  “Hey! A snake!” A large student that Aurelius had never seen before commented as he stuck his head out of a compartment.  “I didn’t know we were allowed to have snakes!”

  “Aurelius is special, teacher’s son and all that,” Conner said from across the hall after Aurelius had passed.

  “Conner, drop it, leave the kid alone,” Stewart Gaffney said, pulling him back.  “They’ve got enough pressure without your mouth, don’t you think?”

  “He’s one of the Snapes?” the large student said, pushing his wild curly brown hair out of his face before stepping into the hall after him.  “Here, let me help.”

  “No, go away!  I’ll talk to him,” Aurelius said, waving the other boy away.  “Achilles, where are you going?” he hissed.

  The other student looked at him with intense curiosity, wondering about the strange sounds he had just heard.  But Aurelius was too busy trying to follow his familiar to notice the scrutiny.  Achilles slipped under a lavatory door, and Aurelius and the other student braced themselves for a scream, but it never came.  “Achilles?” Aurelius hissed again.

  “Perhaps knocking would be a good idea, yes?” the boy suggested.

  “Can’t you go help someone somewhere else?” Aurelius snapped.  But the boy easily reached over Aurelius’ head and knocked on the door gently.

  “Alo?  Anyone there, êtes vous l`a?” he asked. 

  Slowly the door opened and a young girl stepped out, carrying the snake in her hand.

  “Alicia!” Aurelius said with surprise.  “What are you doing here?  I thought we left you at the Weasley’s!” 

  “I won’t be left alone,” Alicia said stubbornly, looking curiously at the other boy.  “Friend of yours?”

  “Don’t know him.  But you shouldn’t be here.”

  “Halbert.  Halbert Hagrid,” the boy said, “you see, my father knew…”

  “Great, fine, pleasure.  Excuse us,” Aurelius said, grabbing his sister by the arm and dragging her down the corridor.  Halbert furrowed his brow a moment before he sighed, heading back to his compartment.  Aurelius quickly shoved her inside, closing the door as Alex and Andrew called out her name, giving her hugs.

  “What are you doing here?  You’re going to be in so much trouble!” Alex scolded her.

  “I don’t care.  You can’t leave me alone with Mum gone, you just can’t!  I just…I just don’t think I can take it,” Alicia said.  “Please, can’t you let me stay in your dorm room or something?”

  “Alicia, you know perfectly well that Father would never allow that,” Aurelius sighed.

  “But I’ve thought it all out.  All we have to do is get his watch, and he’ll never have to know where I am, and I can stay under the bed at night, and come out during the day when everyone’s at class.  Or maybe I can stay in the Forest.”

  “No.  Alicia, trust me, you don’t want to be caught in that Forest at night, ever,” Aurelius said.  “You’re just going to have to take a painting back to the Weasley’s.”

  “I’m not going back,” Alicia said stubbornly.

  “But Alicia, everyone’s going to be so worried about you,” Andrew said gently.  “They’ll be afraid someone took you like they did Mum.”

  “This is different.  I’m doing this because I want to be lost.  She didn’t,” Alicia said.

  “We don’t know that for sure,” Aurelius said suddenly with a shrug.  Alex frowned at him warningly.  “She could have just left too.”

  “No, she lost her memory.  Pyther said so, remember?” said Alicia.

  “He said it was a theory.  Nothing’s proven yet.  Maybe we just can’t find her because she doesn’t want found.”

  “Oh, shut up, Aurelius,” Alex snapped.  “I don’t care what sort of lies you’ve convinced yourself, we’ve a more serious problem here!  What are we going to do about Alicia?”

  “I’m not going back,” Alicia said again.

  There was a quick knock on the door then and a familiar head looked in with a thin smile on his face.

  “Did someone say my name a moment ago?”

  “Uncle Sirius!” Alex said, the other three still agape.  “When did you get here?”

  “Actually, I got on at the station.  Girls, do you mind if I chat with these four a moment?”

  “Sure,” Mandria said.  Rose nodded and the two stepped out, glancing at one another wondering just how much trouble the Snapes were in this time.  Sirius closed the door and took a seat.

  “Sit down, Alicia.”

  “I’m not going back,” Alicia said, arms folded.

  “I know, sit down,” he said gently.  “Anna had a feeling you might pull something like this and gave me a heads up about it.  That’s why I am on the train.  And you know what, you’re right too.  You shouldn’t have to go to school alone with everything that’s going on.”

  “Do you mean it?” Alicia said with surprise.  “Then I can go to Hogwarts?”

  “No,” Sirius said.  “But how would you feel about going to school with Zoë and Zack?”

  “Really?  But I thought Father wouldn’t let me go to school in the States!”

  “No, he won’t,” Sirius said.  “But Anna and I had a long… discussion… with each other and with your cousins, and we’re thinking about enrolling Zoë and Zack into Stoddard.  Now, I can’t guarantee how much the two of us are going to be around the mansion if you stay with us.  Chances are there are still going to be fill-in adults here and there if we do this,” he said seriously.  “As long as your mother is missing, a lot of us have a lot of obligations to try and do what we can to get her back or to make things easier on those looking.  And with Anna’s job being the way it is, and as much as I wish she’d just drop it sometimes, she can’t just leave it…not yet.   Personally, I think it’d be better if you stayed with the Weasley’s, but we’re going to leave it up to you.”  Alicia glanced between her three siblings a moment before settling her gaze back on her uncle.

  “I want to stay with Zoë and Zacchius,” Alicia said.

  “That’s where you really want to be?” Sirius asked seriously.  Alicia nodded.  “All right, Alicia.  You win.  If there’s one thing I know after watching you for the last ten years, it’s that nobody could keep you anywhere you don’t want to be.” 

  Alicia suddenly teared up again and hugged him, a brief look of grief crossing Sirius’ own face, vanishing as quick as it came as he hugged her back.

  “Everything’s going to be all right.  You’re Snapes, you can get through anything,” Sirius said.  Alicia glanced over at the other three, who were smiling at her; even Aurelius had a slight curl to his lip.

  “You are going to write to me?”

  “Every day,” Alex swore.

  “I’ll write you tonight after I get Sorted!  I’m sure I’ll have plenty to tell you,” Andrew promised.

  “Who else can we count on, if not each other?” Aurelius agreed.

  “Well, since we’re all here, how about we buy out the trolley before I leave?” Sirius suggested.

  “Bribery will get you everywhere,” Andrew said cheerfully.

  “Hope that doesn’t mean we have another Slytherin in the works,” Sirius chuckled, Aurelius squinting at him slightly in return.

 

 

Chapter Seven

The Sorting and the Substitute

 

  Andrew smiled as he stepped off the train and saw the serene figure of Doctor Sagittari standing there, calling for first years.  He turned back to his sister and brother to wave goodbye, bumping into one of the other students in the process.  But as he began to apologize, he was taken by complete surprise when he had to look up to meet the other boy’s eye.

  “Wow, I’ve never met anyone taller than me the same age before,” Andrew said with amazement, forgetting to apologize.

  “Halbert Hagrid,” the boy said with a grin.  “You?”

  “Andrew Snape,” Andrew grinned, accepting his hand.

  “Oh!  I think I ran into your brother earlier, and a sister too,” Halbert said.  “I wanted to say, well, I am sorry to hear about your mother.  My father is a friend of hers, you know.  He used to work here.”

  “Really?” Andrew said with interest and then realized they were getting called into the boats.

  Andrew would have really liked to talk to the other boy more, but Sagittari had put them in different boats.  But soon Andrew became distracted by the sight of the approaching castle and felt a thrill go up his spine.  Was it wrong, he wondered, to be glad to be here, considering the uncertainty of his mother’s fate?  He sighed softly.  No, of course it wasn’t wrong.  She would have wanted him to come, and dwelling on guilt hardly did anyone any good.  But as he looked to the castle, he felt a strange sense of home he couldn’t explain, stronger than it had ever been at the Broom Closet.  Somehow in that brief instant he understood without question why it was that his parents needed to be here.  It was the sort of place that not only molded minds, but seemed to be molded by them as well.

  A bump announced their arrival at the dock, and out the students came, up to the steps to where Professor McGonagall was waiting.  She smiled thinly at them all, but made intentional eye contact with Andrew and Halbert who was standing just behind him as she explained how they were going to proceed.

  Just as Andrew began to think he could take the wait no longer, the doors opened and they filed in.  Halbert companionably stepped beside Andrew and offered him a smile.  There was something about it that settled Andrew’s nerves a bit.  No matter what happened, Andrew was sure he had already made a friend.  Peering around he finally picked his sister out, shaking her own hand as a show of support, while at the Slytherin table, Aurelius merely nodded to his brother before turning to speak to the boy sitting next to him, an older boy whom Andrew recognized as Xavier Platt. 

  As they got below the dais, Severus Snape, who had been sitting strangely alone with a large central chair on one side and a plain chair on the other stood and got Andrew’s full attention.  But Andrew immediately became worried, for his father seemed unusually sallow and tired, his robes in disarray and hair even more so as if neither caring nor having time to care about such matters.

  “Just a few announcements and some faculty changes of which you should be aware,” Severus said, glancing out over them without meeting anyone’s eyes.  “Please welcome Professor Witolf, who will be teaching Potion’s for…for as long as needed,” he said, glancing over at a wizened old man who stood merely an instant to smile at them before needing to sit back down again.  Rose over at the Gryffindor table stood and clapped loudly for her grandfather until Severus gave her such an annoyed look that she slowly sank back down again.  “Also, Professor Ravenclaw of Divinations has agreed to assume temporary duties of Head of Ravenclaw House.  Please remember to discuss any issues with your advisors before taking it to Professor McGonagall or myself, unless we happen to be your advisors.  Also please remember with the exception of students with permission to go to Hogsmeade, that students are not to leave the school grounds without arrangements made by both senior staff and parents…and no, the grounds do not include the Dark Forest,” he added looking straight at Aurelius, who looked slightly uncomfortable.  “And lastly, please keep in mind that your familiars are your responsibility while at school and that you will be held responsible for any problems we have with them, and that also includes experimental creatures in the pens and experimental plants,” he added looking at Rose warningly.  “That is all for now,” he said, nodding to McGonagall and taking his seat as she put the Hat on the stool.

  “Let’s just get this over with,” said the Hat.  “I am hardly in the mood to rhyme.”

   Minerva’s jaw dropped in complete surprise.  She had never heard the Sorting Hat say that before.  Glancing over at Severus, he sat completely oblivious the Sorting Hat’s odd behavior, his eyes heavily lidded.  What in the world did Severus say capable of depressing even that Hat?  Clearing her throat she smiled as best she could, rolling out the list.

  Andrew watched with interest as one by one the others got Sorted, every now and then looking back at his brother and sister who were waiting quite impatiently to see which house he would be in.  Each student was greeted with a good round of applause, from Douglas to Hufflepuff, Gayle to Slytherin, Hagrid to Gryffindor, and Nickleby to Ravenclaw and on, until finally Andrew heard his name and felt the familiar tingle again as he stepped up with a lopsided smile on his face.

  “Oh, no,” said the Hat out loud.  “It’s another Snape.”  Some of the students snickered slightly, while behind him Severus’ lip twitched.

  All right, I’m ready this year, what’s your complaint?

  I beg your pardon? Andrew thought, tilting his head slightly.

  This is where I tell you where I think you’ll go and you talk me out of it.

 Oh!  Well if that’s the way it’s supposed to work.  But if it’s all the same to you, I’m sure wherever you want to put me will be fine.

  Are you sure?

  Quite sure.  Wherever you like.

  Well, in that case, I suppose I’ll just have to get on with it, shan’t I?  Oh, you don’t seem to fit in at first look, that is true, but then again as I look past your defenses, I see the real you.  Oh, you’ve got hidden talents; in this school you’ll do fine, and I think in the right house you’d surely shine.  Of course, in the wrong house, you might completely disappear and that would never do when you have so much to give here.  No, a dull life is something that won’t be in store, for I’m going to put you in…

 “ GRYFFINDOR!”

 

  As Andrew beamed with joy, Alex covered her face, and Aurelius was trying very hard to sink under the table from sheer embarrassment while Hephaestus snickered beside him.  At the Gryffindor table, Halbert was clapping excitedly, congratulating him warmly and making room beside him.  As Andrew turned his eye back to the main table, Severus simply nodded in acceptance, his eyes wandering the empty chair where Jennifer normally sat with a haunted look on his face.  It had taken all of his strength to sit there and watch, and as the final student was finally placed he suddenly got up and headed out the back door.  Minerva quickly placed the Hat at Dumbledore’s seat and took her place, starting the feast with one word and a smile.  She didn’t comment when Danny left a moment later, and Pomona not long after that.  By the end of the Feast, only half of the staff was still there.

  “I think this has officially turned into a school crisis,” Hermione muttered to Minerva.

  “Yes, I agree,” Minerva said.  “Hermione, could you pass out the Gryffindor schedules?  They’re in…”

  “Second filing cabinet, top right hand drawer,” Hermione nodded.  “Are you going to go see Pyther?”

  “Yes.  I think it’s definitely time that Dumbledore came home,” Minerva said, releasing the students to head back to their dorms.

 

    Sirius Black was comfortably sitting in one of the chairs near the desk when Severus came in.

  “I finished the Forest patrols.  Everything’s fairly quiet on the grounds.”

  “Good.  Get out,” Severus said, going over to the desk.

  “Pretty quick dinner.  What house is Andrew in?”

  “Gryffindor,” Severus said, scowling when Sirius started to chuckle.

  “I had a feeling he’d be the white sheep of the family.”

   “Don’t you have something better to do?” Severus snapped, glaring at his appointment book, which read: talk with Sirius.  “I know I have, like replacing an appointment book!” He told the book threateningly.

  “I just thought you’d want to know we moved Alicia to the mansion with Zoë and Zack,” Sirius said.

  “I didn’t give you permission to move her.  Alicia is supposed to be at the Weasley’s!” Severus snapped, coming back out from behind the desk.

  “Alicia didn’t want to be there!  In fact, she tried to run away.  If you’d been paying any attention at all, you’d know that she didn’t want left alone,” Sirius said, standing up.  “She has the ability to go anywhere she wants, and rather her get into a bad situation with everything going on, I think it’s better we humor her and make sure she’s around kids her age that care about what she’s going through.”

  “That’s not for you to decide, I’m her parent, not you!”

  “Well, I’m glad you actually remember that for a change,” Sirius said back with a mocking smile.  He quickly ducked as the swing came in and took a couple steps back, still grinning a bit.  “You know, you’d be better off getting your wand out.  You were never any match for me physically and we both know it.”

  “Don’t tempt me!” Severus snapped.  “What is your problem, Sirius, do you just like to torment me?”

  “I am tormenting you?” Sirius said with a look of feigned disbelief.

  “You have been dogging me ever since the first week she disappeared and haven’t given me one single moment to breathe!” Severus snapped.

  “You know, that’s a good pun, even for you,” Sirius commented, quickly stepping to the side as he came in again.  Growling in annoyance, Severus finally pulled out his wand, aiming it at his head.

  “Get out.” Severus said.  “Now.”

  “All right, Severus, but I’m not leaving without telling you why I’m really here,” Sirius said calmly, seemingly not at all concerned about the wand inches away from his nose.  “Despite what I may think of you, your friends and family happen to be worried about how you’re dealing with Jennifer’s disappearance.  And rather than knowingly subjecting them to the total pain in the ass that I knew you’d become over this, I volunteered.  I knew that someone was going to have to be around for you to lash blindly at or you’d lose it, and I’d rather it be aimed at someone you despise than destroy what few relationships you’ve actually been able to keep with others.  So lash away, Severus, you’ve always wanted to, haven’t you?” Sirius dared him.  “But I am going to keep ‘dogging’ you until Jennifer is found, because if I don’t at the rate you’re trying to tear yourself apart she won’t have anything to come back to.”

  Severus didn’t move for a long time, his eyes not leaving Sirius’.  Finally he lowered his wand, but made no move to put it away.

  “Now, Anna has taken the liberty to send one of the pictures she took of Jennifer with a normal camera to the authorities here, France and the States, just in case they moved her.”

  “Why France?”

  “Jennifer would still retain her language skills if she was subjected to a memory charm, so if she were taken out of the country, it’d be somewhere that she knew the language or would be somewhere she’s familiar with, and she’s been in both cultures.  There they can hide her while convincing her she’s someone else,” Sirius sighed softly.  “You know, this may not be necessarily one of her enemies.  It could be one of yours, planning to use her as a way to get even with you.”  Severus slowly sat down.  “And she is, after all, one of the most powerful dark witches in the world, and that would also give someone reason to try and manipulate her.”

  “Yes, but would she remember those spells now?” Severus wondered.  Sirius shrugged.

  “I have no idea,” Sirius admitted.

 

  Andrew wasn’t sure of the hour, but he was entirely too excited to sleep, and so, it seemed, was Halbert in the next bed over, and the two of them started to talk quietly about things, careful not to wake the others.

  “Mon m`ere was almost hoping I wouldn’t make in into Hogwarts.  She wanted me to go to Beauxbatons,” Halbert grinned.  “But Dad was pretty set, he even made me take English lessons. M`ere never could say no to him when he got his mind set on something.  You ought to see our farm.  It’s more like a zoo.”

  “We live in a cottage near the sea in a town full of witches, wizards and Muggles all living together and knowing each other.  It’s usually quite nice, but it seemed really lonely this year without Mum.  She loves that house…not nearly as much as she loves this place, I don’t think, but close.”

  “I can see why she loves this place!  It’s enormous!  I’ll bet there’s an adventure lurking around every corner,” Halbert said.  “What do you say we do some exploring after lunch to get used to the place?”

  “We have to survive our first two classes before that,” Andrew chuckled.  “I hope they serve a large breakfast here!”

  “Yes, you pack away as much food as I do!” Halbert agreed.  “Hey, what say our first stop would be finding the kitchen in this place?”

  “I am definitely game for that,” Andrew agreed, settling into bed.

 

  The first class of the day was Transfiguration.  Andrew and Halbert came in together after quite happily eating their fill, picking out a desk near the center of the room.  Hearing a pair of chuckles, Andrew peered curiously over to where a couple of Hufflepuff girls sat.  The freckled blonde haired girl with two short tails had been peering at them, but quickly looked away when she saw Andrew looking back, whispering to her girlfriend again. 

  “Women,” Halbert said with a bit of distain.  “My father says never to trust them.”

  “But your father’s married, isn’t he?” Andrew asked.

  “Yes,” Halbert said sagely.  “I think that’s why he told me never to trust them.”  That was when Professor McGonagall came in, tapping a stick she was holding on the girls’ table as she passed to get their attention.  The two girls quickly sat straight up, giving Andrew and Halbert a sideways glance when they looked back.

  “Eyes front, please,” Minerva warned them again.  “I am Professor McGonagall, and this is Transfiguration first year.  Who can tell me what Transfiguration is?  Yes, Mr. Allan?” She asked, turning to one of the other Gryffindor boys.

  “Its where we use spells to turn things into other things?” He said.

  “Not exactly, but a good try,” Minerva said, looking around.  “Miss Davidson?”

  The freckled girl put down her hand with a smile.  “Transfiguration is the art of manipulating an item to change its appearance, properties and often its functionality to resemble another object than what it was originally intended to be.”

  “It’s worse than I thought.  She’s got brains too,” Halbert whispered to Andrew, looking at her warily.

  “Well, I see someone read ahead a bit, at least,” Minerva said with a slightly amused smile.  “Good, that is of course, correct.  We won’t be getting much into its practice until your Charms professor teaches you how to use your wands properly, but we will go over the first chapter and perhaps have a demonstration or two.  Yes, Mr. Hagrid?”

  “Can you teach us how to turn into a cat?”  A few of the students chuckled.

  “Well, no, but I can show you if you like, I suppose,” she said getting full support.  Andrew watched intently as McGonagall’s features changed dramatically as she took a step towards her desk and suddenly jumped…landing on the desk in her cat form while everyone clapped appreciatively.

  “I’d really like to learn how to do that someday,” Halbert admitted as he was clapping.  “Wouldn’t you?”  Andrew shrugged.

  “I’ve never thought about it,” he admitted, watching as the teacher turned back into herself again.

  “Very few witches and wizards actually master that level of transfiguration without the aid of a potion or spell, Mr. Hagrid.  In fact, we only have two besides myself on regular staff who can.  As to who and what, you’ll have to wait and see if they will admit to it themselves,” Minerva said with amusement.  “Now, if you’ll turn to the first chapter, we’re going to go over the properties of matter in magic.”

  “Is your father an animagus?” Halbert whispered softly as they got out their books.

  “No, no one in my family is,” Andrew admitted.

  “I wonder who the others are,” Halbert murmured, opening his book.  Andrew smiled at him but didn’t comment.

  His new friend sure seemed curious, he thought.  Rather like Alex in a way, and yet he didn’t seem too much like the sort who would try to find the answers to his questions in a book or by talking to others.  Halbert was very much the “do-er” sort, and Andrew couldn’t help but wonder what it was going to take to keep up with his enthusiastic mate.

 

  Aurelius had wondered what it was he had done to ‘deserve’ to get Potions first period two years in a row.  At least it wasn’t a double, he thought to himself as he took his seat beside Heph noticing right off the bat something was odd about the lab.  The fact was it was quite immaculate; all the class ingredients were in neat rows and sulfur pots clean and shining, and every rack of vials in precisely the same positions on each desk.  How the old man had gotten it that way, Aurelius wasn’t quite sure, for the man who hobbled in with a cane hardly looked as if he was capable of such detailed magic.  It was quite hard not to snigger as they waited for the old man to get to his desk, but when he turned to look at them, he did so with a pair of bright, completely aware eyes and harrumphed a bit at their obvious skepticism.

  “My name is Glen Witolf, although I’ve been called other things over the years.  In here, you will call be Professor Witolf, although the only thing I will profess is that I do not claim to be even half the teacher Craw Snape would be,” he said distinctly.  “I do, however, know quite a bit about alchemy as I’ve been practicing it long before your parents were born,” he said with a grunt.  “I know of ancient concoctions that predate today’s potions that became the basis of standard alchemy today.  When you open your book, you may see within it a bunch of formulas and recipes,” he tapped one of the books as if he were going to put his finger through it, even though his voice was calm.  “What I see are years of very hard work by alchemists that time forgot.  Every recipe there, every standard formula was developed by one or more people, Mr. Grey,” he said, Hephaestus instantly trying to look attentive.  “And quite a few alchemists died or worse testing their own concoctions.  And their mistakes too serve a purpose, teaching us what not to do again.  Proof, I think, that you can learn from other’s mistakes as well as your own… that is if you’re paying attention, Miss Delmar,” he added, the Ravenclaw girl immediately facing forward.

  “We’ll be learning chemical tests for ingredient effectiveness, for from my notes I see you already learned visual testing last year.  However, first, we’re going to learn how to make the tester.  Turn towards the back of the book to page four hundred and fifty, we’ll be starting there.”

  The students looked at each other as they did so, and Aurelius frowned at the formula in front of him.  They’d never done anything with so many variables before.

  “Take out your first ingredient please.  Yes, Mr. Stockford?”

  “Sir, we haven’t worked on any of these formulas yet.  Surely we’re not going to make this today,” he said.

  “You mean make it effectively?  I’d be very surprised if you did,” Witolf agreed.  “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you all failed miserably.  But I’m not here to pamper egos; I’m here to teach you something.  Now, let’s begin, shall we?”

  “Wait a moment, if we’re expected to fail, how are you going to mark this?” Aurelius asked out of turn, getting Witolf’s full attention.  The old alchemist studied him intently.

  “You’re one of the Snapes, aren’t you?  I know your mother,” Witolf said gently.

  “Who didn’t?” Aurelius retorted.

  “Who doesn’t,” Witolf corrected.  “I don’t give marks for experimentation, Mr. Snape, or for anything else for that matter.  You also won’t be doing any extensive formula work in this class once I’ve shown you the gist of the theory.  No formula, standard or not, should be accepted as fact.  The moment you believe so, I guarantee you some upstart alchemist will come out of nowhere and blow it out of the water.  Do you want to look like an idiot?” Witolf asked Aurelius, who merely gaped at him.  “No, I didn’t think so.  So…expect homework while I’m here to consist of serious reports on, ‘what you did wrong’ and ‘what could have worked better.’  If I am here through the term, you will receive two tests, which will be lab work only; one before Christmas and your final, which will be posted for all to see.  Half of that test score will be based on whether your classroom efforts up to that point have been worth your time and my time.  As long as you do your best, you will get a passing grade in this class.”

  “But how can we possibly tell how we’re doing in class if you’re not giving us marks until the end?” Heph protested.

  “If you don’t know when you’re making progress, Mr. Grey,” Witolf said, “You probably aren’t.  Now, shall we get back to the experiment at hand?”

 

  It was not long after class that there was a knock on Severus’ office door and he answered it to find Aurelius standing there.

  “Can I talk to you a moment?”

  “A brief moment.  I have a class in ten minutes, and so do you,” Severus said, letting him in.  “Don’t tell me you’ve gotten into some sort of trouble all ready.”

  “It’s about Professor Witolf’s class.  Sir, I don’t think that man is capable of teaching, he’s completely incompetent.”

  “Oh?” Severus said almost unconcernedly, getting some notes together.

  “He said he’s not going to have regular tests, or even formula drills at all, and he’s not even going to give us any marks, and we’re supposed to write our own progress reports, instead of him letting us know how we’re doing!”

  “Aurelius, every teacher in this school sends a detailed itinerary listing their plans for the year, and whether or not it seems unorthodox to you, Professor Witolf’s methods have been approved by both McGonagall and myself.”

  “But he just tried to teach us a potion nobody in the class except perhaps myself was ready for, and half the phials exploded!  There could have been a fire!”

  “For your information, Mr. Snape, the lab is intentionally charmed to keep accidents from getting out of hand.  Furthermore, Mr. Witolf is nothing if not overqualified for this job and is doing it as a personal favor to this school as well as our family.   I expect from now on that you treat him with nothing but the utmost respect, or our next conversation will hardly be congenial,” Severus warned him, opening the door so he could leave.

  “So you must at least like his teaching style better than Mum’s?” Aurelius challenged.  Severus quickly closed the door again, staring at him in complete disbelief.

  “Tell me where, exactly, did that come from?”

  “I had a bit of discussion with some of the other students once we got here.  Someone mentioned to me that you and Mum quarreled at lot in the classrooms when you didn’t think anyone was around, and everyone else seems to think you were arguing about teaching.”

  “Aurelius…” he said, pausing a moment.  “Mr. Snape, I understand you are concerned about this temporary substitution.  However, I can assure you that my professional discussions with Professor Craw had in no way anything to do with what happened.  She left on good terms.  Now if you don’t mind, I need a few minutes to prepare for my next class, and you don’t want to be late for yours,” he said, opening the door again.  This time Aurelius went out, and Severus closed it behind him, immediately leaning on it and closing his eyes a moment.

Chapter Eight

Erascus

 

  Jacqueline stretched a bit trying to get comfortable and fell off the couch, grumbling a bit and putting her pillow over her head.

  “Come on, wake up.  Breakfast is almost ready.  Don’t forget you have an appointment today,” Mark said from the kitchen.

  “How can I forget?” Jacqueline mumbled sitting up.  “Can’t we postpone it just this once?”

  “Come on, Jackie, it can’t be so bad as all that,” Mark sighed, pouring them some coffee.  “What’s an hour a week with someone who’s only trying to help you?”

  “Can’t we find someone else to help me?” Jacqueline said.  “There are tons of different psychiatrists in this town.  It’s obvious that I’m not making any progress with this one,” she said, getting up and going over to the bar.  “All he does is sit there, asks me a lot of odd questions, and then hands me pills.  Sometimes I get the feeling he doesn’t want me to get better.  Something in the way he looks at me.”

  “Look,” Mark sighed, coming around to the other side and putting his hands on her shoulders.  “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll stay home today.”

  “No, that’s all right,” Jacqueline said quickly.  “You go on.  I can deal with Dr. Erascus.”

  “You’re sure,” Mark said, getting her to look in his blue eyes.

  “I’m sure,” Jacqueline said with a smile, manage to wriggle away on the pretense of eating her breakfast.  “You know, I’ve been thinking…”

  “Oh, no, here it comes,” Mark chuckled, shaking his head and putting on his suit jacket.

  “It’s about getting a job.  A local one,” Jacqueline insisted as he began to shake his head.

  “Jacqueline, you know what Erascus said about you staying in the neighborhood.  If you go too far, you’ll get disoriented and we’ll have to come find you.  Remember that time you tried to find the library and you got confused trying to catch a bus?”

  “The café across the street is looking for help.  It says no experience required, just someone who can speak English,” Jacqueline said.  “I’m not going to get lost on the way across the street, and it’s not as if Doctor Erascus doesn’t live next door.  Come on, Mark!  I’m going stir crazy here, I just don’t feel like I have enough to do.”

  “Watch T.V.?”

  “I hate T.V.” Jacqueline sighed.

  “Surf the net?”

  “Mark!”

  “All right, all right.  Why don’t you ask him, then?” Mark said.

  “Why don’t I apply first and then ask him,” Jacqueline suggested brightly.

   “I’m going to work,” Mark sighed, kissing her on the forehead.  “Please, do me a favor and don’t tick off your psychiatrist this week?” he pleaded, heading out the door. 

  Jacqueline waited a few minutes by the door.  Then she headed over to the window, leaning to see past the edge of the balcony until she saw Mark disappear around the corner.  Finally! 

  She breathed in relief, wondering not for the first time what she might have seen in that guy when she had her memories.  Dumping the breakfast he’d made down the drain and pouring out the coffee, she quickly threw on a green dress she had managed to find that she actually liked and fit her (there had been three sizes in her closet, and she wondered if she hadn’t gone on a diet on some point) then hurried down the stairs.   The first stop was the corner grocery and deli, immediately heading over to the newsstand upon entering.  A rather portly elderly man with thin white hair and a pleasant face greeted her warmly.

  “You are out early today,” Isaac said, leaning on the counter.  “But I’m glad, for I have something for you!”

  “Really?” Jacqueline said brightly.  “Any new books?”

  “Better than new books,” Isaac said with a wide smile, taking out a glass jar from under the cabinet.  “Fresh from Pennsylvania, one of their first shipments this fall, as I understand, although I’m sure they were slightly surprised to have an order from a New York Deli, kosher product or not,” he winked.  “But you have been driving me crazy about it all summer, and I thought it might cheer you up.”

  “Pumpkin Butter!” Jacqueline said enthusiastically, giving the flustered grocer a hug.  “I can’t believe you found it!  I’ve been craving this for weeks now.  How much do we owe you?”

  “No, no.  You can have that one for free,” he insisted.  “I got a case, so when you need some more, you can buy it from me then,” he said.  “It’s all natural too.  Perhaps I’ll put one or two on the shelf and see what others think, yes?”

  “Thank you, you’ve made my day already,” Jacqueline grinned, gratefully taking the bag and waving to him as she went a couple doors down.  At Kingler’s Café, she was greeted by the older couple standing behind the burger bar; the woman filling napkins stopping to lean on it a moment.

  “So?  Any verdict yet?” Sally asked hopefully.

  “He told me to ask Erascus,” Jacqueline said, immediately earning a groan from Sally.

  “Why do you let them order you around like that?” Rob asked from where he stood by the kitchen door.

  “You know why,” Jacqueline sighed, sitting down at the bar as Sally poured her a cup of coffee.  “Because for some unknown reason, I lost my memory and therefore ‘need strict supervision as I am not yet capable of taking care of myself.’”

  “Now that’s a load of crap,” Rob said.  “If you ask me, that psychiatrist of yours needs a psychiatrist of his own.”  Jacqueline couldn’t help but grin at that.  “All you need is to be independent of that day trader of yours and let your memories return on their own.”

  “He’s a trader assistant.”

  “Whatever,” he said, heading over to talk to another customer that had just come in.

  “You know, it’s been hard.  He’s done so much for me and yet…” Jacqueline stopped and shook her head.

  “Then maybe this memory loss is a good thing,” Sally said.  “It sounds to me that you and him wasn’t meant to be at all, and maybe you just didn’t see it before.”

  “Maybe,” Jacqueline murmured, sipping her coffee.

  “Look, take the job.  We could use the help.  And if Erascus gives you any trouble about it, take it to court.  There’s got to be something you can do, you have rights, you know, memory or not.  You know Rob and I will stand up for you.”

  “Thanks, Sally,” Jacqueline sighed.  “I think without you guys and Isaac being here, maybe I would be going nuts.”

  “Nah, not you.  Memory or not, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders,” Sally said.  “Forget about what they think.  You’re not in love with Mark… anyone seeing the two of you together can tell that.  And you hate Doctor Erascus, right?  So why do you want to take advice from someone who you hate?”

  “You need advice?  That’s easy.  Lose the shrink,” Rob said on his way back to the kitchen.  “If you really think you need one, at least get one that doesn’t make everyone’s skin crawl when he walks into the room.”

  “Speaking of evil incarnate, look out.  Here he comes now,” Sally said, all three of them glancing up as Doctor Erascus came in, dressed in his typical three piece suit and black trench coat, immediately making eye contact with Jacqueline at the bar.  Rob and Sally greeted him politely as he headed over to Jacqueline’s seat, looking at her curiously.

  “Out early, I see,” he said thoughtfully.  “Did you recall that we had an appointment today?”

  “Yes, that’s why I’m out early, so I can get a few errands done.  I wanted to see if Isaac had any new books,” Jacqueline said.  Erascus nodded thoughtfully.

  “Perhaps you should consider enlisting in a book club through the mail?  That way you can have a greater selection and not even have to leave the apartment,” he suggested.

  “No, that’s all right,” Jacqueline said, getting up and looking over at Sally, who was giving her a sideways glance from where she was filling napkins.  “It gives me a reason to get out of there every now and then.  Which reminds me of something I wanted to talk to you about,” she added, feeling a bit surer of herself knowing that her friends were watching.  “I’d like to take a job here.”  Erascus stared at her in surprise.

  “A job?  Here?”  His lip twitched in a manner that told Jacqueline just how little he liked the idea.

  “It’d only be a few hours in the afternoon and evening to help with the dinner rush,” Jacqueline said.  “It’d get me out of the apartment, and I can actually have my own spending money.”

  “It doesn’t appear to me as if you have any lack of spending money,” Erascus said, glancing at the bag in her hand.  “Doesn’t Mark give you an allowance to buy…what is that, anyhow?”

  “You’re missing the point,” Jacqueline said, clutching the bag tighter.  “I want to earn my own money.  Whether or not I remember anything past a few months ago, I think I have proven I can take care of myself to some extent or you wouldn’t have approved Mark going back to work.”

  “A decision that I still debate to myself on whether you were ready or not,” he said, “Especially considering this sudden aggressive behavior you’re exhibiting.  May I see the bag?”

  “If you were cooped up in a one bedroom apartment as much as I’ve been you would be too,” Jacqueline said.  “I don’t want to be in a box all of my life.”

  “You’re very lucky you have Mark to look after you.  You might have been institutionalized, and then you really would have been in a box,” he reminded her.

  “An institution whose main goal in most cases is to work to get their patients to the point they can function in normal society without endangering themselves or others,” Jacqueline said.  “At least from what I’ve been reading.”

  “Their main goal is to protect society from their patients,” Erascus said bluntly.  “And you shouldn’t believe everything you read in magazines.  Magazines are nothing but a publisher up-selling their advertisements while the people writing the articles are attempting to up-sell themselves.  And what exactly is it that you expect to be doing in this… establishment?”

  “Taking customer orders, pouring coffee, cleaning counters…what do you care as long as I’m within an arm’s reach?  Mr. Kingler and his wife both know my situation.  It’s not as if I’m ‘unsupervised’ in any way.”

  “The Kinglers are hardly trained psychiatrists.”

  “Neither is Mark, and yet you seemed to be okay with him supervising me those first few weeks.”

  “That is different, we are referring to strangers now.”

  “They’re less strangers to me than Mark,” Jacqueline snapped, instantly regretting saying that out loud the moment that Erascus stared at her.

  “I think it’s time we had our chat,” Erascus said coolly.  “Shall we head to my office?”  Feeling a bit deflated, Jacqueline sighed and nodded, glancing back at Sally and Rob who were both standing at the counter now.

  “See you at four o’clock, Jacqueline… actually, could you come a few minutes early so I can show you how to use the time card and all?” Sally said.  “You might want to leave Mark a note that you’ll be off at about nine.  Is that all right?”

  “I don’t recall telling you that she had my permission to work here,” Erascus said with alarm.

  “Probably because we didn’t ask it,” Rob said.  “From what I understand, Jacqueline is not under any court order giving you the sort of power needed legally to stop it, and I expect that if it went to court she could prove easily enough she’s capable of working.  So unless you want to take this to another level, Doctor, I suggest you give the girl a break and let her learn how to make a living.”

  “Very well, but I warn you,” Erascus said, his face darkening as he turned to look in Rob’s direction, “that I will be watching, and I will not tolerate anyone who dares to try to take advantage of my patient’s situation.  Is that clear?”

  “Oh, yeah, I’d definitely say things are clear,” Rob said, bristling a bit.

  “Good,” Erascus said, turning to look back at Jacqueline.  Jacqueline knew better than to risk a smile.  Instead she quickly headed out the door, slipping into the next building where Erascus kept a modest office just behind a dentist’s. 

  It was always empty, but then he always made her appointments for lunchtime, when even his receptionist was away from the desk.  Jacqueline found herself wishing she could have stopped at home to drop off her bag, although she wasn’t quite sure why she didn’t want to show it to him.  Rather silly, she thought.  But then why did he want to see in the first place?  Wasn’t that just as odd?  Deciding once and for all she wasn’t in the mood to humor him, she waited until his back was turned while he opened his office door and quickly slipped the bag under the receptionist’s desk before following him in.

  “So tell me, how are things between you and Mark?” Erascus asked, gesturing for her to take a seat.

  “Fine,” Jacqueline said absently.

  “Odd, from your comment in the café I got the impression that things weren’t as ‘fine’ as you seem to indicate.  Have you been quarrelling?”

  “No, he never quarrels with me,” Jacqueline sighed. 

  “Spend much time talking things over?  Your past, your relationship?”

  “He talks.  It’s not like I have much to add to the conversation, considering I don’t remember a thing about what he’s talking about.”

  “Very well then, let’s not talk about what you remember, let’s talk about what you know.  Tell me about yourself,” Erascus said, leaning back thoughtfully.

  “I grew up an only child on a farm in Connecticut.  My parents died from a car accident and left the farm in debt so I sold it and moved to get a job.  I had a job for a short time at a chemical distributor outside of Queens, only I got laid off and moved in with Mark, whom supposedly I met at the café next to us, although Sally doesn’t remember ever seeing me in there before the accident.”

  “Before the accident, Jacqueline, you wouldn’t have considered spending much time in such a dive,” Erascus said.

  “But I must have at one point, since I met Mark there.  Only he doesn’t seem to go there much either.  Sally says he never talked much.  She recognized him right away.” Jacqueline said.

  “You are attempting to change the subject again,” Erascus said impatiently.  “You were going to tell me how you felt about Mark.”

  “I thought we were talking about what I know,” Jacqueline reminded him.

  “I think I should alter your prescription a bit.  It seems to me that you’re a bit overly stimulated,” Erascus frowned, writing himself a note.

  “Why don’t I just stop taking them then?”  Jacqueline suggested, attempting to ignore the chill that hit her when he eyed her again.

  “Perhaps I’ve been much too lenient with you.  I think I’ll ask Mark to stay home for a few days and make sure you haven’t slipped from your routines…”

  “No, no, quite all right.  I was merely joking,” Jacqueline said.  “I just don’t see that the pills are doing anything productive, is all.”

  “Can we get back to why it is you don’t like Mark?” Erascus asked, folding his fingers together.

  “Oh, no, I do like Mark, really,” Jacqueline assured him.  “He’s a nice guy, and he’s been really good about the whole memory thing, it’s just that he lacks…. well I mean to say he seems to lack… well, maybe he just lacks.  Maybe he’s just too… nice.  And unless you want to talk to him about how the stock market is doing or what’s on T.V. tomorrow night, there’s not really much to talk about.  Well, short of him attempting bringing up good times we’ve had that I have no memory of or can possibly even imagine myself doing now.”

  “Perhaps we’re going about this the wrong way,” Erascus mused, writing another note down.  “Perhaps the two of you need to get out and do more things together…go to the Cineplex, or perhaps see some shows, dinner, that sort of thing, so you can both discover what hidden interests you have together.”  Jacqueline looked at Erascus dubiously while he got into the drawers, putting two fresh pill bottles on the table.  “I will discuss it with him later this evening.  Don’t forget your medicine, please.”

  Jacqueline took it and nodded to him, unable to bring herself to thank him as she got up.  The last thing she wanted to do was spend any more time with Mark than she already had to.  She sighed with frustration, glancing at the pills before putting them in her pockets as she left the building.  At least he was going to let her work.  Smiling a bit at that small victory, Jacqueline decided to head home and get ready.

  Doctor Erascus watched her leave from the door of his office then got ready to head up to his room.  But as he was about to shut it, he suddenly spied the bag behind the corner of the reception desk and went back in, uncovering the glass jar to read it.  He stared at it for a long time before the jar shattered in his hand.

Chapter Nine

Family Matters

 

  “I just received splendid news,” Aurelius announced just after dinner, sitting by the other two Snapes in the library.  “Camille and Xavier have named me the new Slytherin Keeper.”

  “But tryouts aren’t until Sunday,” Andrew said.

  “Nevertheless, I am the new Keeper.  Of course I’ll go to the tryouts, but we’re just planning to use it as a practice.  Any chance of the two of you helping me practice a bit on Saturday so I can look my best?”

  “Sure, Aurelius,” Alex said simply, not even looking up from her book.

  “Don’t you think it’s rather odd he made the team before tryouts?” Andrew asked his sister.

  “No, it happens here all the time,” Alex said, glancing at Aurelius.  Andrew looked between them, knowing something was up but not knowing whether or not to pry.

  “Sure, I’m game, of course, but I don’t have a broom.  I don’t even have lessons until tomorrow,” Andrew said.

  “Ask Madame Brittle if you can borrow one then, she’s sure to let you; she’s all right,” Aurelius said.  “But whatever you do, don’t challenge her to a flying contest to try to get out of her class.”

  “Challenge a World Cup Seeker to a contest of brooms?” Andrew said incredulously.  “Who would be stupid enough to do something like that?”

  “Oh some people,” Alex said, jerking her head a bit towards Aurelius then quickly smoothed her hair with her hand when he looked in her direction.

  “Why is it, Alex, that even when you’re not saying anything that you’re still a big mouth?” Aurelius asked.  Alex stuck her tongue out at him.

  “I would have thought you would have held out for Seeker, Rel,” Andrew said.

  “Henry the Ox is the Seeker, he’s a seventh year,” Aurelius explained.

  “Who’s completely earned his nickname,” Alex put in.

  “Anyhow, I figure I can always do Keeper this year and tryout for Seeker next,” Aurelius said.  “Of course, that’d mean competing against the team captain for it.  I imagine Xavier Platt is going to go for it.”

  “Oh yes, he’s the new Slytherin prefect, right?” Andrew said politely.

  “Took over for Horus Crumb,” Aurelius nodded.

  “He’s actually a pretty decent fellow once you get to know him,” Alex said.

  “He can be.  He can also be real slime,” Aurelius said.

  “Sounds like every Slytherin I’ve met.  Including you,” Alex said.  “Everyone has a good side and a bad side, although some hide it better than others,” she said, looking at Andrew.  Andrew grinned at her.  “So how come you weren’t at lunch today?”

  “Oh, Halbert and I went off to find the kitchen, and by the time we found it, lunch had already been served.  So we loaded up and went out to eat by the animal pens,” Andrew said.

  “Eating around that stench?” Alex wrinkled her nose.

  “Oh, it wasn’t that bad.  Halbert knows all sorts of things about animals.  It was rather interesting really,” Andrew said.

  “Well you shouldn’t hang around with Gryffindors, especially that huge bully.  He’ll just get you into trouble,” Aurelius said.

  “You have it all wrong.  He’s big, but he’s no more a bully than I am.  And considering I’m a Gryffindor, I’d think you’d have enough sense not to judge us all because of Donovan.”

  “Well, if Donovan gives you a hard time at all, you tell us,” Aurelius said.  “I’ve seen the way he’s treated Rose in the past, and I’m not about to stand by and watch him do the same to you.”

  “Just no more Dark Forest challenges, okay?” Alex said to Aurelius.  “But Aurelius is right.  Let us know if anyone gives you trouble.”

  “I think I can handle myself all right,” Andrew said calmly.  “You don’t have any reason to worry about me being in Gryffindor.  Besides, as you said, your friend Rose is one too.  And even if we can’t handle him, I bet you her walking tree could.”

  “The Elf Willow,” Alex chuckled, nodding her head.  “Father was positively livid when he found out I’m the one that bought the pot, but then Mum calmed…” she caught herself then, suddenly a bit flustered. “She calmed him down, like she always does.  I’m sorry, it just…when I’m here in this school, I can’t imagine her being anywhere else.”

  “Is that why Father is so cross in the classroom, because of Mum?” Andrew asked.

  “Actually he’s always like that,” Alex admitted.  “But he does look much greyer and thinner than I recall.”

  “That could be just from all the extra hours he’s putting in doing Dumbledore’s job and his own.  Where is Dumbledore, anyhow?” Aurelius complained.  “Shouldn’t they have called him back by now?”

  “If only we could at least cheer Father up somehow,” Andrew said.

  “Well there’s nothing we could do that would work, short of actually finding Mum.  Hey…” Alex began, only to have Aurelius cover her mouth.

  “Don’t even think about it,” he warned her.

 

  Alicia couldn’t help but be disappointed when her Father wrote and told her he couldn’t make it that Saturday, but as always, Zoë and Zacchius seemed to have ways of cheering up even her Snape-broodiest of moods… this time with her second greatest passion of riding a broom. 

  Since she’d been old enough to get on one there was little doubt she had something special; it was if somehow her skill with the brush fed into the broom somehow, and every move she made was quick, graceful, and deceptively easy.  Zacchius had the misfortune of trying to duplicate her over the summer and ended up with a broken arm, having to swear to his parents not to do anything like that again before they would give him his broom back.  But today she was content to let the twins set the pace, closing her eyes from time to time to clear her mind with only the wind and the warmth of the sun upon her.  It was like a brief release from her troubles and fears; something that didn’t happen often these days.  So when they headed back for lunch she definitely felt and even looked a great deal better than when they had left.

  “Did you see my dive and last minute pull-up landing, Mom?  I think I shaved another inch off it this time!” Zack declared cheerfully.

  “Just make sure you don’t shave anything else off.  I can’t stand watching any of you flying anymore.  You take too many risks,” Anna said.

  “Aw, if anything went wrong, Mom, you know Zoë and I can Apparate like you can, licenses or not, and Alicia’s just too good to crash,” Zack protested.

  “How someone like Alicia happened to come to a set of parents with so little talent on brooms is beyond me,” Sirius joked.  “Are you sure Alicia and Zoë weren’t switched before birth?  Zoë definitely has her Snape moments.  Then again, so do you.”

  “Dad’s cruisin’ to sleep in the guest room tonight,” Zack grinned.

  “Good thing we’re not at home, bet he’d end up in the doghouse,” Zoë said. 

  “All right, that’s enough.  Go wash your hands if you want anything to eat.  Those broomsticks always leave them black as coal,” Anna complained.

  “Well, we are Blacks, so it’s only fitting, right?”

  “Wash!” Anna barked, and the three of them reluctantly headed to the bathroom.

  “Are you sure two is enough?” Sirius inquired innocently.

  “You’re a real card today.  Are things that bad at school?” Anna said, looking serious despite her smile.

  “About as we expected,” Sirius said quietly, suddenly looking tired.  “He doesn’t eat.  If he sleeps at all I suspect he sleeps in his robes, and he only comes out of the Study for classes or trips to the Ministry so they can tell him they’ve made no progress.”

  “Don’t you have any good news?” Anna sighed, putting a plate of lettuce, tomatoes, and onion on the table.   “And go check the burgers.”

  “Well, Harry says Lucius Malfoy went to St. Mungo’s with Newt Pneumonia yesterday, does that count?” Sirius said cheerfully.  “The bad news is he’s going to live, probably be sent home to recoup tomorrow.”

  “That’s great, the joys of watching other people suffer,” Anna said dryly.

  “Yes, but it’s Malfoy,” Sirius said as he popped out the kitchen door, opening the grill.  “Shouldn’t there be some exceptions to the nice rule in that case?”

  “You know in some ways, you’re just as bad as the kids,” Anna said, handing him a plate through the open kitchen window.  Just before he was able to hand her the plate of burgers back, an owl flew down, startling Anna who jumped back in annoyance.  The bird hooted at her curiously but seemed unperturbed by her reaction.  Sirius chuckled.

  “That’s what we get for trying to use the kitchen window as a delivery system.  Owls have the right of way, you know.  Hi, Misty,” he added to the owl who hooted back, flying away the moment Anna grabbed the letter.

  “Alicia!  Mail!  And food’s done!” she shouted.

  The three of them thundered in chatting like mad, Alicia hurrying over and immediately ripping into the note in effort to open it.

  “It’s from Alex!”

  “Who else would it be from?”  Zack snorted.  “Go on.”

  “Get out of my way, ladies first,” Zoë said, shoving her brother aside to get first pick.

  “Dad, would you please tell Zoë that we don’t honor displays of sexually oriented inequality in this house and that she has to wait her turn?”  Zacchius said.  Sirius choked on his soda and quickly stepped outside for a moment.

  “Zoë, I think ‘excuse me’ is probably more effective then ‘get out of my way,’” Anna said.

  “No, it isn’t,” Zoë said.

  “Now you see what I mean by them having been in the States for too long,” Sirius said.

  “Either that or in their father’s care for too long,” Anna retorted.

  “Here we go again,” Zack said.  Zoë merely rolled her eyes.

  “Oh, listen!  Aurelius made the Quidditch team, as Keeper!  And then Alex says she went to help him practice before tryouts, and Kirk Havershaw and a couple of the other seventh year players from Ravenclaw stopped to watch, and now Alex made her team too!  Chaser!”

  “What about Andrew?” Zoë asked.

  “Andrew’s only a first year, they would never let them play,” Zack said.

  “They let Harry play,” Zoë pointed out.

  “Andrew’s spending most of his time with a boy named Halbert Hagrid who Alex says is even taller than he is, and even eats as much as he does,” Alicia explained.

  “A Hagrid in the school too, eh?  I’d hate to see Hogwarts’ food bill this year,” Sirius said, leaning on the door and watching as Alicia’s face turned more solemn.

  “Mr. Witolf is teaching Potions, and Andrew likes him, but Alex says it’s obvious something’s missing in the school, and that what’s missing is Mum.  And they say they miss me too, and to take care, and that’s it.”

  “Come eat, Alicia, your food is getting cold,” Anna suggested gently.

  “That’s sure something, Alex and Rel both making the teams and only third and second year,” Zoë said.

  “Yeah, I wonder who Aurelius had to bribe for that,” Zacchius grinned.

  “All right, that’s enough, Zack.  Why don’t you all go outside on the deck and eat?  Too hot in here.”

  “You want me to start up the ice crystals in the fireplace?” Sirius said.  “No electricity bill to worry about here.”

  “Is that another hint?” Anna challenged him.

  “Just a little one,” Sirius said, heading to the front room.  “Look, I know you want to be close to your parents, but they’re only a few port jumps away.  It’s not like you can’t get there in ten minutes if you have to.”

  “And what about my job?”

  “You already know what I think about your job,” Sirius sighed.

  “You hate my job,” Anna said accusingly.

  “Well, yes, but it’s more than just that,” Sirius said dryly.  “You get yourself obsessed with chasing down these psychotic killers, so much so that the kids sense it and wake up with nightmares.”

  “Oh, this isn’t about yours?”

  “Mine are a bit different,” Sirius said dryly.  “Ever since Lorcan, they’ve been about you getting over your head and ending up in those graphic photos of yours.  And most of the time I find myself wondering why you’re going out of your way to find these horrific people that have nothing to do with us instead of trying to cope with matters closer to home.”

  “Sirius, people are dying here.”

  “People are dying everywhere, Anna!  You can’t fix that!” Sirius snapped, glancing outside and lowering his voice.  “And I’m sure if you let it go someone else will pick up that cause.  Your sister-n-law is missing, Zoë is having reality issues, Zack is doing anything he can think up to get attention, your brother is falling apart, and even I can’t seem to get through to you to look around.  It’s time you took a look at your priorities and stop running away from your real problems in favor of someone else’s.”  Sirius snorted slightly in sudden realization.  “I guess you’re more like your brother than I used to think you were.”

  “I know where my priorities are,” Anna said, her voice low but obviously angry.  “I came as soon as I heard to help deal with the children.”

  “This body came,” Sirius said, putting his hand on her shoulders.  “Tell me where your mind has been.”

  Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream came from Alicia outside, and Sirius bolted out the door wand immediately in hand, Anna following right behind him.  He stopped short then as he followed her eyes over to a fence post where a great horned owl sat, whooping loudly the moment they came out.

  “It’s Revere,” Sirius hissed, Zoë putting an arm around Alicia as Sirius and Anna went over to the Postmaster’s owl.

  The owl was without a doubt the most well known owl in the country; known not only for his impeccable reliability, but his unwavering determination to deliver mail that absolutely had to get through under any circumstances.  It was little wonder that the owl had also gotten the reputation of being the bearer of bad news.  Seldom were urgent messages ever good.  Sirius took the letter, thanking the owl solemnly, but it waited for Sirius as he glanced at the envelope.

  “It’s for you, Anna, from Audi,” he said quietly, handing it over.  Anna took it and slowly opened it, then exhaled as if she had been holding her breath and had just realized it.

  “Audi’s in New York.  She thinks she has a lead and needs me to come as soon as possible,” Anna said, folding it up and looking at him.

  “Go.  I can tell Severus I’ll be late tonight.  I guarantee you he won’t miss me,” Sirius said.

  “Don’t say anything about this to him until I know for sure what’s going on,” Anna said.  Sirius merely raised a hand.

  “I wasn’t planning on it.  If it gets too late, I’ll send them to Ginny’s.  They can catch a way to school from there,” Sirius said.  “And Anna,” he said as she went in to get her purse.  “Will you at least think about what I said?”

  Anna sighed and nodded, kissing him goodbye.

  “I’ll think about it,” she agreed, and then a moment later she was gone.

 

  Doctor Jeff Miller stepped into his office, startled as he recognized one of the three women waiting in his office, a smile playing on her lips when he gazed at her.

  “Judge Vallid?”

  “Guilty as charged,” Lunette said, shaking his hand.

  “That’s quite some tagline you got,” Audi said dryly.

  “Thank you, I use it quite a bit,” Lunette said almost flippantly.  “This is Detective Audi Belle, my faithful partner in crime, and this is Anna Hughes Black, my less faithful partner in crime,” she said wickedly.

  “Thank you for seeing us,” Anna nodded, shaking his hand.

  “You’re welcome, although I’m not sure how much I can actually tell you…” Lunette suddenly excused herself and handed him a crisply folded paper.  “Never mind,” Miller said when he saw the warrant.  He sat down, grinning wryly a moment before becoming more serious as he pulled out a folder at the top of the desk.

  “The report says you treated a woman matching Jennifer’s description?” Anna asked.

  “Her name was Jacqueline Cassius.  I do not believe there was a middle initial given,” he added, glancing at the file.  “Her boyfriend brought her in saying that she collapsed in their apartment and that she seemed to be suffering from memory loss.  Perhaps I should say alleged boyfriend?”

  “And this was when?” Vallid asked.

  “June first, around four-thirty in the afternoon.  She was unconscious when she was brought in from no discernible cause, although her breathing was a bit erratic.  By morning she had awaken and was completely responsive, just no memory.  Once it was determined she was in perfect health and a psychiatrist signed that she had functional memory, she was released.”

  “You did a follow up exam, correct?” Vallid said.

  “Yes, a month later, to talk to her and make sure there were no physical signs that I might have missed.”

  “Is that the only reason?”

  “Well, no,” Miller admitted.  “There were a few strange inconsistencies when I originally spoke to Mr. Ghent that made me a bit leery, and I wanted to make sure there were no signs that her environment was unhealthy.”

  “Wouldn’t that be better for the psychiatrist to decide?”

  “To be perfectly frank, Judge, I didn’t know this psychiatrist.  It was someone Mr. Ghent had brought in, and something about him, well, pardon the unprofessional opinion but he gave me the creeps,” Miller said.  Anna and Audi glanced at each other.

  “What were the inconsistencies that made you leery?”

  “Things about her that seemed inconsistent with her age, mostly.  We were told twenty-five, and admittedly she looks twenty-five and may have the health of a twenty-five year old.  But bone density, internal scarring, and various other small discrepancies seemed to be that of an older woman.  Not to mention that Ghent seemed rather startled when I asked him about her children.”

  “How old do you think she really is?” Vallid asked.

  “I don’t know,” Miller said with a thin smile.  “How old are you?”  Audi broke into a coughing fit violent enough to get everyone’s attention, professing she was okay after it had gone on for a moment.

  “Well, we thank you for your help.  I think this is probably the person we’re looking for,” Vallid said.  “Can my Detective get their names, addresses, billing information, please?”

  “Sure, I’ll walk down to the billing office with you,” he said, taking the folder and warrant in hand.  “Won’t you even let me guess?” Miller inquired.

  “A lady never reveals her secrets,” Vallid said with a smile as they headed down the hall.

 

Chapter Ten

Through the Looking Glass

 

 

    After nearly a month on the job Jacqueline fancied herself an expert, although she was nowhere near as fast as Sally, she admitted to herself.  She got too caught up in the conversations of its patrons, especially the regulars who made it a habit to eat there at least one night a week, and some every night during the week.

  But there was little doubt that working was the happiest time of her remembered life…the rest of it, in fact, she would have done without if she could have.  The dates they had gone on had been rather disasters so far, first at the movies…which ended up putting her to sleep and the smell of the popcorn made her nauseous, and a baseball game, which was even more boring, only it had less comfortable seating.  Both had been followed by long walks that neither of them seemed to enjoy, although Jacqueline couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Mark.  He was trying so hard to get her attention and take care of her, and yet how could she let him think she felt differently and still be honest to herself?

  Work was much easier to deal with, where the biggest crisis seemed to involve running out of coffee filters and occasional complaints of burgers not cooked to specification.   There was also the incident where she warped Rob’s favorite rubber spatula in the dishwasher.  But all in all, it had been the least complicated part of her life.

  That afternoon an autumn cold front brought in a rainstorm and with it quite a number of people hurrying to get off the streets, seeking refuge in the warm shop.  Sally was waiting the tables as usual, being a bit more able to keep up, leaving Jacqueline to look over the bar where she could see all the drinks at once.  She didn’t notice when an older woman in a tacky green coat and a blonde woman in a business suit came in; they were merely two more faces in the afternoon rush.

  Emma, a rather small elderly woman who lived by herself in an apartment under theirs sat at the bar quite often, merely drinking coffee and very little else… sometimes sitting there for hours on end.  Sally thought it was out of loneliness and tolerated her constant presence, but Jacqueline noticed that anytime Rob was watching the front that he tended to run her out of coffee to get her to leave.  Jacqueline didn’t mind the extra companion, however, often topping her cup off before Emma had time to ask.

  “Such wonderful service in here ever since you got this new girl.  I hope you plan to keep her,” Emma said.

  “As long as I can,” Sally agreed with a smile as she came back to deliver the orders.

  “So, what are you going to do with all this money you’re bringing in now?  Get a new place?” Emma inquired.

  “I think she ought to get herself a new shrink,” Rob said for the hundredth time.

  “Now why in the world would you need a shrink?  You don’t seem a nutcase to me,” said Tony, sitting at the other end of the bar.  “And believe me, in my work I know nutcases.  Never know who’s going to get in the back of a cab until it’s too late.”

  “Actually, I was thinking of saving up to go to school,” Jacqueline admitted, clearing some plates. 

  “And study what?”

  “A little bit of everything,” Jacqueline said with a grin.  “Catch up on what I might of known and forgot, or what I still know and just don’t know I know it… or perhaps I will learn something new…without even knowing it.  Or maybe I’ll study psychiatry, to see if I can’t find out why I am the way I am.”

  “Perhaps at school you can even meet someone new, someone interesting?” Emma hinted.  Jacqueline turned and sighed at her.

  “I wasn’t intending on looking,” Jacqueline said firmly.  “Why would I want to do something like that when I still haven’t figured out why I’m with the one I’m with?”

  “Dear, if three months living with someone hasn’t done it, you’ll never figure him out,” Emma chuckled.  “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  I never figured out my husband either, may he rest in peace.”

  “So how is Mark?  I heard the market took another plunge today,” Tony asked.

  “I don’t know, he doesn’t talk to me about money any more since he’s discovered I have no interest in it,” Jacqueline admitted.  “He doesn’t appear to be effected, though.”

  “You talk about him as if you were seeing him from a distance,” Emma put in.

  “Oh, we talk in the mornings before he goes to work, and on Friday nights,” Jacqueline said, putting a new coffee filter in.  “You do want me to work this Friday, don’t you?”

  “It’s the only day you have off this week, Jacqueline,” Sally sighed.

  “I’d work it for free if you let me,” Jacqueline pleaded.  But Rob had the order up and Sally hurried to get them to the tables.

  “Just once more to the top, Jacqueline dear,” Emma said.  “It is such a cold night, isn’t it?” 

  Everyone realized just how true that was as the door was blasted back by the wind the moment someone had attempted to open it.  Jacqueline knew who it was just from the loud groan from Rob behind her.  She turned then with a forced smile on her face as Doctor Erascus came in, his coat drenched but his hair strangely untouched.  No one ever had been able to explain how he did that.

  “A booth,” he said,  “Near the back, preferably clean this time,” he told Sally.  “Good evening Jacqueline, have you had your break yet?”

  “Actually, I was just going to skip it, but thanks for asking,” Jacqueline said, cleaning a recently vacated part of the counter.

  “‘Actually,’” Erascus said almost mockingly back, “there are labor laws that require that you have a break when you work a certain amount of hours whether you want to or not.  And I would like a brief word with you, if you don’t mind.”

  There was a loud banging noise from the back room as Rob pounded viciously at a tenderloin with a meat mallet.  Emma got up and left a half a cup of coffee sitting there as she put a plastic bonnet over her hair, staring at Erascus coolly as she passed by.

  “Reminds me about what I was sayin’ earlier,” Tony said before shoveling his dinner in his mouth.  Jacqueline looked questioningly at Sally who reluctantly nodded.  Jackie took off her company apron and set it aside, taking two cups of coffee with her and sitting down across from Erascus.

  “So what exactly have I done this time?” Jacqueline asked.  He would hardly have come in for a social call.  Immediately he took out a pill bottle and set it on the table, the single pill in it rattling as he set it down.

  “Do you know what this is, Jacqueline?”

  “One of my night pills?” Jacqueline said slowly.

  “Yes, Mark handed it to me.  Considering that I only give you seven of them and we have our appointment once a week, how do you explain that you have one left over?”

  “Look, I came home late last Monday and was so tired I forgot to take it,” Jacqueline said.  “What’s the big deal?  It’s only one pill and it’s not like they’re helping.”

  “Jacqueline, your inability to remember dreams is directly connected with your condition, and this pill works over an extended period of time.  Haven’t I made it clear to you that if you miss one, even one, that it can prolong how long it takes before it can become effective?  Just because you don’t see progress doesn’t mean the pill isn’t working.  But if you keep skipping as you do, you’ll never get your memories back.  Is that clear?”

  “Yes,” Jacqueline said, feeling her temperature start to rise.  But for once it wasn’t aimed at Erascus.  “I’ll be more careful in the future.”

  “You had better,” Erascus warned her.  “If you can’t stay on your medication, I will go to the state and make them fully aware that I find you in no condition to work until you begin to pay attention to your own health concerns.  I’ll see you in a few days.  Let’s hope it’s not sooner,” he said.  Briskly he got up and left, nearly every head in the café watching as the strange man stormed out. 

  Jacqueline growled and looked at her watch before storming over to the phone, waiting impatiently for Mark to pick up the phone.

  “Hello?”

  “How come you went and told Erascus that I missed a pill?  He came down here and blew another gasket because of it,” Jacqueline snapped.

  “Oh come on Jackie, don’t be mad at me because of that.  I was merely concerned.”

  “Then take it up with me instead of that rat bastard you make me see!”  Jacqueline snapped.  “You know for someone who wanted to renew this relationship, you sure don’t seem to trust me much.  In fact I think you’re more loyal to that Norman Bates that just walked out of here than you are to me.  If you want to see any improvement at all, I expect you should start readjusting your thinking a bit.”  Jacqueline slammed down the phone, and most of the people at the bar began clapping loudly.  She turned and blushed bright red, realizing just how loud she had been and excused herself, heading to the back room to wash her hands.

  The old woman and businesswoman looked at each other as if consulting each other’s thoughts on what had just happened, and then discreetly left after paying their bill.

 

  Severus frowned at the letter in his hand, leaning back in the chair behind the desk of the Headmaster’s Study.  So Xavier’s father Damon was coming to the first Quidditch game to watch, he mused, and wanted to talk to Severus afterwards.  There could be little doubt as to what the subject would be.   He mused over it a moment, wondering if a meeting between Damon and Boulderdash would be prudent or a bomb waiting to explode.

  “Appointment with Boulderdash the next conference we’re both free, preferably before the game.  If not, then after dinner before the game,” Severus said casually.  A moment later the appointment book put in an entry.  “And remind me that I am to meet Damon Platt during the Ravenclaw-Slytherin game, not that I’m truly likely to forget.”

  It was a game Severus was definitely not looking forward to, and not just because of Damon Platt.  It was bad enough it was Aurelius’ and Alex’s first games, but to be pitted against each other would sure to set whomever lost off on the other.  And considering the Slytherin team, it was most likely Alex in that losing position.  He frowned again, knowing how rough his team could get.  Perhaps he could talk them into playing clean during his visit before the game?  No, that would be too obvious, he brooded.  And after all, he did want Slytherin to win, didn’t he?

  There was a knock on the door and Minerva slipped in, a rather strange expression on her face as she cleared her throat, handing him a note.

  “What’s that?” Severus asked, reaching for it.

  “It’s a parental notice of detention about your son, actually,” Minerva said with a thin smile.

  “And just what did Aurelius do this time?” Severus snapped, wondering why she hadn’t come to him about it.

  “I was referring to your other son,” Minerva said dryly.  “He made the mistake of mentioning to Halbert that you kept Pegusi in the barn and Halbert talked him into going to pet them… without, of course, informing Sagittari, who had just settled in a pair of baby Cat-of-Ninetails he had gotten on loan from the Tower Menagerie.  I hear it took several hours to round up all the animals that rampaged out of the pen.”

  “My son the Gryffindor,” Severus said with a sigh.

  “Finally sinking in, is it?” she said with amusement.

  “Jennifer always liked Gryffindors,” Severus murmured, staring at the unopened letter for a moment before pocketing it.

  “Mm hm.  And Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff,” Minerva agreed.  “Although in some ways I think she likes Slytherin most of all, or she wouldn’t have married you.  I remember when she first came here; she told me she preferred ‘characters’ over ‘normal’ people.  She’s rather like Dumbledore in that way, I think.  Always interested in getting more out of life, no matter where it takes her.”  Severus took out his watch, opening it to stare at the second hand as it ticked its way around.  “Wherever she is, I’m sure she’s still fighting for that,” she said quietly.

  “Would she be?  If she has lost her memories, would she know to fight?” Severus asked in a low voice.

  “She’s a Craw,” Minerva reminded him with a thin smile.  “Not much out there that can thin that blood.”  She was glancing curiously at the appointment book that was quickly scribbling in an entry and Severus’ eyes followed, reading it.  “What is it?”

  “Emergency meeting with Vallid, Audi, and Anna,” Severus said, standing up.

  “Goodness, do you think they found something?  I had better go escort them up,” Minerva said.

  “Don’t bother, I’m coming as well,” Severus said, the two of them heading down the stairs.

  Vallid, Audi and Anna had barely made it to the school gate when Minerva and Severus came out, walking over to meet them.

  “Looks like Severus and Minerva are starting to pick up some of Dumbledore’s old tricks,” Audi mused as they got closer.

  “Well?” Severus said impatiently.  “Have you found something?”

  “We definitely have, thanks to Vallid and Anna here,” Audi agreed.

  “And?”

  “She seems all right, for the moment,” Audi assured him.

  “What do you mean for the moment?  Where is she, why didn’t you bring her here?” Severus snapped.

  “Why don’t we go inside and get comfortable,” Vallid suggested.  “We’re going to need to have a long chat.”

  But it wasn’t long after tea was brought out and nearly everyone had settled into chairs that Severus began pacing the floor.

  “Calm down, son.  Take a seat,” Audi suggested.

  “No, and stop trying to get me to relax!  It’s doing exactly the opposite,” Severus snapped at them.

  “We noticed,” Anna said dryly.

  “There’s not going to be an easy way to do this,” Vallid said to Audi, stirring her tea.  “We might as well just say it and get it over with since he already suspects the truth.”

  “Which truth?” Severus said.

  “The most logical one,” Audi sighed.  “Severus, Jennifer’s been subjected to a severe dose of the Obliviation curse.”

  Severus stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Audi.

  “How severe?”

  “If what I was able to read from her was true, I’d say nearly complete,” Audi said.  “I don’t think I need to tell you what the chances are of her making a full recovery.  Even if she had an extensive Pensive, it wouldn’t be enough to fill the gaps.”

  “The memories she keeps in her Pensieve would be the last ones we’d want her to have,” Severus said in almost a whisper.  “Where is she now?”

  “She’s in New York City,” Vallid said.  “A Muggle doctor was able to tip us off to where she was.  I sent Audi and Anna to check on her since I’m a bit too well known in New York to be get away with going anywhere in human form, and I can’t Truth-seek well in my other.”

  “Wait.  You left her there?” Severus said with disbelief.

  “Severus, she’s been given a new identity and new life…”

  “By the same person who did this to her!” he snapped at Audi.

  “That doesn’t change the problem.  It only complicates it,” Anna said, stepping in front of Severus.  “Severus, she has been living as a whole different person for over three months now, mentally conditioned by those who put her there in the first place into believing herself a typical Muggle with a normal life.  If we go in and try to drag her out of there it’ll completely traumatize her, and you can forget any chance however remote of her ever recovering from that.”  Severus stared at her for a long time before slowly sitting down.

  “I believe Anna is right,” Vallid said gently, sitting down across from him.  “Right now, she’s only Jacqueline Cassius, a bright but anxious girl working in a small café in New York.  If we want to find Jennifer and get her out of there, we have to go through Jacqueline.  We have to get her to challenge what she’s been told and realize that she’s not where she’s supposed to be.  Only when she realizes that will we be able to safely get her out of there.”

  “Of course, if her ‘friends’ taking care of her catch on that we’re onto them, we may put her into another sort of danger,” Anna sighed.  “They may run and try to hide her somewhere else, condition her to believe that somehow we’re the enemy, perhaps even kill her.”

  “If they wanted her dead, they would have already done it by now,” Severus said quietly.  “What they’ve done is more than that.  They’ve destroyed everything she ever was or stood for.  And I assure you, before this is over I am going to have all their heads.”

  “Fine,” Vallid agreed seriously.  “But before you pull the Thomas Craw on us, you not only have a job to do here, but someone has to go over there and start making her realize there’s more to her life than what she’s told.”

  “Wait a minute, Lunette.  If the people responsible for this is doing it to get to Severus, he might just be walking into a trap,” Anna said.  “Maybe we should send someone else.”

  “We could,” Vallid said with a shrug, “But he’s already made up his mind.  He wants to see her for himself.”  Audi, Anna and Minerva gazed over at him thoughtfully, but didn’t say a word.

 

  Minerva sat by chessboard set up in Severus’ sitting room, studying it thoughtfully when the clock struck two.  She yawned loudly at that reminder of the late hour but tried to turn her attention back to her next move, when Severus came out looking quite entirely unlike himself.  She couldn’t help but be slightly amused by it as he glanced over his appearance, then at Minerva through the mirror. 

  “Well?”

  “Well, you definitely do not look like a Snape,” she said, trying to keep a straight face.  “Don’t you think the glasses are a bit much?”

  “The glasses are real,” Severus snarled.

  “I beg your pardon?” Minerva said with complete interest.

  “The glasses are real and if you tell another living soul, I shall tell everyone about that embarrassing business with Filch when you were teenagers.  I merely wear them for small print and have no intention of it becoming public knowledge.”

  “So all those headaches you’ve been having the last few years haven’t been all stress?”

  “Just nearly all of it has been,” Severus snapped.

  “Well, you are almost fifty-one…”

  “Don’t you think there’s more important things to discuss?” Severus interrupted venomously.  “Anna wants me to be cautious the first few visits.  I plan to merely go there and make myself known to her at first and make sure she’s not in any immediate danger.  If for some reason I plan to be longer than that, I’ll send an owl, but as long as she seems safe, I’ll be back here and catch a short nap before class.”

  “You mean you’re still planning to keep your full schedule?  Aren’t you putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on yourself?” Minerva frowned.  Severus sighed, leaning on one of the chairs for support.

  “There’s no helping that now.  If I left, it would sure to be obvious to anyone watching the school that I was gone, and it’s very possible considering the circumstances that there may be more in this little conspiracy than we know.  The board would have to be told that I was taking a leave since I’m on administrative, and we would not be able to provide them with a simple reason as to why.  On top of all of that, Damon Pratt wants to speak with me about our Goblin Librarian at the game on Sunday, a game which both my oldest children are in.”

  “I wish Dumbledore would get back,” Minerva said worriedly.  “Pyther sent for him weeks ago and hasn’t had word since.”

  “Then we’ll just assume that we’ll see him on Halloween,” Severus said, brushing off his cloak.  He shook it with a snap and it immediately turned into a tweed jacket that he slipped over his shoulders.  “I must look as old as I feel in this Muggle attire,” Severus sighed.  “How will she see me, now that she no longer knows me?”

  “Well Severus, did you marry her, or just her memories?”

  “I’m not sure I know any more,” he admitted, taking one last look in mirror before turning towards the door.

Chapter Eleven

The Incomparable Professor

 

  It was strange to step out of the port key station into late afternoon sunlight when he had been in darkness two minutes before.  No one even blinked when he came out of the back of the Space Age Bookstore, stepping out into the busy street with a set of directions in hand.  He was puzzling over them when a fast moving shadow passed overhead.  He glanced up then leapt back in surprise as an old, irate fruit bat flew at him, screeching irritably.  A few heads turned in curiosity, so Severus quickly slipped around the corner, trying to calm him down.

  “So this is where you’ve been all this time,” Severus said, digging deep in his pockets to find something it could eat.  “Why didn’t you come back and tell me?  No, it’s not your fault.  I’ll give you a ride home if you want,” he offered, but Ratfly took off, hanging below a gutter of one of the buildings.  “No, I don’t say as I blame you,” Severus said softly.  “Now, if I could only make out these instructions.”  Apparently the bat had heard his murmurings, for it flew a bit further away and screeched again.  Swearing to himself that he wouldn’t make fun of the aged bat anymore, Severus quickly followed behind.

 

  Mark had barely talked to Jacqueline that next morning, which suited her just as well, even though she did feel a bit bad about barking at him over the phone.  Perhaps she’d try to make it up to him on their date, she thought.  She was sure there wasn’t much trouble he could get into going to a French restaurant.   She grinned at the thought of him in such an expensive place, although she wasn’t quite sure why it struck her as funny.

  After a light lunch of pumpkin butter sandwiches and a Coke, she finished a couple chapters of her current book and headed to work.  An amazing amount of leaves seemed to be on the ground considering how tiny the trees were, but Jacqueline didn’t mind, slushing her feet in a gutter full of them as she crossed the street, the weather chill but manageable with a sweater and light jacket.  Inside the café it was warm and friendly, and Jacqueline hummed happily as she hung up her coat and grabbed a fresh green Kingler apron.

  “Things better at home?” Sally smiled at her.

  “No, not really,” Jacqueline chuckled.  “Maybe that’s why I’m always so glad to be here.  But you know, I’ve been thinking.  Perhaps I have been a bit hard on Mark lately.”

  “You’re not taking back what you said to him yesterday, are you?” Rob frowned at her.  “You had every reason to yell at him for that.”

  “Yes, but perhaps I shouldn’t have done it in public,” Jacqueline said, “Maybe he did only do it because he cares.”

  “And maybe he did it because he’s a jerk,” Rob said.  Sally reached over and slapped him in the arm.

  “Say what you want to about her psychiatrist, but let her make her own mind about men.  She’s a big girl,” Sally scolded her husband.

  Jacqueline grinned at them and signed her card, heading to the bar and filling what cups needed them.  It was Thursday, a fairly slow night but Jacqueline didn’t mind, using the time to clean the cooler and talk to the regulars.  Tony, as always, came in for dinner, but thankfully Emma had bingo on Thursdays and wasn’t in.  Jacqueline couldn’t help but like the streetwise cabby, and he was one of the few people she saw order the liver and onions special when Rob got in the ‘mood’ to offer it.  But the best thing about Tony was he seemed to always know everything noteworthy that happened around town, even though he claimed to hardly ever read the paper. 

  “Words have a way of dancing around when I try to read them,” he had told her once when she was talking about the book she was reading.  “Someone tells me to take ‘em to Tenth and Broadway, I can do that without reading any signs, no problem.  Although we had a new dispatcher last year, and I drove her batty for the first few weeks until she got used to my notes,” he had chuckled.

  Tonight the subject seemed to be centered around of string of robberies everyone had been buzzing about, and Tony was quick as always to chime in.

  “Not surprising this sort of thing is happening really…market still plunging, unemployment going up, and here we are in October.  Pretty soon it’ll be Christmas time again.  Tips have definitely been taking a hit, not that I need to worry about job security in this town,” Tony said.  “You sure Mark’s doin’ okay?”

  “Well, if he wasn’t, I’d think he’d say something,” Jacqueline said, filling his coffee.  “Then again, the way we’ve been lately, maybe he wouldn’t.  I don’t know.  Perhaps if he’s awake tonight, I’ll talk to him about it.”

  “Is that Jacqueline’s voice I hear?  Or is it the voice of guilt?” Sally asked.

  “Hey!” Rob barked, putting Tony’s plate on the ledge.  “What happened with the ‘let her keep her own mind about men’ bit?”

  “I only asked her a question,” Sally defended, Jacqueline grinning as she grabbed the plate and put it in front of Tony.

  It was as she set the ketchup down for the cabby that the door opened and a tall figure came in that she had never seen before, looking a bit lost and uncomfortable.  It was then that he caught sight of her and became suddenly startled, and she found herself drawn by the intense gaze behind his small spectacles, a curious feeling going through her.  “Would you like a table, sir?” Sally asked with a smile as went over to him. 

  “I think I’d prefer a stool, thank you,” he said quietly.

  “Sure, help yourself,” Sally said.  “Nice accent.”

  Jacqueline watched curiously as the man chose a seat furthest away from anyone else and sat down.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” Jacqueline asked with a smile.

  “Do you have…” he paused a moment in thought, “Earl Grey tea?”

  “Afraid not,” Jacqueline admitted.

  “What kind do you have?”

  “Orange pekoe, orange pekoe, and orange pekoe,” Jacqueline said, watching the man grimace.  “But the coffee’s good here,” she added.  “I always recommend it.”  He nodded.

  “Very well, I trust your judgment,” he said but peered more skeptically at the menu as she set his coffee down.  “What would you recommend off the menu?”

  “Oh, well, actually, I don’t usually eat here,” Jacqueline admitted, immediately hearing Rob and Sally bark her name.  “But I don’t!”  The man in front of her smirked softly.

  “Then recommend the coffee,” Sally murmured to her.

  “I already did that part,” Jacqueline murmured back.

  “Actually, I’m not quite used to the change in hour, so perhaps something light.  Pastry or toast perhaps?” he suggested.

  “Sure, I’ll see what we got left,” Sally said, smiling at him but shaking her finger slightly at Jacqueline.

  “Are you from England?” Jacqueline asked, putting out the cream pitcher.

  “Yes,” he said.  “And you?”

  “Oh, I’m from across the street,” Jacqueline said, and then got bumped by Sally from behind as she delivered the Danish.  “I mean, I am from Connecticut, I think.”

  “You don’t know?” the man asked, gazing at her expressionlessly.

  “Oh…it’s…complicated,” Jacqueline said, hurrying to fill the other cups at the bar.

  “Poor Jackie lost her memory a while back, didn’t you, Jackie?” Tony offered helpfully, as she refilled his cup.

  “I am sorry to hear that,” the man said quietly.

  “Oh, it’s all right.  I’m managing to deal with it,” Jacqueline said, putting the pot back just as Sally came around and handed her a roll of napkins.  “Tony’s right, though, I don’t remember much past a few months ago.”

  “That is too bad, although I didn’t mean to pry.  I only asked because your American accent doesn’t seem as heavy as the others,” he said.  “Perhaps your parents were British?”

  “I don’t know.  I always assumed they were French because of my name,” she said.

  “Jackie?”

  “Jacqueline,” she corrected, “although some call me Jackie.  You know, I think I’ll ask my boyfriend tonight, he would know.”  The man suddenly put down his coffee cup and turned as white as a sheet, staring at her.  “Is something wrong?” she asked with a frown.  He managed to shake his head slightly.

  “No, I wasn’t tol… that is to say, I was just imagining how it might be not to have memories.  Your…boyfriend must be a great comfort to you,” he said slowly.  Sally and Rob both snorted and Tony laughed outright, while Jacqueline blushed slightly.

  “Well, not exactly, although I’m sure we can find something more pleasant to talk about,” Jacqueline said, looking hard at Sally.  “More coffee Mr…?”  He hesitated a moment.

  “Doyle,” he said at last, thinking quickly to come up with something.  “Mycroft Doyle.  Professor of Humanities.”

  “Really?” Jacqueline said with interest.  “The name sounds familiar for some reason.”

  “You know, like the author of Sherlock Holmes,” Rob said.

   “Oh yes, of course, that’s where I’ve heard it!” Jacqueline chuckled.  “I should read those sometime.  I like to read.  Mark hates it, though.  If it’s not in a financial column or on T.V. he thinks it’s not worth it.”

  “Mark is your boyfriend?” Mycroft asked.  She nodded and filled his cup again.  “Odd, I’m having trouble picturing you with someone who wouldn’t bother with books.”

  “Heh, so do we,” Rob said.

  “Don’t you have a grill to clean?” Sally snapped.

  “It’s true things haven’t exactly been smooth since I lost my memory,” Jacqueline admitted, smiling at Tony who left her a decent tip on the bar before winking at her on his way out.  “I don’t seem to have very much in common with anyone I know.  In fact I’m probably closer to Sally and Rob and Isaac next door than anyone else.  I’ve almost gone out of my way to avoid Mark ever since it happened, although lately I’ve been starting to wonder if perhaps I shouldn’t try a bit harder to see if I can’t straighten things there.”

  “No,” Mycroft said quickly, then paused a moment before looking at her again.  “What I mean to say is perhaps before you do that you should look at the reasons behind why you want to.  Is it out of guilt, is it out of lack of choice, is it what you think is best for Mark, and no matter which is the answer, is it what you think is best for you?”

  “Those are pretty good questions,” Jacqueline admitted softly, meeting his gaze.

  “Haven’t we been saying that for days now?” Rob asked his wife.

  “Yeah, but I guess it works better with a thick British accent,” Sally commented.  Jacqueline suddenly realized she had quite a bit of work to do, excusing herself apologetically to clean the fountain drinks and check the syrup levels.

  “Look out, Doctor Demento incoming at twelve o’clock,” Rob barked.  Jacqueline groaned from where she was leaning under the bar and popped back up again, only to see the bar was completely vacant.

  “Professor?” she said curiously, but he was nowhere to be seen, and only a twenty-dollar bill near the plate he had been at.  But before she could say anything to Sally, Erascus came in, looking around at the empty restaurant and heading up to the bar.

  “May I ask where you and Mark plan to go tomorrow night?” Erascus asked.

  “Is she not allowed any private life at all?” Rob said irritably.  Erascus’ eyes immediately focused in on him.

  “No, not until she remembers that she has a private life,” he said curtly.  “There have been some alarming reports of break-ins recently and I merely wanted to make sure you stayed close for your own safety.”

  “We’re going to Le Café Rouge.  It’s only a few blocks away,” Jacqueline protested.  “And I was actually almost looking forward to this one.”

  “All right, very well,” Erascus said irritably.  “Stay close to home tomorrow other than that, please?  I have some business to attend to.”

  “Well, it isn’t as if you ever let me go anywhere outside of the neighborhood without Mark anyhow, is there?” Jacqueline pointed out.

  “Staying close refers to being inside the apartment building,” Erascus said curtly.

  “Does she need the permission to breathe too?” Sally said the moment he left.  As much as they hated him, Rob and Sally weren’t stupid enough to say something that would cause Erascus to tighten his leash any further.

  “Lose the shrink,” Rob said again, putting his irritation into cleaning the grill.

 

  “Just what do you think you’re doing?  You can’t possibly leave now,” Severus said.  “Can’t you sense there’s something wrong here?  This is all a set up to get you out of the way, and you’re letting it happen, you must fight this.”

  “I’m not going to argue with the board, Severus.  Besides, they are right, I haven’t exactly been the best defense teacher in the world.  In fact I came in here with nothing more than a ton of book and spell knowledge and a bit of common sense.  You had to teach me how to protect myself, remember?  No, it’s better this way.  As long as you’re here, a part of me is still here, don’t you see?” 

“Don’t you put on this brave act with me, Jennifer, I know better.  Teaching means everything to you, don’t try to tell me otherwise.”

  “No, Severus, you mean everything to me, never doubt that.  I do, and always will love teaching and this school, but really it’s been the people here who have been what’s important to me.”

 

    Severus rubbed his eyes and sat up on the couch, instantly regretting having fallen asleep in the tweed suit…it was definitely not the most comfortable thing to sleep in.  Stumbling to the door he opened it merely a crack and then more fully when he saw it was Minerva.

  “I just wanted to make sure you were here and awake,” Minerva said, glancing at his appearance thoughtfully before turning his breakfast tray over for him.  “How is she?  How did it go?”

  “I don’t know,” Severus said still rubbing his eyes a bit and waiting for his head to clear.

  “To which question?” Minerva asked.

  “Either,” Severus said.  “I wasn’t able to stay long.  A wizard came in and I didn’t want to take any chances of being seen.  But I do know that I am going to kill my sister for not warning me.”

  “Warning you?” Minerva asked worriedly.

  “Jacqueline…that’s Jennifer… appears to have a ‘boyfriend’,” he said, nodding at Minerva’s quick reaction, “Yes, although it appears she has not taken to him, at least not yet.”

  “So she’s not enchanted in any way?” Minerva asked.

  “Nor did they inundate her with false memories.  Enchantments can be easily broken. And false memories too easily disproved,” Severus murmured.  “She is being rebuilt one brick at a time into her new identity, completely oblivious to the fact that she was ever any more than a simple Muggle girl in a coffee shop.”

  “But why, why would anyone do this to her?” Minerva asked.  Severus glanced up at her in surprise as if he had momentarily forgotten that she was even there.

  “I should get ready for class,” Severus said.  “Ratfly is there watching her now…I think I’ll go check her again after dinner.  I haven’t discovered what sort of controls they have in place on her yet, and I want to find out more about this ‘boyfriend’ of hers.”

  Following Severus’ request, no word was given to the children yet that she had been found.  Instead they were left to their other preoccupations of homework and tests and the upcoming game, not to mention that a very important event that the Snapes had planned that Friday at lunch, as Halbert and Andrew were made to swear an oath to the Whomping Willow. 

  Nearby, the Elf Willow walked around as if guarding the outside perimeter as Rose, Mandria, Andrew, Alex, Aurelius and Halbert set up the picnic, each one bringing out tons of food (Andrew and Halbert had more to offer than anyone, as they had once again raided the kitchen after class.)

  “You know, everyone has a friend here but me,” Aurelius complained and not for the first time that year.  “It’s time I think you let me invite someone from my house.”

  “Not Stock,” Alex said firmly.  “I’m sorry, Rel, I know he’s been a friend to you, but I don’t know how you can associate with someone who can’t think without a lawyer present.  What about Xavier?”

  “No!  He’s not someone to be trusted,” Rose said, “Certainly not with something like this.  Besides, you know the Elf Willow swats at both of them anytime they get near, and if the Elf Willow don’t like them, I’m quite sure its father won’t.”

  “Are you saying that this tree is its father?” Andrew said curiously.

  “Yes, sort of,” Rose said.  “You see I was doing some extra credit in Herbology involving combining different plant types by splicing branches and such to see if we could come up with hardier plant types, and what’s hardier, really, then this old Willow after putting up with students all these years?  It had already taken to me and I knew it’d let me, although Professor Sprout wasn’t going to let me.  I had to ask Dumbledore.  Anyhow, it’s a cross from the Willow and an Elfnip Bush… the sort that produce those large yellow, orange and red blossoms with pollen especially sweet to faeries.  It’ll bloom in the spring when it’s old enough.”

  “If they let you keep it that long,” Mandria pointed out.  “I heard how mad Snape got when it tried to sneak into your classroom during that Venowraith demonstration.”

  “He’s always cross these days,” Rose sighed.  “Although really how can anyone blame him?”

  “We have a test with him next class,” Andrew nodded.  “Hope those notes you gave us hold up, Rel.”

  “Aurelius!” Alex said with surprise.  “You’re not helping them cheat, are you?”

  “Oh, dry up, Alex, it’s just a few notes,” Rel said.

  “We wouldn’t have had time to study without his help, we were out cleaning the barn for detention most of last night,” Halbert protested.

  “That’s what you get for not going out there with me.  Sagittari would have let me in to see Pepper,” Alex scolded.

  “Really?” Halbert said.  “I’d really love to ride her sometime.”

  “I have a cart and everything back there, but I’m not allowed to ride without…” Alex stopped short, standing up.  “I can’t do this.  I just can’t function like this.  If we can’t do anything to help, we’ve got to be able to live with it.”

  “I don’t want to live with it,” Andrew said.

  “I’m tired of feeling guilty whenever I stumble over Mum’s name, or trying to have some fun…it’s like even a laugh is a crime, it’s just not right.  Is this just me, or are you feeling the same way too?” Alex asked her brothers.

  “It’s just you,” Aurelius said, eating.

  “I feel the same,” Andrew agreed.  “But how many times have we gone over this?  Alicia can’t get to her, and we have no way of knowing where she could be or who even did it.  If Father himself feels the best thing to do is try to just continue and wait and hope, do we really have a right to do more than that?”

  “Right.  I miss Mum, and I will until she’s found,” Alex said.  “But we don’t have any reason to feel guilty about what happened, right?”  But while Andrew was nodding, Aurelius had stood and walked a few steps away.  “Rel?”

  “I think I’m going to get ready for my next class,” he said.  “And I think I’ll ask Heph to join us next week,” he added, walking inside as everyone turned to gaze at him.

  “What’s the matter with him?” Rose asked.

  “I think I know,” Alex said, getting up.  “Come on, Andrew, I’ll walk you guys to your next class, I want to talk to Father.”

  Severus was hurriedly putting the finishing touches on the final test copy when Alex knocked, absently waving the door open, but not immediately looking up.

  “Can I talk to you a moment, Father?” Alex said after shutting the door.  He glanced up then, nodding shortly and glancing at his watch.

  “Make it quick, I have a class in a few minutes, and you have practice, I believe.”

  “It’s about the Pegusi.  We haven’t gotten them out this year.  Can I take them out for some exercise after we get back from Hogsmeade tomorrow?”

  “Alex, you know you’re not allowed to take them out unless…” Severus paused a moment.

  “Unless Mum is with us.  Exactly,” Alex nodded.  “And you simply can’t expect them to stay inside any longer.  They’ll get ill if they don’t get out.  Besides, I’ve been handling them now for several years and…”

  “Nevertheless,” Severus said, rubbing his head slightly.  “As you recall, you’re not allowed to leave the boundaries of the school and the steeds can get out of hand.  I will speak to Sagittari about finding you an instructor.  Was that it?”

  “Well that and a suggestion,” Alex said, Severus giving her a wary gaze.  “I think you ought to have a talk with Aurelius when you have the time.”

  “Aurelius knows where I am if he needs me,” Severus said, finishing the test and quickly copying it with a tap of his wand, standing.

  “He wouldn’t come to you about this,” Alex said.  “It’s about that fight he and I got into last year at school.”  Severus paused and looked at her with a puzzled expression.  “The one at the end of school, when he dropped his wand.”

  “Oh, that.  You’ll find that most professors will temporarily take a wand in a heated situation such as that, Alexandria…”

  “No, that’s not the problem,” Alex said.  “See, Mum…well, you know how she used to get with Rel, and then she accused him of pulling a wand on me…” Severus stared at her.

  “As I recall the incident, she merely asked him if he pulled a wand on you,” he said.

  “Well maybe she did, but that’s not how Rel took it.  In fact, he made it pretty evident to me he’d taken it very personally.  And then she seemed to forget all about it after that Goblin thing, but Rel hadn’t and he was still really mad at her, all the way up to going home, and then she…I don’t know who he’s angrier at, her or himself.  But he’s not talking to anybody about it, not even us.  But I figured it out, so I thought you should know,” Alex said.  Severus let out a long sigh and merely nodded to her, straightening the tests in his hand before heading towards the door.

  “I will keep an eye on him,” Severus agreed, wondering as he said it how he was going to manage that on top of everything else.  As they came out of the office, Andrew couldn’t help but notice how tired his father looked as he waited at the front of the class until Alex left before silently handing out the tests.

Chapter Twelve

Games of All Sorts

 

  It had taken Jacqueline a while to pick out a dress she liked, and even longer to try and pin up her hair with Mark impatiently knocking every now and again to remind her the reservation time.  Finally he pounded.

  “Jacqueline, the cab just called up!  We’re going to miss it,” Mark complained.

  “Oh, don’t be such a grouch.  Tony isn’t about to leave us,” Jacqueline said, finally coming out and satisfied that Mark had stopped to stare.  “So, how do I look?”

  “Exotic,” he answered and she blinked at him.

  “Well, I hope you meant that in a good way,” she said, glancing at her floor-length red dress in the mirror.  She had picked it out of a catalog along with several more casual outfits when she had gotten her first check, deciding that she couldn’t stand what was in her closet any longer.

  “You look beautiful in anything,” he smiled, helping her with her coat.   “Although I’m still not sure why you insisted on a specific cabby when you called.”

  “Tony is a regular at the café.  He gives us business all the time, it’s only fair I return the favor,” Jacqueline said. 

  “I’ve never met anyone quite as attached to their job as you are, especially a minimum wage one,” Mark chuckled, following her down the stairs.  “There’s no future in it.  You’re their only full time employee, so there’s no room for advancement.  Maybe I can talk Erascus into letting you get a job somewhere near where I work.  I’m sure I could get you in answering phones somewhere…”

  “Answering phones?” Jacqueline said with a frown.  “You mean talking to people on that thing when I’ve never even seen them in person?” she shuddered slightly.  Mark opened the cab door and let Jennifer scoot in.

  “Well you could at least think about it,” Mark said, getting in behind her and nodding to Tony.

  “Le Café Rouge, I know,” he smiled, glancing in the mirror.  “You look nice tonight, sweetie.”

  “Thanks, Tony.  Any news?” Jacqueline asked.  Mark sat back in his seat with a sigh.

  “Nah, they still haven’t caught that guy behind the robberies uptown, and I hear the fourth quarter reports look bleak.  But then I guess you knew that, eh, Mr. Ghent?”

  “Tony doesn’t miss much,” Jacqueline smiled.  Mark nodded politely. 

  “You learn how to pay attention when you’re on the road a lot, whether it’s protecting your back from the customer or keeping people from hitting ya…” he said, suddenly laying on the horn as someone tried to cut him off while he was cutting off someone else.  “New York gives a new meaning to the word defensive driving.”

  When they got to the right curb Mark couldn’t seem to get out fast enough, quickly paying Tony and hurrying to get the other door to let Jacqueline out.

  “Are you always so clammy around people you don’t know?” Jacqueline asked.

  “What was I going to say?  He already knew where we were going,” Mark shrugged.  “He’s just a cabby.”

  “No he’s not, he is a friend,” Jacqueline said, waiting a moment as Mark went up to the podium to give them his name.  “You know, I’ve never noticed before, but you don’t seem to ever talk to anyone.  Don’t you have any friends or acquaintances you ever want to visit, or call, or ask over?”

  “Well, I used to have acquaintances that called all the time.  Fortunately, I paid them all off,” Mark said dryly, taking her arm as they were shown to their seats.  “Besides, I have you to talk to.  This is nice, isn’t it?”

  “Surely you talk to someone about something other than money, besides talking to me I mean,” Jacqueline said.

  “I sometimes talk to Erascus about you,” Mark admitted, “but then that seems to have its drawbacks.”

  “Oh come on, Mark.  I did say I was sorry,” Jacqueline said quietly.  “And I do mean it, although I still think you overreacted.  Who are you loyal to anyhow, me, or that horrid psychiatrist you hired?” she asked, looking at his expression curiously.  “Or perhaps it’s only to your pocketbook?”  She blinked then with surprise after she realized what she said, and so did he, staring at her in a particularly strange way that she wasn’t sure she liked at all.  “I’m sorry!  I’m not sure what just came over me.”

  “I think it’s time you took your last daytime pill and we just tried to relax and enjoy each other’s company for a change,” Mark said.  Blushing slightly at his attempt to brush off the comment, Jacqueline reluctantly took her medicine.  “Aren’t you going to look at the menu at all?”

  “No, I’m pretty sure I already know what I want,” Jacqueline said, watching the frown deepen as Mark looked at his own menu.  “Have you been here before?” she asked, hoping he’d sense her offer of help.  But before he could comment, the waiter came over and smiled warmly.

  “Bonsoir, monsieur et Madam!  Can I offer you an aperitif?”

  “Vous avez pastis?” Jacqueline inquired.

  “Mais oui, Madame!” the waiter answered in kind, and soon Mark found himself watching the exchange with a completely blank expression on his face.  After a moment she excused herself.

  “What sort of entrée did you want, Mark?” she asked.

  “What did you order?” He asked with the same lost look on his face.

  “Um, pastis, olive canapés and escargot on mushroom caps to start, and I’m having the chicken Roquefort.  Do you need me to order the wine?  And how do I know all this?” Jacqueline wondered.

  “I’ll have the filet mignon,” he said, glad he recognized something on the menu.  He nodded to him, and she immediately suggested the Bordeaux de Pomerol.  It was obvious to both of them as the waiter left and silence settled in that it was going to be another long night.

  Sitting at a small table near the wall, Severus was thinking the exact same thing when he saw them bring out the milky ninety-proof liquor, pastis.  Surely she didn’t order that.  Then again, the man she was with hardly looked any more like he knew what he was doing than Severus had in the café the day before.  Jacqueline, however, seemed quite comfortable with her surroundings.  Severus couldn’t help but wonder at that, sipping his translation potion-tainted water so he could better understand what was going on.  But it wasn’t until the waiter bringing the canapés appeared that Jacqueline asked him a question that gave Severus a glimmer of hope, making him strain to hear the conversation that followed.

  “Mark,” Jacqueline said, helping herself to a mushroom, “my parents weren’t American, were they?”

  “Well, I would think that would be obvious, considering tonight,” Mark agreed.

  “Well not exactly, because I’ve had several people recently tell me I had a British accent,” Jacqueline said.  “And I just asked the serveur about my accent, and he thought it sounded British too.” 

  Mark took a long drink of the pastis, coughing a bit in surprise and waving off her concern.

  “I think your mother was British.  Your father was French.  I believe you told me you moved here when you were young, very young,” Mark said.  “Who was talking to you about your accent?”

  “Oh, just some people at work,” Jacqueline said, sipping her drink carefully.  “I suppose that does explain a lot, doesn’t it?  What did they do for a living?”

  “What did they do?” Mark said.  “I’m…I don’t think you ever mentioned it actually.  You didn’t like to talk about them much after they died.”

  “Oh,” Jacqueline said with a frown.  “How sad.  I mean, I would want to think if anything happened to me I’d be well remembered, and not just buried like something painful to think about.  And here I am, and I can’t remember even that.”

  “Have some more of that pastis stuff,” Mark recommended.  “It’s really not that bad, once you get used to it.”

  It was just after the wine tasting that Mark had to take his first restroom break.  Jacqueline shook her head at him as he left; knowing all too well he had drank the pastis too fast.  Severus, however, had already made up his mind to ensure himself a perfect evening by quickly pulling out another phial from his collection and slipping it up his sleeve.  The moment Mark made his exit he moved, walking almost casually passing the table as if he hadn’t recognized her at first, excusing himself as he went behind her chair.

  “I beg your pardon, it’s Jacqueline, isn’t it?” he said, looking at her as if trying to place her.

  “Professor Doyle!” Jacqueline said with surprise as he turned and gave her a slight bow.  In the process, he knocked into her wine cup but managed to grab hold of it before it spilled, apologizing insistently while Jacqueline tried very hard to keep a straight face.  “Are you alright?  Come here often?”

  “I have never been here before, but so far I have been enjoying its charm.  You look quite enchanting tonight.  Dinner engagement?” He inquired.

  “Yes, would you like to join us?” Jacqueline said brightly.

  “No, I wouldn’t think of intruding, but thank you,” Mycroft said quickly.  “It was nice to see you, Jacqueline.  Perhaps I’ll see you again sometime at Kingler’s, if you’re still there.”

  “Every evening but Fridays,” Jacqueline said as he nodded to her with a thin smile before heading back to his table.  Jacqueline suddenly wondered if she ought to have told him that.  Had she come off too forward?  Maybe she should have just said yes, perhaps?  She was still thinking about it when Mark returned looking a bit rosy cheeked but otherwise all right.

  “There you are,” Jacqueline said, shaking her head at him.  “Good thing I didn’t choose a white wine, it’d have been warm by the time we ate.”

  “Sorry I took so long.  I know it’s not polite to leave a lady waiting at a table like that,” Mark said.

  “That’s all right.  A friend from the café stopped by to say hello,” Jacqueline said.  Mark chuckled a bit and looked at her skeptically.

  “I highly doubt anyone you meet at that café of yours could afford to breathe the air outside this place let alone actually eat here,” he said, taking a sip of the wine.

  “Oh, Mark, don’t be such a snob,” Jacqueline sighed.  “Everyone could use a change in pace now and then.  And the food here has been wonderful so far,” she added, smiling as the waiter came back up with their plates in hand.

  “It gets better,” the waiter promised with a wink.  Jacqueline took a bite and agreed with several polite comments, while Mark nodded with a weak smile after sampling his.  Jacqueline resisted the urge to roll her eyes, watching Mark closely as he reached for the wine again.

  “You know, the wine is supposed to compliment the meal, not the other way around,” Jacqueline said dryly.

  “Jacqueline, we’re supposed to be having a nice romantic relaxed meal, and you’re as stiff as a board.  You picked the wine, why not enjoy it?   Figures that the first place we get to that you don’t fall asleep and you’re still not happy.” Mark scolded. 

  Sighing slightly, Jacqueline took a sip before turning her attention to her meal; aware Mark was talking but having very little idea about what.  Curiously enough as time went on and the wine disappeared and became refilled, her head seemed to get clearer and clearer.  Mark, unfortunately, seemed to be getting farther and farther gone, barely even touching anything put in front of him.  By the time the fromage plate came out, Jacqueline had firmly insisted that he switch to coffee.

  “Is it just me, or were we actually getting along better when we weren’t going on these planned dates?” Jacqueline said.

  “I agree, it doesn’t seem to be one of Erascus’ better ideas,” Mark said hazily.

  “Perhaps we can explain it to him why we don’t want to do it anymore?” Jacqueline suggested.

  “No,” Mark said shaking his head, looking troubled.  “He won’t listen.  He’ll just do what he always does and blame me for not trying hard enough.  Ever since you’ve come out of the hospital, I’ve been by your side, given you everything you wanted, including your space, let you buy stacks of books that clutter up half a wall, even work in a greasy spoon across the street.  And the more I do, it seems the more you hate me for it.”

  “Oh, Mark, I don’t hate you,” Jacqueline sighed.  “We’re just not much alike anymore.  And you know I really think Erascus isn’t helping matters.  Can’t we get another doctor?”

  “No,” Mark said shaking his hand at her.  “I couldn’t even if I wanted to.  And I know you’re unhappy,” he said, ignoring the coffee she nudged towards him.  “But you’re not the only one unhappy, you know, you don’t have to have a monopoly on it.” He snorted a bit.  “Who ever thought someone as beautiful as you would be so much trouble?”  Jacqueline blinked at him in complete surprise.

  “What in the world is that supposed to mean?” Jacqueline said.  But it was obvious that an answer wasn’t going to come.  He didn’t look well.  “Perhaps we should get the dessert to go,” Jacqueline suggested.  “I think I’m going to go ahead and order a cab.”

  “Get the rest of that bottle of wine too,” Mark suggested.  “Maybe we can still save something of this date.  We could get a few candles out on the patio, some music…”

  “I think you need to go to bed,” Jacqueline said sternly, handing him the pen to sign the bill. 

  “Alone again, I suppose,” Mark said with a sigh.

  “Most definitely,” Jacqueline agreed, apologetically thanking the waiter who handed her a box as she somehow managed to get Mark to stand and towards the door.

 

 

  Severus didn’t stay long at Hogsmeade the next day, using it only to touch base with Harry before heading over to Anna’s house to visit Alicia and give her a new paint set.  It was a ploy; admittedly, to distract her enough that Severus could corner his sister in the kitchen while she tried it out.

  “Mark says hello,” he said dryly.  Anna grimaced slightly at his tone, pouring them both some tea.  “Any particular reason you chose not to warn me about that?”

  “I didn’t want you to overreact,” Anna admitted.  “If I thought there was anything actually going on, I would have told you.  But as it is, I figured it’d be wiser for you to see for yourself rather than barging in there ready to kill him.”

  “Yes, strangely enough Mark Ghent appears merely to be nothing but a carefully placed pawn, and if I miss my guess, a Muggle one who knows little of magic other than it exists.  Who is this doctor I’ve heard them speak of?”

  “Erascus,” Anna said.  “I’m surprised you haven’t met him yet considering what a tight leash he keeps on her.  Erascus is her psychiatrist, and definitely a wizard.”

  “Tall sandy skinned man, dark hair, suit and trench coat?  Face a bit strange as if it had been altered or perhaps prematurely aged?” Severus asked.

  “So you have seen him?”

  “Yes, but fortunately I don’t think he saw me,” Severus murmured.  “I had a feeling he would recognize me and got out when I could.”

  “She definitely seems intimidated by him.  He came in the night we were there, apparently angry because she missed taking her ‘medicine.’”

  “What kind of ‘medicine’?”

  “I don’t know,” Anna shrugged.  “I couldn’t hear it all, but he told her something about it helping her dream to help her get back her memories.”

  “Really?”  Severus said, squinting.  “Then why do I suspect it’s actually doing exactly the opposite?”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised,” Anna agreed.

  “I suppose I have found my next objective then,” Severus mused.  “I need to get a hold of some of those pills, and I think I know how to do it.  But first, unfortunately, I must deal with the Quidditch game tomorrow, and all the headaches that go with it.”

 

  Aurelius stepped up to the gate, a sudden thrill racing through him.  He felt as if he had been born for this moment; a new broom in hand, and the best of the best Quidditch players in school by his side.  Xavier glanced sideways at him but didn’t say a word to him directly, looking instead over his head at the rest of the team.

  “We have a good chance today to make an impression on Ravenclaw and the spectators that we’re not to be trifled with this year and also make the Gryffindors aware they’re not going to get an easy victory for the cup this year.  Henry, do your stuff,” Xavier said but then suddenly paused and pulled him slightly aside.  “But try to lay off the Snape.  I don’t want to explain any intentional accidents on her our housemaster.  Got it?”

  “Right.  Which one is she again?”

  “The gorgeous one, you idiot.  The only Ravenclaw out there not wearing glasses,” Xavier said, rolling his eyes before heading back up in front of the others.  “No excuses for mistakes today.  It’s us vs. them and we are going to win.  Snape, if you choke on me out there, I will personally hide your earmuffs and make sure that the Baron haunts your room every night until Halloween.”

  “I don’t choke,” Aurelius said evenly.

  “Good.  I’ll remember that every time you let one through,” Xavier said, straddling his broom and waiting for the gate to open.  “Follow me out, Snape.”

  Finally the moment came and the crowd started to cheer, Aurelius assuming right wing position as they headed around the Pitch.  The two of them passed daringly close to the teacher’s box where Damon and Severus sat watching.

  A moment later, the Ravenclaws passed going the opposite direction, Alex waving madly and nearly losing her balance as they flew by.  Severus rolled his eyes and frowned disapprovingly at her as they turned to take their positions.

  “Just have fun and forget about the crowds, Alex,” Kirk advised when she noticed her stumble.  “It’s no different than a game at Aviation Park, but without the ricocheting,” he added with a grin.

  Madame Brittle took center stage and let the Snitch and Bludgers loose.  Alex was ready, determined to make an impression of her abilities from the very start.  As the Quaffle was released she was right on it, her fingertips touching the ball.  But she didn’t have time to get a good grasp before Xavier stole it from under her, risking a grin over his shoulder before shooting off towards the rings.  Quickly she rose to join the other Chasers, leaning into her broom to try to get past him.  But Xavier was the fastest flyer on his team, and it wasn’t long before Aurelius on the other side of the Pitch heard the Slytherins break out into a roar of cheers, muffling out the scoring bell.  He waited impatiently to see who got the ball, ready for his own turn to prove himself.  Finally he spotted who had the Quaffle and it was Alex, hurrying at top speed towards center.  But Aurelius knew how his sister played well, and she never ever tried to throw through the middle ring.  When she veered up he was ready, batting the Quaffle over to where Xavier was waiting just below, tossing the ball off and back towards the other side of the Pitch.

  It didn’t take Ravenclaw long to come up with a new game plan after a couple of tries at the Slytherin ring got quickly stopped and turned against them.  Alex knew that Aurelius was used to playing one on one more than a full team, and pulled the Chasers together.

  “Keep passing the ball when we get to the rings, he won’t be able to follow it,” Alex told them.  Sure enough, a last minute pass had taken Aurelius completely by surprise, losing his first guard.  The second time a ball went by unguarded Xavier sidled up to Aurelius looking puzzled.

  “What gives?”

  “We need to break those three up,” Aurelius barked.  “Make one of the Beaters concentrate completely on sideswipes at Alexandria, especially when she has the Quaffle.  She’s positively lousy at concentrating on more than one thing at a time.”  Xavier nodded and zoomed away to catch up with the pack.

  What first appeared would be a short game suddenly came to a halt at 20-20 with no progress and no Snitch in sight as the pack went back and forth.  Severus frowned and squinted a bit.  Perhaps no one else knew what had happened, but he had seen the subtle changes in plans, and neither team was playing their normal game anymore.  It had turned into a more personal battle, and for whatever reasons the two teams seemed to be going along with it.  He sighed softly, hoping the Snitch would turn up soon for otherwise he was sure there would be a nasty end to the stalemate.

  He glanced over at the Seekers thoughtfully.  Henry was standing by even now, waiting to knock anyone who got in his way.  Beside him was Carey Minster, the Ravenclaw Seeker, who was much notably faster than the hulking Henry, but also had trouble last season keeping his turns tight.

  Henry had learned how to take advantage at this so that when the Snitch was finally spotted he was able to push ahead, weaving to make it hard for Carey to get by.  Carey dove as the pack came by on the way to the Ravenclaw rings, losing sight of the Snitch momentarily.  But Henry hadn’t, skirting right in front of the pack and making several of the Chasers pull up as he barreled through.

  That was when he got his ‘brilliant’ idea.  Keeping an eye on where the Snitch actually was, Henry ran beside it waiting for Carey to catch back up.  Then as the pack came through again he dove smack through the middle of them.  Carey, following close behind, ended up spinning out as the Chasers broke up to avoid them, Kirk clumsily tossing the ball to Alex behind him as he tried to avoid the collision. 

  Securing her arm around the ball, Alex focused in on her brother near the rings, shooting past Kirk and Carey.  But she hadn’t noticed that the Snitch had come up beside her, crossing her path like a terrified hummingbird as Henry moved in for the catch.

  Quicker than she could react, their two brooms collided and she heard a loud * snap * and found herself feeling as if she were in slow motion. First she noticed that she had let go of the Quaffle, and then began to wonder what that strange sound had been.  It wasn’t until she began to fall that she realized it had been the sound of her own broom.  As she braced for the worst, something green zoomed beneath her and she landed rather painfully on top of someone’s back, partially winding her.  She was barely able to grab onto his arm to keep herself from falling before she was finally lowered to the ground.

  “You’ll do anything to make sure you get a new broom every year, won’t you?” Aurelius snapped once his sister was safely down.  A roar from the Ravenclaw side went up, but whether it was from the rescue or the sound of the bell as Kirk threw the Quaffle in the unguarded rings, Alex wasn’t sure.  “By the way, you owe me that goal,” Aurelius said with a glare before dutifully heading back to his post.

  He needn’t have bothered.  Just seconds after Xavier had managed to get the Quaffle back and retie the game, Henry somehow managed to push his damaged broom forward of the now very leery Ravenclaw Seeker, grasping his hand around the Snitch for a final score of 180-30.  It didn’t take Andrew or Mandria two seconds after that to run out on the field, helping Alex to her feet.

  “Are you all right?” Andrew asked worriedly.

  “Yeah, but I don’t think I can say the same about my broom,” Alex scowled.

  “You’re lucky it wasn’t anything else,” Mandria said, waving to the rest of the Ravenclaw team as they landed on the field.

  “We did, we lost the game,” Alex said, glancing at the board.

  “Yes and after the stunt Henry pulled, they really didn’t deserve it,” Kirk said, Carey wholeheartedly agreeing.  “But I have to admit, if it hadn’t been for your brother’s quick thinking, you’d probably be in the hospital wing right now.”

  “You think they’re mad at him?” Andrew asked.

  “At Rel?” Alex inquired.  “I’d think Rel would be a bit mad at Henry myself.”

  “Who wouldn’t like to be a fly on the wall on their side of the Pitch right now,” Carey agreed, gazing over at where the Slytherins could be seen just beyond the entrance gate.

Chapter Thirteen

Fathers and Sons

 

  Inside the gate to the Pitch, Aurelius was expecting the Slytherin team to turn on him for abandoning his position, and was just as surprised as the rest of them when Xavier turned on Henry.

  “What the hell were you doing out there?” Xavier asked him.

  “Winning the game,” Henry said calmly.  “I had to get Carey out of the way.”

  “I’m not talking about that and you know it.  I don’t care what you do to Minster when you’re out there.  You snapped Alex’s broom.”

  “It was an accident.  A real one.  I was just going after the Snitch, it’s not my fault she blundered into the way.”

  “You were supposed to be watching, you weren’t, and if you hadn’t cut in the pack when you had, you would have been on the right side to catch the Snitch to begin with and wouldn’t have had to cut her off.  You’re just lucky that we picked this Snape up this year to clean up your messes for you,” Xavier said. “Now if we’re going to defeat those Gryffindors at the end of next month, we are going to need to pull this together, and that means listening to my instructions and actually carrying them out.”

  “Who are you to tell me what to do, you’re only a fifth year,” Henry said icily.

  “I’m the captain,” Xavier said coolly back.  “And I’ll have you all remember it.”  Xavier looked up then as he heard footsteps approach to see his father, Professor Snape and McGonagall heading towards them.  A strange look had come over Professor Snape…a sense of déjà vu as he suddenly remembered another scene quite similar that had happened nearly ten years before.

  “What an interesting game!” Damon declared, greeting them all with a gruff but genuine smile.  “Amazing no one got seriously hurt, but then that’s always true of Quidditch, isn’t it?  Good catch, Henry.”

  “Thank you sir,” Henry said, avoiding Xavier’s gaze.

  “And you too, good catch, Mr. Snape,” Damon said with a nod, “although it looked from our vantage point that you had to take a nasty blow to make that last save.”

  “I’m always taking bruises for this family,” Aurelius said with a rueful smile.

  “And causing his fair share,” Severus agreed dryly. 

  “Mind if I talk to Xavier for a few moments before we head upstairs, Professors?”

  “Of course, Mr. Platt.  It will give me a chance to talk to mine as well,” Severus agreed.  Aurelius looked at him curiously, wondering what he’d done this time.

  “I will show Mr. Platt up, Professor,” Minerva said, smiling slightly at Aurelius as he followed reluctantly behind his father.

  Severus was quiet as they passed through corridors busy with students coming from the game.  He turned for the back stairwell while Aurelius walked beside him with his hands in his pockets.  Finally as they headed up the stairs Aurelius couldn’t take it any more, sighing with impatience.

  “So what’s on your mind, Father…Professor?” Aurelius asked, unsure which to use.  Severus glanced over with a slight smirk, dulled by the solemn look in his eyes.

  “The same thing that’s been in both halves of my mind since the first of June,” Severus said quietly.  “But I am debating whether or not to tell you something.  In the meantime, I suppose I should say something about the game.  Your mother would have been proud of the way you rescued your sister as you did.”

  “Sure she wouldn’t have thought I had something to do with it?” Aurelius asked quietly.  Severus smirked softly.

  “Yes, and somehow managed not only to coordinate where your sister would be but control where the Snitch went,” Severus said dryly.  “She may have trouble reading you, Aurelius, but she would have no trouble reading Henry to find out what had happened.” 

  “So you still believe she is alive?” Aurelius asked quietly.

  “Don’t you?” Severus asked with a serious expression, opening a pair of double doors and leading him into the Headmaster’s Study. 

  “I don’t know,” Aurelius admitted.

  “I suppose that’s not all that surprising,” Severus said with a sigh, sitting down tiredly.  “Many times what we believe can be heavily influenced by what we fear.  Was she kidnapped, is she dead, or perhaps she merely left because of one of us?”  Aurelius looked uncomfortable.  “And what, may I ask, happened to your theories on her losing her memory?”

  “Well, they weren’t mine, mainly they were Mr. Pyther’s and Alicia’s.  The rest of us just tagged along to see the experiment.”

  “So you’ve met Roy Lockhart then?” Severus asked, his gaze steady.  “And the paintings of Gilderoy as well, I assume.”

  “Yes, briefly.  Rather nice man, really, although a bit shallow,” Aurelius said.  Severus snorted.

  “Some things never change.  And what about the paintings?”

  “Who knows?  All they would do is talk constantly about themselves,” Aurelius said disdainfully.  “Hard to believe it’s the same man.”

  “He stayed in St. Mungo’s for years,” Severus murmured.  “But as grim as the truth may be, I have found that when something you have been fearing finally happens to you, you begin to see things from a different perspective.  The world still continues, there are still roads to travel for one’s self or for others, and in that perpetual continuity that runs the universe there is the constant presence of hope.  Time heals all wounds.”

  Aurelius stared at his father not having a single solitary clue on what he might have meant by all of that.

  “If your mother died tomorrow, it would be devastating to us, change us in ways that we would never be the same, and I would lose the best part of my life…perhaps it is already gone,” Severus said quietly.  “But Jennifer would not be.  You don’t put years into anything without it leaving a mark somewhere, and she has put years into Hogwarts.  Generations of students will be affected by her work and pass it on.  Not to mention the five of you…the one we raised as our own before we were ready for such a responsibility, and the four of you, planned, but not always behaving as planned.  Jennifer like most Craws believed in family first and foremost, and I see those ideals in the four of you.  I saw them today on the Pitch.”  Aurelius had trouble meeting his gaze then, nodding slightly and looking away, his eyes a bit glassy.  “And now I am wondering if perhaps I can trust you with a secret that will undoubtedly add a bit of burden to your life, but perhaps waylay that unfounded fear that you had anything to do with what happened.”

  “What sort of secret?” Aurelius asked carefully, looking back over at Severus.  “Something you want me to keep in the Pact?”

  “Interesting the way you use that term for your ability,” Severus said thoughtfully.  “Yes, but something I would rather you not share it with your siblings until we know more about what the consequences of what has occurred will be on the future.”

  “All right.  Not like they don’t keep the same sort of things from me from time to time,” Aurelius said, remembering Andrew’s secret with Dumbledore.

  “I have a feeling this one will be a bit more difficult,” Severus said.  “I’m going to tell you what happened to your mother.”

 

  Damon Platt gazed around the Headmaster’s Study, lost in thought for a moment before he suddenly chuckled.

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve been in here,” he said at last, accepting the offer to sit down.  “I thought I was going to get expelled.”

  “So I recall,” Minerva said dryly.  “You and your brother were both quite a handful in those days.”

  “Yes, and now he is dead,” Damon said.  “Ten years ago and yet I remember it like yesterday.  They never found the murderer, only the Goblin dagger that was used.  The Ministry, of course, said there wasn’t enough evidence to prove that a Goblin did in fact kill him.  But I need not tell you that the war between my family and my ancestor’s original victim’s family is legendary.”

  “Five hundred years of bloodshed over something that should have died with Yardley,” Minerva said.

  “My wife and I could only have one child, and as you know, Xavier has hardly seen the poverty that my twin and I had growing up because of the feud,” Damon said.  “But that also means he is a prime target.  He is the last of the Platt line, and if he dies, the family dies and we lose the war.  But most importantly, I would lose my son.”

  “I am glad at least you have some decent sense of priority,” Severus said.

  “We’ve been able to shelter him from having to deal with the war most of his life, short of an occasional spitting in Diagon Alley if a goblin does happen to recognize us,” Damon said dryly.  “But his entry into this school and the events of the last few years between the Goblins and the Ministry have changed that, and I think you agree that my concern for his safety is genuine.”

  “I can see why you are concerned, Damon.  However, might I point out that Mr. Boulderdash has been the librarian here for quite some time now, well before Xavier came to the school, and no incidents have been reported as far as I know from either side.”

  “That was before the Ministry nearly went to war with the Goblins,” Damon snapped.  “This conflict between the two sides is hardly over.  We may have dodged the wand blast, but no side is foolish enough to put away their wands.  If someone fires, I guarantee it will not matter how ‘docile’ they have seemed in the past, the Goblins will be at our throats, and as Platts, we will most certainly be the first victims.  I do not want to lose my son, Professor.  I will gladly pay the cost of wages to the Librarian myself if you can convince him to take a vacation until Xavier is out of school.”  Severus nodded to Minerva, who slipped out the door.

  “So, if I understand this correctly, are you saying that you believe avoidance is perhaps the best solution to keep your son safe?” Severus inquired.  “What about once he gets out of school, Damon?”

  “Well, hopefully by then you have done your job and shown him how to protect himself in the real world,” Damon said.

  “I applaud your faith in us.  However, it didn’t save your brother, did it?” Severus said expressionlessly.  Damon paled a bit, staring at Severus in renewed dislike.

  “One cannot always avoid a thrown knife at the back,” Damon said icily.

  “One can if one is facing their problems and not running from them.”

  “I have dealt with my problems in the past, Snape!  It does nothing but bloody hands!” Damon barked.

  “Violence in this case isn’t a solution.  It only feeds the nasty circle of vengeance you have going,” Severus said calmly back.

  “There is no other way,” Damon said, shaking his head.  “This is something you could not possibly understand.”

  “Don’t be too sure,” Severus said expressionlessly.  “I’ve had plenty of first hand experience in what vengeance can do to people, including to myself.  Which is why last year I chose to do something to stop it before Xavier was pulled into this loop.”  He gestured at the doors which opened to show Librarian Boulderdash standing there patiently waiting.  The Goblin nodded to both of them as he came in, followed by Minerva who closed the door, standing beside it.

  Damon got up more out of surprise than from manners, watching warily as the librarian approached and offered his hand but made no move to accept it.

  “This is our librarian, Mr. Boulderdash.  Boulderdash, this is Damon Platt, Xavier’s father.”

  “Yes, of course, I know him well,” Boulderdash said with a nod.  Damon looked at him more carefully then.

  “Strange, I don’t seem to recall meeting you before.”

  “Perhaps not, but I think you would recognize the name of Coldsprinter, a once renowned Goblin craftsman?” Boulderdash asked.  Damon glanced over at Severus then back at the Goblin.  “The Ministry said, of course, you acted in self-defense, although I hardly think it is coincidence that the Goblin whom you killed also happened to be the same one whose maker’s mark was on the dagger found in your brother, was it?”

  “How exactly is it that you know all this?” Damon asked warily.

  “Coldsprinter was my father,” Boulderdash said solemnly.  Immediately Damon pulled out his wand, but Boulderdash didn’t move.  Severus merely shifted in his seat.  “If you wish to duel with me, Mr. Platt, I suggest trying a different weapon,” the Goblin said with a wry smile.  “I am a librarian, not a warrior.  Knowledge is enough of a defense for me.”

  “You cannot tell me that the son of a weaponsmith has no training in warfare, librarian,” Damon said coldly.

  “Trained, yes.  Taste for blood?  No.  Mind if I sit down?” Boulderdash asked.

  “Please,” Severus said unconcernedly.  “Perhaps you should sit back down as well, Damon, especially considering since you did make the first move, the justification of self-defense would not go well.”

  “Any move by a Platt made against a Goblin is self-defense,” Damon said, making no move to sit.  Boulderdash had not either.

  “I’m not sure my father would have agreed with you,” Boulderdash said quietly.  “But what’s done is done.  No amount of sparring, whether with words or blood will bring either of them back.”

  “Mere sentiment,” Damon said.

  “Yes, I suppose, if we stand here and proceed to kill one another,” Boulderdash agreed.  “But if it’s all the same to you, I’d much rather finish this discussion and either go back to my books or pack, depending on the outcome.  That was why you came here, wasn’t it?  To make sure that I’m not a threat to your son?  Or do you follow your ancestors motto of the only good Goblin is a dead Goblin?”

  Just then there was a soft knock and the door opened again, Minerva letting Xavier in.  Damon quickly put his wand way, glancing over at Severus who looked either exhausted or bored… Damon wasn’t quite sure which.  Xavier glanced at Boulderdash a moment then glanced at his father unsurely, wondering what had been said so far.

  “Your father,” Severus said, getting Xavier’s full attention, “has been expressing concern over the fact that a Goblin is on staff at this school.  He has even made an offer to pay Librarian Boulderdash’s wages were he to take a leave of absence for the next couple of years.”

  “Really?” Boulderdash said with interest.  “I didn’t catch that part when I came in.”

  “With all due respect to my father, I think that would be a mistake,” Xavier said, glancing over at Damon.  “I might have agreed with you last year when things were getting rough, and I even considered mentioning to you he was here, but he was just a librarian then.”

  “And I’m not now?” Boulderdash asked, looking with even more interest at Xavier than at the prospect of free wages.

  “I suppose I’ve come to realize that no one is on the school faculty unless they have something to teach, and they wouldn’t last here more than a year if Dumbledore and the rest of the faculty didn’t trust them to some extent,” Xavier said, looking back over to the Goblin.  “Perhaps a demonstration?”

  “Good heavens, boy, not in here,” Boulderdash said.

  “Just watch out for the books and paintings,” Severus said as he kneaded his forehead, his other hand rolling his wand on the desk.  “Sit down, Damon.”

  “Father, please, could you sit down for a moment?  At least have the decency to trust me if you don’t trust anyone else in here,” Xavier said indignantly.

  Damon gazed at his son warily and then at Boulderdash before sitting down.  Nodding slightly, Xavier turned slowly around with his back to them, wandering almost distractedly around the room.  It was as he stopped to gaze curiously at one of the paintings that he heard a familiar sound and rolled to the floor.  What had occurred in that instant had happened so quickly that it had taken Damon an extra moment to figure out what it was.  Boulderdash had suddenly unsheathed a dagger from his boot and thrown it, the dagger now sticking in the wood panel between two paintings near where Xavier had been standing less than a second before.

  Damon tried to leap from his chair in response but found that he was stuck to it… his face was white as a sheet and his mouth open.  Xavier, however, looked positively annoyed when he pushed himself back to his feet.

  “You call that a demonstration?” He nagged the librarian.  “Some throw!  It wouldn’t have gotten close enough to barely nick me, and you hardly put any strength into it at all.”

  “Sorry, boy, but I was working around quite a number of irreplaceable items in here, you know.  I didn’t want to leave too much of a mark,” Boulderdash explained apologetically as Xavier took the dagger out of the wall and handed it back to the librarian.

  “If I didn’t know better, I would think that you just didn’t trust me,” Xavier complained.

  “Now, Xavier, I’m sure we can arrange a more worthy demonstration once your father is done having his heart attack,” Boulderdash promised.

  “You…” Damon rasped in mixed shock and anger, “just threw a Goblin dagger at my son!”

  “I wouldn’t even grace it enough to call it a throw, myself,” Xavier said.  “He threw it like a human.”

  “Don’t tempt me with another challenge like what happened a few weeks ago,” Boulderdash warned him.

  “He put a hole in my brand new cloak,” Xavier scowled.  “Oh, but don’t worry, father, Professor McGonagall fixed it when she saw it.”  Minerva looked slightly sheepish at having to admit that she knew about the entire thing, nodding to Xavier.

  “Would someone explain the meaning of all this?  And let me out of this chair!” Damon barked.

  “The meaning, Mr. Platt,” Severus said calmly, very slowly releasing the binding spell one hand at a time before the rest of him,  “is that your son has been learning how to defend himself against Goblins by the only person in the school actually qualified to do so.  And from what I understand, weak demonstration or not, he has been doing quite well.”

  “He’s still a bit slower than I would like,” Boulderdash grunted, “but he’s got quick ears.  By the time he’s out of school, there won’t be a single Goblin out there who’ll be able to pull a weapon on him without him knowing about it.”

  “Mr. Platt, didn’t you yourself say when you came in here that you would let us do our job and let him learn how to protect himself in the real world?” Severus asked.  “When Xavier came to me with his unique problem, I felt compelled to do something about it.  Perhaps it wasn’t mine to decide, but as you have said, teaching Defense is what we do, and more to the point, what I do.  Not to mention that I was also concerned at that point about a particular member of staff because of some of the events occurring outside the castle.”

  “I wouldn’t have left you know, if there had been a war,” Boulderdash suddenly put in.  “I was merely concerned about my brother.  You see, Damon, I have a twin myself, and although as I understand it human twins don’t always have the same telepathic bond we Goblins do, I can understand how you must have felt when Dillon died.  Not that I think my father did it, family history or not,” Boulderdash added softly.  “But Balderdash and I are tired of fighting and tired of this endless squabbling…not only between my family and the other Goblin families and yours, but of the Goblins and the Ministry and the bank and the radical Goblins and all that other shmuck.  I think the best thing about being a librarian, besides having plenty to read, is having the ability to tell everyone to be quiet for a while.”

  “If you’re so tired of fighting, why did you teach my son how to kill your own kind?”

  “He didn’t,” Xavier said.  “He taught me how to stay alive if one came after me, that’s all.  Why in the world would I want or even need to kill one?  I’m a wizard, and sleep charms are quicker than any dark charm anyhow.”

  “Don’t be a fool, Xavier.  If someone comes after you once, they’ll keep doing it until your dead,” Damon said.

  “Well either way it breaks the chain, doesn’t it?” Xavier told his father bluntly.

Chapter Fourteen

Rude Awakenings

 

    “Nobody use their wand!  The incantation is already active and the result might be catastrophic,”

  “Sirius!  Be careful, for god’s sakes don’t drop it!”

   “How dare you…try…to…stop…me!  You will die for your insolence, and it will be far from painless!  Find them!  Find them and destroy them all!” 

    “Something is wrong with the cloak, something’s not right, it shouldn’t be getting so hot,”

    “Ratfly’s here, help must be on the way,” 

    “Lorcan, stop!  The Cloak is overloading!” 

   “We need to get out of here,”

   “Destroy them!  Destroy them all!  We must prevail, we must prevail!”

  Something was wrong, a part of Severus realized suddenly.  The voice at the end hadn’t sounded like Lorcan’s at all.  Blinding light enveloped them as the seal was cracked, and there was a familiar face in the light and a woman’s chuckle suddenly magnified.

    “Do you remember the time I told you that you would never be rid of me?” 

  “No, Severus, she doesn’t.  Just as I told you she wouldn’t.  Jennifer is lost forever now.”

  “I don’t believe it.”

  “You said yourself that belief is often influenced by fears.”

  “And I have survived and seen beyond it!”

  “Have you?  Don’t be so sure.  There are still many battles left for you to lose.  And I have decided to stay around long enough to watch you suffer with them.  Won’t that be fun?  At least it will be for me.  Before the end you’ll lose everything, you know.  Everything you’ve ever thought was worth living for.  What will you fight for then, Severus?  Or in the end will you merely crumble from your own despair and end it yourself?  I suppose I could tell you, but then, that wouldn’t be any fun for me, would it?”

 

  Severus sat straight up on his couch, pouring with sweat, rubbing his face a moment as he thought about the nightmare he had had… or was it more than that?  The presence of Ciardoth in his dreams had been more than a little disturbing, and so mocking, hateful… as if for a moment she truly had entered his thoughts, contaminating them with her own.  Severus muttered to himself, realizing that over the course of the last few months he had hardly kept up with his mental disciplines.  But after only a moment of thinking about it he happened to glance at his watch. 

  Leaping up and cursing loudly, he threw on his robes and grabbed his notes, dashing out the door and down the stairs wishing he were coming from the Study instead as he cut across the landings to get as quickly to the second floor as possible.  His bored class were still at least sitting with their books open but had been talking to one another for quite some time…over a half an hour, in fact, before Severus’ presence immediately quieted the nervous first years, looking over at him and his bedraggled appearance with intense curiosity.

  “Hand up your homework now, please, I suspect there will be no incomplete ones among them since I gave you extra time to work on them this morning,” Severus snapped.  “And you should have finished your reading, I assume.  Take out some parchment; we’re going to have a quiz…” as he picked up the papers he paused at the center row, noticing the empty seat.  “Mr. Hagrid, where is your partner in crime?  Why isn’t Mr. Snape here?”

  “Actually, he left just a few minutes before you got here, Sir,” Halbert admitted.  “I believe he went to talk to Professor McGonagall.”  Severus stared at him a moment before proceeding to pick up the papers.

  “Then I suppose he’ll just have to make it up,” Severus snapped.  “Books off the desks, please.”

  Just then there was a rap at the door, and Severus looked up unsurprised to see Minerva standing there.

  “Might I speak with you a moment, Professor Snape?”

  “Can’t it wait until after class?” Severus suggested, taking the offered paper from Andrew who had just come in, frowning at him in annoyance.

  “Oh, yes.  Good idea.  First years, class dismissed.  I expect you should use it to study for the pop quiz he most undoubtedly threw at you today,” Minerva said in such a wry voice that the students were staring at her with almost exactly the same expression that Severus was.

  “You can’t just come in here like that and dismiss someone else’s class, especially…”

  “Oh, yes I can.  I’m the Deputy Headmaster, and temporary post or not I’m still the senior faculty member here.  Class dismissed.”  As the two of them stood like two kettles about to boil over, Andrew quickly grabbed his books and Hagrid’s arm, intent on being the first one out of there.  Taking their example the rest of the class followed, chatting excitedly the moment they were out the door. 

  “I can’t believe you are pulling seniority on me now, after what we’ve been through the last ten months, after what I’ve been through…”

  “Yes, Severus, I know, I’ve been here too.  I also know that in the twenty-five years that you’ve been teaching you’ve never been this late to class short of disaster and have never overslept a class, ever.  Are we in agreement that that was what occurred on this particular occasion?”

  “A half an hour, Minerva,” Severus said at last.

  “A half an hour from you is like someone else sleeping in two hours.  You ran around the entire weekend between visitations, Hogsmeade, the game, conferences, and all of that after two nights of no sleep running between two continents on top of your teaching and other responsibilities.  I think for the good of the school as well as your own that you take a few hours to take care of yourself for a change.  And that not only includes sleep, food, and a clean robe, but a trip to Sagittari as well.  You are as thin and as pale as rice paper, and if I know you, you had a full appointment book for this afternoon and plans to sneak away tonight to check on Jennifer again.”

  “Minerva, I have already put off visiting her for over a day.  I must go back and find out what they have her on.”

  “Fine, I won’t argue with that.  You’re right that it must be done, and your first duty is to her.  But I’m not about to sit here and watch you collapse in front of a class because of it.  I’m going to cancel your classes today and take your appointments.  Hermione can help with my workload, I’m sure; she’s been a godsend to me these past few months.  You just spend the day pulling yourself together again, Severus.  Dumbledore should be back in a couple days at most, and I’d rather he not find you on the floor when he arrives.  The impromptu quizzes can wait a day,” Minerva said firmly, tapping the door with her wand.  Immediately a note went up, announcing to students the cancellation.  “Oh, and I wouldn’t try to take that down if I were you,” Minerva said with an enigmatic smile, closing the door behind her.

  Severus slumped into his chair, a bit depressed and angry with himself for not being more careful.  He probably would have sat there a great deal longer had not Rasputin lumbered out of his office, putting his head against Severus’ leg.

  “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had a mouse instead of kibble?” Rasputin inquired.

  “I should have known you weren’t out here for support,” Severus grunted, petting his familiar on the back of the head anyhow before he got up.

  “I support much better on a full stomach,” Rasputin decided. 

  Feeling a tad guilty for his familiar’s even pretentious neglect, Severus gave him two mice out of the cage instead of one.  Then he turned his attention to his own hunger, but suddenly found himself craving stale Danish and coffee.  He glanced at himself briefly in the mirror and did a double take, frowning slightly before heading upstairs.   Well, he had quite a number of hours before breakfast there, he mused, perhaps he did have time to crash and get himself back into Mycroft again.  Sighing wearily, he grabbed a handful of licorice and headed upstairs.

 

  Monday was in many ways Jacqueline’s favorite day of the week, even if it was followed by her least favorite day: Tuesday, the dreaded appointment day.  But it was also the day that Mark went back to work, and even though that meant she was back on the couch, (Mark often watched T.V. late on the weekends so she always got the bed) it also meant she was free to be by herself, dodge his attempts to be nice, and even more importantly, his attempts at cooking.  So when he came in to turn on the morning news, she merely sat up without complaint as he kissed her on the cheek.

  “Sleep well?  Any dreams?” Mark asked, heading back over to the coffee he had started a few minutes before.

  “No, no dreams,” she said, staring for a moment at the annoying news anchor as she went on and on about reports attempting to link the burglar with a recent murder.  “Mark, if you have to watch this thing, why don’t you watch something that’s not so… depressing.”

  “I need to keep up on world events, Jackie, the littlest thing can effect the entire market.  Somebody blows up a small oil drill halfway around the world and prices on a hundred different stocks jump or drop,” Mark explained, handing her a cup of coffee and her medicine.

  “Does that include the Fifth Avenue Burglar?” Jacqueline asked boredly, glancing at it again as they spoke of a possible eye witness, and put up a composite sketch.  She did a double take then, staring at it for a long time, feeling a bit strange.  Perhaps the hair was different, and he certainly didn’t wear black, but those eyes… she imagined a pair of spectacles on them and wondered.  No, that was the silliest thing she ever thought, she told herself.  There was no way the man in the composite was Mycroft.  Suddenly she noticed that Mark was watching her quite intently.  “Really, Mark, you know how I hate the news.”

  “You seemed rather enthralled a minute ago.  I don’t suppose you’ve seen anyone at work that looks like that?” Mark asked.

  “No,” Jacqueline said, waving it off.  “He just seemed familiar for some strange reason.”  His gaze stayed on her for a while longer, nodding slightly.

  “Well, just be careful.  I don’t like you being over there at night, and they’re trying to tie this guy into a murder now,” Mark said.

  “Oh, Mark, honestly!  I work across the street!” Jacqueline said exasperated, taking the pill and a quick sip of coffee before standing and sitting it on the counter.  “There’s always people around.  What do you want me to do?  Start having a nightly escort?”

  “Hm, not a bad idea…”

  “If you suggest it to Erascus, I shall have to hurt you,” Jacqueline threatened.

  “Actually, that might be fun,” Mark teased, immediately getting hit in the arm.  “Yes, see, that could be fun.”

  “Would you just go to work?” Jacqueline said.

  “Okay.  But not until you hit me again.”

  “Out! Out!” Jacqueline flailed as he shielded himself with his paper, ducking out the door.

   She chuckled softly, shaking her head as the door closed.  Glancing at the television, which had gone into some rather unentertaining report on haunted house tours in the area, she sighed and turned it off.  Well, for all she knew, she wouldn’t ever see Mycroft again, considering that he had seemed to stumble into the place as he did and didn’t particularly fancy the menu.  But then, he didn’t seem to fit in at the French restaurant either.

  She groaned softly to herself at the thought of that night, getting up to turn off the coffee pot and dump out Mark’s horrendous coffee.  What a pain he had been!  Of course he was even more of a pain the next morning, whining like a baby about his head when he did finally decide to wake up.  She was still debating whether or not to talk to Erascus about getting the dates cancelled, but Mark had made it obvious, even when sober, that he didn’t think it was a good idea.  Perhaps she was right, she decided, but wasn’t looking forward to trying it again this week.  Throwing on a jacket she headed outside, shivering as she stepped out into the chill wind and dashing to the crosswalk, slipping inside the café door.

   “Please!  Someone save me from bad coffee!” Jacqueline chuckled, waving to everyone as she went over to the bar.

  “Ever tried Starbucks?” Tony asked, immediately getting boos from several of the other regulars.

  “Now you know I’m not allowed to go more than two blocks on my own,” Jacqueline said, thanking Sally who handed her a cup.

  “Now what does that remind me of?” Rob said, peering at her from the back room.  “Oh yeah, lose the shrink.”

  “You know if I could, I would,” Jacqueline said, warming her hands around her cup before drinking it.

  “And how exactly do you cash your checks if you can’t get to a bank?” Rob asked.

  “Isaac, usually, but he has an ATM machine in his shop, too,” Jacqueline said.

  “You know, I think you should take one of these mornings when no one’s around and go see more of the city.  Tony could show you more of the city, couldn’t you, Tony?” Sally suggested.

  “Ya, and I can even show you what parts to avoid when you’re exploring,” Tony said.  “What do you say, we can go out this morning if you wanna.”

  “It’d be just my luck that would be the moment Doctor Erascus came looking for me,” Jacqueline said.

  “You are more than capable of making your own decisions, Jacqueline, lost memory or not.  And there is nobody out there qualified to judge what’s best for you but you.  It’s your life, no one else has the right to run it,” Sally said, looking up at the customer that had just walked in.

  “That is good advice, Mrs. Kingler,” Mycroft said.  Jacqueline turned to look at him, her eyes studying him with a rather peculiar look on her face as if debating something.  “And you should never trust anyone completely until you’ve learned to trust yourself,” he added, taking a seat at the bar next to her.

  “Easy to say when you haven’t lost your memories,” Jacqueline said with a wry smile.

 “No, I think still having them in some ways that would make it harder to say,” Mycroft said.  “What have you to judge yourself by except for the present?  No past full of mistakes or regrets to mull over.”

  “Well from what I know of my past, I’m not too impressed at the moment,” Jacqueline admitted.  “I’d rather know that somewhere in my life I’ve taken a few chances, failures or not… anything rather than believe I was just a girl with no family who hasn’t been able to hold a job or ditch her codependent boyfriend.”

  “Oh, yes, how did your evening go the other night?” Mycroft asked politely.

  “It was a disaster, it’s always a disaster,” Jacqueline said.  “What about you, are you seeing anyone?”

  Mycroft hesitated, glancing away.

  “I lost a wife recently,” he said after a moment.

  “Oh,” Jacqueline grimaced, kicking herself for asking.  “I’m sorry.”

  “We all have challenges in life,” he said carefully.  “Mine is to find a meaning to losing her.  Yours, I suppose, is to forge a future with your interests at heart and not someone else’s, no matter what that might entail,” he said, sipping his coffee.  “Of course, there will always be those wanting to influence those decisions, but they can’t make them for you unless you let them.”

  “And just how do you propose we go about accomplishing those tasks?” Jacqueline said, her chin in hand.

  “One step at a time.  Is there any other way?” he asked softly.  Jacqueline smiled at him thoughtfully, gazing at him until Sally came around again to fill their cups.

  “You know what a good first step would be, Jacqueline.  Why don’t you take one of the rooms?   At least it’ll get you out from Mark’s thumb,” Sally suggested, Jacqueline shaking her head dubiously.

  “Rooms?” Mycroft asked.

  “Yeah, we rent rooms on the second floor, helps makes ends meet in January and February when we’re slowest.  You’d do a lot better on your own, Jackie.”

  “I don’t know, Sally,” Jacqueline said.  “I just get a bad feeling about what would happen if I tried to move out.  Besides, I’d really hate to do that to Mark.”

  “Do you love him?” Mycroft asked expressionlessly.

  “Are you kidding?  I’m just starting to like him,” Jacqueline said.  “But that doesn’t mean I want to hurt him, and I know he does care for me in some way.  Not to mention everything he’s done for me…”

  “Did you ask him to do it?” Mycroft interrupted.

  “What?”

  “Since that moment you woke up, was there any time that you asked him to take you in, get you a psychiatrist, pay the bills, or whatever else you feel indebted to him about?”

  “No,” Jacqueline said, still watching him intently, wondering why he never met her gaze.

  “Would you have asked him to?”

  “No, of course not,” Jacqueline said.  “It’s not as if I even recognized him.  I would have made it through somehow.”

  “Then it seems to me that since you had no decision in the matter, you aren’t under any obligation for what he chose to do on his own.  Just because he chose to help without asking doesn’t mean that you have no right to decline it,” Mycroft said.

  “What is it that you teach again?” Jacqueline said after a moment.

  “Humanities,” he said, sipping his coffee.

  “I think you should listen to him Jacqueline.  He’s right, you know,” Sally said, accepting the bill from Mycroft.

  “Ever thought of going in psychiatry?” Rob asked him, leaning against the kitchen door with his arms folded.

  “Oh, there’s plenty of that in teaching as well,” Mycroft said dryly, getting up.

  “Come in anytime, Professor,” Sally said warmly.  “Soon, preferably.”

  “I’ll be back tomorrow evening, I think,” Mycroft said, nodding politely to Jacqueline and Sally before heading out the door.

  “Now him,” Rob said, waiting for Mycroft to step out of view.  “Him I could see you with.”

  Jacqueline, who had been staring at the door in a thoughtful daze suddenly looked up with surprise after hearing Rob, blushing a bit and cleaning up her coffee mess.

  “Rob, be reasonable.  You heard him, he just lost a wife, and I’m sure he’s hardly interested in an amnesia inflicted café waitress,” Jacqueline protested.

  “I don’t know, he does seem to revolve around you when he’s here,” Sally agreed.  “Even that first day he came in.  And he’s not the only one that seemed drawn.  Looks to me it’s the other way around too.”

  “Honestly,” Jacqueline sighed.  “You’re both reading way too much into things.  I bet it’s just because you want to see me away from Mark.”  Rob shrugged.

  “You could be right,” he admitted.  “But you know it’s funny, the way he talks reminds me a lot about Erascus in some ways, yet his logic pans out better to me, no matter how intellectual Erascus sounds.”

  “Yes, but there’s something about the professor that doesn’t seem quite right either,” Jacqueline said.  “He’s so out of place.”

  “Well what do you expect?  He’s out of his own country,” Sally said.  Jacqueline nodded, but as she turned to the door, part of her couldn’t help but think there was more to it than that.

  After a brief stop at the grocery to check for new books and grab a sandwich, Jacqueline headed back upstairs, book in hand as she absently unlocked the door and stepped in.  Feeling a chill, she noticed the door of the balcony was open.  Did she leave it like that?  Puzzling over it a moment, she set down her book and went over to close it, but as she did, she noticed something hanging along the bottom of the balcony above.

  It was a bat.  Not only that, it was huge, much larger than she thought a normal bat got.  Suddenly the slumbering bat woke and noticed her, quickly flying off as she immediately dove for cover in the protection of the apartment, shutting the door.           

  She stared out at disbelief for a moment, wondering what she had just seen and felt a cold sensation not completely caused by the temperature of the room itself.  Immediately she glanced around at her books, realizing she hadn’t had enough sense to get a set of encyclopedias yet.  Muttering a bit, she turned on the computer, gnawing on her sandwich as she put in a simple word and got a thousand website entries for things that didn’t have anything remotely to do with what she had put in.  Growling in annoyance, she turned it back off again with a sigh, heading to the kitchen cabinet to get her medicine.

  But what she found instead was an open cabinet and no pills in sight.  She stared into the cabinet, feeling her jacket pockets.  No, she hadn’t taken him with her.  Cursing slightly, she checked near the couch, bed, and in the bathroom to no avail.  They simply weren’t there.  Jacqueline winced, wondering what to do.  If she told Mark, he’d surely blab to Erascus, who’d definitely be furious.  Well, she was just going to have to pretend she had taken them, she mused.  It wasn’t as if they seemed to be helping her in any way anyhow.

  She had settled in with her book and had been reading a few hours when a rather intense headache began behind her temples.   Turning on a few lights to ease the eyestrain and taking a moment to get a drink, she tried again, but nothing seemed to be helping.  It was at that point that Mark came home, bags in hand.

  “Hope you’re in the mood for Mandarin,” he said cheerfully, shutting the door with the back of his foot.  “You haven’t spent the whole day reading, again, have you?”

  “No, but feel like I have,” Jacqueline admitted, rubbing her forehead again.

  “Probably just hungry.  You don’t eat enough,” Mark said, setting the food on the bar.

  “It’s just there’s not that much that appeals to me,” Jacqueline said, grimacing at the smell when Mark opened the containers.  “I think I’ll just have a pumpkin butter sandwich,” she decided, grabbing one of the cokes.

  “Have you eaten anything else today?”

  “Sure, corned beef,” Jacqueline said, rummaging in the fridge.

  “You’re just going to get sick eating like that,” Mark sighed.  “Don’t forget to take your medicine,” he added, turning on the T.V.

  “I didn’t forget,” Jacqueline said, pretending to get in the cabinet while watching Mark get settled in front of the set.  “Can I take the bed tonight?  I’m not feeling all that hot.”

  “See?  What did I tell you?” Mark said, glancing looking over at her.

  “I think I just read too much or something,” Jacqueline said.  She frowned then as she looked at him, hearing something rather like a voice in the back of her head.

  “What did you mean by that?”

  “What did I mean by what?”

  “That it’s something every minute with me,” Jacqueline asked.  Mark stared at her.

  “You did take your medicine, right?”

  “Yes, stop pestering me!”

  “Maybe you’re right.  Maybe you ought to take the bed,” Mark said, watching her warily.  Jacqueline realized immediately that he didn’t quite believe her.  Another sharp pain went through her head.  “Yes, why don’t you lie down?  You might want to mention to Erascus tomorrow about the headaches.”  Jacqueline bit back her anger, knowing full well he would tell him if she mentioned it or not.  Putting down her half-eaten sandwich she headed to the bedroom, refusing to look at him any more.  “Don’t forget to take your night pill.”

  Jacqueline closed the door behind her and glared at it venomously.  She was sick of all of this!  But what in the world could she do?  Holding her head a bit, she collapsed on the bed, and it wasn’t long under the pressure of the headache that she fell asleep.

  It was nearly two a.m. before she woke up again with a start, feeling the need for fresh air, a bit disoriented.  Tiptoeing past where Mark slept she slipped out the balcony door, breathing in the frosty air.

  She had had a dream.  The first, in fact, that she had ever remembered having.  Granted, it was hazy, and even now she couldn’t remember the details, only that she had been a forest, asleep, and she couldn’t wake up, no matter what she tried.  There was fire, and white horses…was it horses?…and several people talking around her.  Why couldn’t she hear them?  Why couldn’t she answer?  A man in a hood was over her, but although she was aware of him, she couldn’t open her eyes to see his face.  A gentle, kindly, voice was asking him something, but so fiercely did she strain to hear what the question was, she had opened her eyes and woke up.  She glanced out on the balcony at where the bat had been, but he wasn’t there now.  Even that was beginning to seem like a dream, but at least, she thought, at least she had had one.

 

  Severus handed Glen Witolf the solution he had requested, hovering almost anxiously as the old man worked.  The night pill had been quite easy for Severus to determine; a simple potion for inhibiting the remembrance of dreams, one that he had often taught in third year Potion’s class.  The day pill, however, had been a mystery.  Even through searching both his and his wife’s old books, he couldn’t fathom its purpose, except perhaps as a mild addictive stimulant.  It did explain her irritability, he had mused, but frustration alone could have accounted for that.  No, there had to be something else, something he had missed, but fortunately one of the few men who could help happened to be at the school at that moment.

  “Quite interesting, quite interesting indeed,” Glen said, making Severus even more impatient.

  “Anything yet?” Severus said after he didn’t say anything else.

  “Now, you of all people know this sort of work takes time,” Glen said.  “Care for some chamomile brew?”

  “I’m fine,” Severus snapped, pacing a bit.  “I merely find it a cruel irony that her own invention was used against her.”

  “The Pellet Potions,” Glen nodded.  “Based on Muggle medicine, I believe.”

  “And now used to convince her they’re Muggle made,” Severus snarled.

  “Yes, not to mention this particular formula has her fingerprints on it,” Glen said.  “Perhaps a few of yours too, although I’ve noticed some of your work has been influenced by hers and vice versa over the years…”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Well, every alchemist out there doesn’t approach alchemy precisely in the same way, with the same methods,” Glen said.  “Everyone develops their old style…as readable to a trained eye as the strokes of an artist.  Whoever made this was influenced by you and your wife’s work.”

  “A student?” Severus said, sitting down at the thought.

  “Quite possibly,” Glen agreed.  “Either that or someone heavily influenced by your work in some way.  Whoever it is seems to have a lot of potential in the field, but from what small mistakes I’ve found in this formula, I’d say never pursued a career in alchemy.”

  “That would leave out Draco then,” Severus said unsurely.  Glen chuckled.

  “No, I could spot his formulas a mile away.  And his resemble yours a lot more closely than this.  A very no-nonsense sort of potion Draco made the short time he was in the business.  Probably why he grew tired of it.  Well, that and his overpriced substandard ingredients of course.  No, he’s much better suited as a solicitor of law, I think.”

  Severus relaxed slightly.

  “Could someone have possibly mimicked her styles intentionally?” he murmured.

  “Yes, although if so they had studied her quite closely,” Glen nodded.  “As for the formula itself, I think I’ve figured out what it does, although I’d prefer to find someone to test it to make sure.  It’s perfectly safe, except perhaps for a bit of discomfort when the stimulant wears off if it’s overused,” he said, watching the test drop bubble on the solvent he had made out of the day pill.  “But I think that the stimulant is mainly there to try to counterbalance a slight depressive effect that this inhibitor would have.”

  “Inhibitor?”

  “Yes, unless I miss my guess, this was designed to blind her natural telepathic ability…Truth-seeking, as you generally call it, by generally leaving the mind unable to focus to a point…it’d be nearly imperceptible for most of us, actually, but to a Truth-seeker, the effect would be quite dramatic,” Glen said.

  “Then that would explain… hm, quite a lot, actually,” Severus mused.  “They wouldn’t have been able to keep her in the dark long had it been active, especially if Mark is as magicless as I think he is.  She should have been able to see right through him.  In fact, in some ways, I think she still can.  How effective would this be on her?”

  “I’m not completely positive.  I’d need another Truth-seeker to test it to know for sure,” Glen admitted.

 

  Audi Belle was more than willing for the task, taking no longer than an Owl Post before she was at the school gates and ready for the experiment.  She took the offered pill thoughtfully and gazed at the two intent faces, waiting for her to say something.

  “I think it would have been easier to swallow with water,” she decided.

  “Never mind that,” Severus snapped.  “What’s the difference?”

  “Don’t rush me, son, things don’t just manifest themselves, you know.  So, um, what’s she like now?  How different is she?”

  “In some ways I hardly recognize her,” Severus sighed, suddenly lost in thought.  “In others, it amazes me the ways that she’s still the same.  I can almost see the woman I had first met in her expressions, her defiance…” he caught himself then, shrugging it off.  “Her eating habits haven’t changed much either.”

  “I can feel the emotion behind what he’s saying,” Audi said quietly.  “But I couldn’t read the thoughts behind them.  Did you have any defenses up?”

  “Did it appear like I had any up?” Severus said sarcastically.

  “Well then, I guess that answers it.  Jennifer is just a tad under my strength as a Truth-seeker; she never uses it as intensely as I do, not being a professional one,” Audi said, glancing at Glen who was nodding.  “She’d still be able to sense how they felt about what they’re saying… like whether what they are saying is something they really hate saying or if they really mean it.  She might be able to tell if someone’s lying but only if they didn’t like the idea of actually doing it... lying, that is.”

  “So she may sense my lies before she senses theirs,” Severus said.

  “Direct lies, I’d think so yes,” Audi agreed.  “Of course, who knows exactly what those folks put out when they’re talking to her?  You can bet though that it’d show up in her behavior towards them, whether she trusts someone or likes them and what not.”

  “Then perhaps we should leave her on these for now,” Severus mused, glancing at the bottle thoughtfully.  “If she were to see everything, she may run the risk of saying something that puts her safety into jeopardy.”

  “And the dream pills?” Glen asked.

  “Those will need to be disposed of,” Severus said.  “If she has any subconscious memories they’ll appear in her dreams, which is probably exactly what they are afraid will happen.  But perhaps if we allow her to figure out what that particular pill is doing she’ll stay off of it on her own.  She dislikes the ‘doctor’ enough that I doubt she would tell him if she were dreaming.”

  “But how are you going to keep her on the one but not the other?”  Audi frowned.

  “I have no idea,” Severus admitted, sitting back in his seat.  “I suppose I’ll just have to suggest it to her.”

 

  Mycroft couldn’t help but feel a bit concerned about Jacqueline’s somber appearance when she arrived at the café for work the next evening, although Sally and Rob both didn’t seem surprised by it.  Emma tsked from where she sat at the other end of the bar, shaking her head a bit when Jacqueline slipped behind the counter.

  “Another rough session with the psychiatrist?” Emma inquired as Jacqueline headed back to get her apron.

  “Yeah,” Jacqueline sighed.  “I accidentally misplaced my prescriptions and he found out.  Boy was he livid.  Threatening to put me under house arrest again.”

  “He’d better not try it,” Sally said, “We’ll be having words with the state about it.”

  “That man needs his license revoked,” Rob agreed.

  “And to think Mark would have gone and told again after the last time!” Emma said, remembering the phone call.

  “No, I don’t think Mark said anything, although I think he would have if I hadn’t,” Jacqueline admitted.  “I made the mistake of telling Erascus I was having headaches and apparently it was due to not taking my day pill.  I only lost a couple, and he treats me as if I’m a criminal for not taking them.”

  “What sort of prescriptions?” Mycroft asked.

  “They’re supposed to help me remember things, but so far it’s not been working,” Jacqueline said.

  “May I?  I happen to know a bit about pharmacology.  In fact, I taught it before my current subject,” Mycroft said.  Jacqueline quickly went to get in her jacket.

  “Is there anything you don’t know about, Professor?”  Sally asked.

  “More than I would often like to admit,” Mycroft said dryly, glancing over the bottles that Jacqueline handed him, glancing over the labels as if studying them.  “This indeed has a stimulant in it that would give you headaches if you stopped taking it.  But it is safe otherwise,” he said almost casually, setting it down on the counter.  Part of him refused to allow himself to hand it directly back.  It was regrettably a necessary evil, and couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever get a chance to explain why.  “Hm.  This is odd,” he said, glancing at the other bottle, Jacqueline picking up the first one but looking expectantly at him. 

  “What is it?”

  “This is something normally used to treat conditions where someone has too many dreams that cause high stress or anxiety.  You won’t be remembering many dreams at all on that,” Mycroft told her, looking at her in the eye as he passed it back.

  “You mean this was stopping my dreams?” Jacqueline said.

  “From remembering them, yes,” Mycroft nodded.

  “Then that’d account for…  well, I remembered my dream last night,” Jacqueline admitted.

  “Really?” Emma said with interest.  “Did you dream about Mark?”

  “No,” Jacqueline frowned.

  “How about ditching Mark?”
  “Emma!” Sally frowned at her.  “You keep that up and I will let your cup run out!”

  “I was only curious,” Emma protested.

  “Really it was nothing worth repeating,” Jacqueline assured her.  “All I ended up dreaming about was sleeping in a Forest and not being able to wake up.  Until I finally did, of course.”

  “Oh, I hate those sorts of dreams, so exhausting,” Sally said understandingly, putting a quick arm around her.  “But I am glad to hear you finally remembered something.”

  “Sounds to me like you fell asleep watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” Emma chuckled.

  “I don’t think I’ve seen that,” Jacqueline said, earning a laugh from the old woman.  “But in any case, I certainly don’t think it’s much to do with anything, do you?”  She said.  But when she looked over at Mycroft, he had a distant, almost haunted look in his face, caught in his own thoughts.  “Professor?”

  “I think any dream is probably a good start,” he said at last.  “Although I cannot think of any reason why the doctor might have wanted you to take these in your situation.  It appears to me that you would do better without them.”

  “Yes, it is strange,” Jacqueline agreed, a part of her stomach sinking as she put them back.  She had always felt in some way that the doctor didn’t want her to get better.  Was this perhaps the proof that what she felt was at least partially true?

Chapter Fifteen

Wary Welcomes

 

  Andrew was more than ready for lunch after the long Transfiguration test, but was pretty sure he did well.  Halbert seemed a bit more nervous about it, but then that was Halbert.  He was always feeling something strong about everything, whether it was nervous or excited, often pulling Andrew into the momentum.

  “Don’t forget it’s Wednesday,” Halbert said.  “That means our turn to clean the barn.”

  “But it’s Halloween,” Andrew said.  “I’m not about to miss the feast, and I doubt they’ll let us go after.”

  “’Course they will, we’ve made an obligation,” Halbert said.

  “I can’t believe you two are slopping about in the barn voluntarily,” Conner Donovan said.  “That detention was supposed to be a punishment.  And aren’t the Magical Creatures classes supposed to take care of that?”

  “I think we got punished more that night when the creatures stampeded,” Andrew said dourly.

  “Doctor Sagittari only has five classes, the other two days he does unless there’s a detention,” Halbert said.  “Now we do one.”

  “You sure cleaning barns every week is not beneath a Snape?  What’s your father think about it?”

  “I’m not sure he even knows about it, actually, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.  And I don’t think it’s beneath anybody, the animals have to be taken care of,” Andrew said.  “It sounds to me like you’ve been talking to my brother too much.  But you know, he’s really not a bad person.”

  “He’s a wart,” Conner chuckled.  “And I can’t wait to trounce him in Quidditch in a couple weeks.”

  “We’ll have it in the bag with Rose seeking.  Henry can’t keep up, and I hear Xavier is furious with him right now,” Stewart Gaffney put in.  “So has anyone heard if Dumbledore’s back yet?”

  “I don’t think so,” Andrew said.  “I hope he makes it.”

  “If Dumbledore says he’d be here today, he’ll be here,” Stewart said.  “And not a moment too soon.  Not that McGonagall and Snape haven’t been doing a good job, but if you don’t mind me saying so, Andrew, your father has been rather strung out the last couple of weeks.”

  “Yes,” Andrew said quietly.  “We’ve noticed it too.”

  “I can’t wait.  I haven’t seen Dumbledore since I was little,” Halbert said.

  “Were you ever little?” Conner teased him.  Halbert chuckled good-naturedly.

  “Well in a matter of speaking,” he grinned.

   “I admit, I can’t wait to have Dumbledore back myself,” Rose agreed.  “It’s just not been the same without him.”

 

  But as the afternoon wore on, there was no sign of the Headmaster in the halls or any flurry from the faculty, even though they too seemed to be keeping one eye on the doors as if expecting at any moment some word that he was back.  Even the ghosts didn’t seem their normally spooky selves this Halloween, not making the fuss that they had made in previous years.

  As they settled for the feast, Andrew glanced over at Alex and Aurelius sitting with their friends, seemingly unconcerned about starting the feast without Dumbledore there.  Jack-o-lanterns floated overhead, others positioned around the tables, filled with candy and booing the students occasionally, making all sorts of scary faces, each time dropping candy out of their smiles.

  “The work of Madame Weasley, I bet,” Ted Gaffney said.  “Aren’t they neat?  Here, try a jelly dragon,” he said, passing it to Andrew.

  “Look, here come the professors now,” Halbert said intently, standing a bit in his seat to see better.

  “Halbert, get that big bloody head of yours out of the way,” Conner complained.

  “I don’t see him,” Andrew said at last.  Everyone else was there, though, from Sagittari to Icarus to Brittle and Sinistra, and of course McGonagall and Snape, sitting as always on either side of the big chair, seemingly unconcerned.  “They must know something we don’t.  I bet he’ll be arriving at any time.”

  “Surely they wouldn’t start without him then,” Rose said, looking over.  Snape and McGonagall were talking softly to each other.  Finally, Snape stood to make some announcements. 

  “Please be advised that all students are expected to report to their common rooms right after the feast, and that curfews should be observed after your individual house festivities.  Staying up late will not be considered a viable excuse for missing your first periods tomorrow.”

  “Stay in our rooms?” Halbert murmured.  “Surely he don’t mean us, we’ve got to clean the pens.”

  “We’ll just make sure we get straight back after,” Andrew said.  “Maybe we should leave early, that way we can get a good start on it.”

  “Not without taking a stash with us,” Halbert whispered back in horror.

  “No, of course not,” Andrew reassured him.

  “As in other years, séances are discouraged without trained professionals present, and for the good of everyone involved, I advise that you stick to the plans already approved by your advisors for your evening activities.  Anyone not following these advisories may expect a less than lenient response to their exploits,” he said, frowning at Aurelius who looked back at him evenly.  “So let’s just keep close to the castle tonight, shall we?” he smiled thinly.  He made a move as if to sit down then paused, glancing at the door.

  A loud booming sound could be heard in the distance, as if a huge door had suddenly been thrust open and slammed…then another and another until finally the doors of the Great Hall itself were flung open.  Everyone gasped with surprise at the intense fury on the face of Albus Dumbledore as he strode up the center row muttering to himself with Sirius Black, who reluctantly followed after him with a somber look on his face. 

  The direction of his gaze was quite evident to everyone.  It was centered on Severus, and it was most decidedly not a happy one.  The room had fallen into a complete silence, and everyone, even the teachers were holding their breaths.  There were no words of welcome.  Something about the look in Dumbledore’s eyes had quite plainly told them that perhaps now was not a good time to do so.

  “Severus, I want you in the staff room now,” Dumbledore said.  Severus got up without a word, eyes intent on the door while everyone else were on the Headmaster, wondering what was going on.  “Minerva, Hermione, follow me, please,” Dumbledore added before following Severus out.  Minerva tapped Professor Sprout on the shoulder as the next senior faculty.  The Herbology professor forced a broad smile on her face as she called the students back to attention, starting the feast.  But the moment the plates filled, everyone started talking at once about what had just happened rather than eating and wondered what was going to happen next.

  Severus himself was wondering the exact same thing when Dumbledore came in behind him, and strangely enough, it was perhaps the first time in Severus’ life that he realized he was taller then the older wizard.  At the same time there was no question who had taken command of the room.  Minerva, Hermione and Sirius slipped in, all of them looking a bit uncomfortable and wishing they were somewhere else.

  “Severus, did I or did I not mention on more than one occasion that family came before this school?” Dumbledore said sternly.

  “I have been seeing to my family, Professor, as well as my obligation to the school,” Severus said evenly.

  “Obligations be damned, Severus, Jennifer is not here!  Why wasn’t I contacted the moment it occurred?”

  “We did try to contact you a few months ago, Professor,” McGonagall quickly put in.  “Through the painting at Mr. Pyther’s as you requested, and that painting informed us he would tell you.”

  “I will deal with that next,” Dumbledore said, a flash in his blue eyes.  “Severus, I picked you and Minerva to run this school because I had faith you would do what was right in my absence.  But I did not expect you to run yourself and your family into the ground to do it!  You should have taken a leave to see to this from the moment it started.  Minerva and Hermione could have managed without you.   If you don’t have enough sense to ask for help in the worst of times then I suppose I’ll have to insist.  You are officially suspended from your duties here.  Don’t you dare think of stepping one foot on these grounds until Jennifer is safely back among those who care about her, memories present or not.  Now get what you need from your rooms this instant and get out of my school.  I’ll have Minerva send your pay directly to Gringotts’ account until you return.  Dismissed, Severus,” he added sharply when Severus attempted to say something. 

  Severus hesitated and glared defiantly at him as if he was going to continue to speak anyhow, and a fierce battle of wills ensued.  Finally Severus’ shoulders slumped.  He glanced at the other three who were trying to avoid his gaze before he finally turned and stormed out the door.

  “Albus, aren’t you being a bit hard on him?” Minerva said quietly after he had left. “He has done a very impressive job of keeping things together despite the enormous pressure he has been under…”

  “That is entirely beside the point.  He shouldn’t have been placed in that position in the first place,” Dumbledore said.  “Sirius, go fetch that blasted painting and get Francis to put it in my office.”  Sirius quickly took the opportunity to get away while he could.  “Minerva, I’m afraid you are going to have to keep with a few more responsibilities for a while, and you as well, Hermione, if as I suspect you’ve been helping her with her paperwork.  I won’t be able to attend to my full duties for awhile.”

  “Why not?” Minerva asked anxiously.

  “Because I have decided I am going to teach Defense myself until he gets back,” Dumbledore said, heading to his office.  Hermione and Minerva glanced at each other in complete surprise.

  “Guess the boxing isn’t quite over yet,” Hermione said.

  “And just when I thought things couldn’t get more complicated,” Minerva agreed before heading out after him. 

  It didn’t take long to get the word to Francis Pyther that Dumbledore was back.  The Headmaster had hardly started pacing the length of his Study when the painter arrived with the large covered portrait, setting it to one side only long enough to get an easel out to sit it on.

  It was a painting of Merlin.  It blinked only once when the cover was removed, quite awake, calm, and not at all surprised to see Dumbledore waiting on the other side of the cloth.

  “Did you have a nice trip back?” Merlin inquired.

  “Do not try to exchange trivialities.  Why didn’t you call me when they tried to send for me?” Dumbledore demanded.

  “Did they?” Merlin asked innocently.  “Oh, come, now, Albus.  As you can see, everyone’s alive and well, and they managed quite well without you.”

  “You intentionally left me in the dark about what was going on here.  In fact, I wonder now if you didn’t know what was going to happen before I had even left.  Have you any idea what this has done to Severus, not to mention to this school?”

  “Albus, the school has stood for over a thousand years, a missing teacher happens every now and then, and it’s always withstood it.  And how is Severus?  Didn’t he do as well as you expected?”

  “I never intended him to go through this, and now I find myself wondering if that isn’t exactly what you intended!”

  “We are but the sum of our experiences, Albus.  Whether it causes personal hardship along the way is inconsequential,” Merlin said calmly.

  “You were testing him.”

  “Yes, weren’t you?” Merlin challenged evenly.

  “Not like this.  Never like this,” Dumbledore said, covering the painting with disgust.  “Perhaps I never should have gone.”

  “Now it’s you that you’re being hardest on,” Minerva said, following Dumbledore to the desk.  “Didn’t you say yourself that if you waited for everything to be perfect that you’d never get away?”

  “Yes,” Dumbledore sighed tiredly as he sat down.  “But not at the expense of a good friend.”

 

  “I’ve never seen him like that,” Andrew admitted, leaning on his rake thoughtfully and reaching for the bags to feed the Pegusi.  “And we’ve spoken quite a bit ever since…”

  “Since what?” Halbert asked.

  “Well, he found out about a secret of mine,” Andrew said.  “Anyhow, after that he spoke to me and later the other three too from time to time.”

  “What sort of secret?  Do I know it?” Halbert asked.

  “Well, no, Aurelius hasn’t given me permission to tell you yet,” Andrew admitted.

  “Tell me what?  What does Aurelius have to do with it?”

  “Aurelius has something to do with everything in this family,” Andrew chuckled, sliding a feedbag over Babe, Ruby, and Pepper.  “I’ll need help feeding the hounds.  You know how they get.”

  “Andrew, does this secret of yours have anything to do with the Dark Forest?” Halbert asked, glancing out the window.

  “No,” Andrew said, looking at his friend strangely.  “Why do you ask?”

  “Because I think I just saw someone heading in that direction, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think it was your brother,” Halbert said. 

  “What?”  Andrew said with sudden concern, going over to the window.  “He wouldn’t go in there, not after he nearly got killed last year.  Why ever would he?  Are you sure it was him?”

  “Well, no, but whoever it was is short and slender with dark hair and looked to be wearing Slytherin colors,” Halbert said.  Andrew sighed. 

  “We’d better go after him before he ends up getting hurt,” Andrew said,  “Come on.”

  Halbert didn’t even hesitate, even after countless stories his father had told him to try to discourage him from going in there himself.  Of course, as in many cases, it only served to peak his interest all the more as they stepped in.  Halbert, it seemed, had keener eyesight in the dark, and Andrew had little trouble letting him lead, following the direction that Halbert had seen him going.

  “Watch out for that branch there…” he said just as Andrew tripped over it.  “The path is widening.  I think we’re coming to some sort of clearing.”

  The clearing turned out to be a creature trodden area near a trickling brook.  It was there just up the brook that Halbert thought he has seen something and took out his wand, pointing it out in front of him defensively, Andrew following suit.

  “Declare yourself!  Are you friend or foe?”  Halbert said in his most threatening voice, shaken though it was.

  “Never mind all that.  Aurelius?  Is that you?”

  “Andrew?” A moment later, a shadow moved out of the darkness from upstream and raised a lantern, staring in disbelief at his brother’s face.  “Andrew!  What are you doing in here?  Don’t you know this place is dangerous?  Please tell me that idiot beside you didn’t talk you into this!”

   “What?  We followed you in here!” Halbert said.  “I saw you go in from the pens.”

   “Didn’t you hear Father say you were to go straight to your rooms?” Aurelius scolded.

   “Didn’t you?” Andrew retorted.

   “I needed some time alone to think.  Now come on, I’m taking you back.”

    “No, not until you tell us what you’re doing here,” Andrew said stubbornly.  “I can’t believe you’d be in here for a casual stroll.”

  “Look!  What’s that?” Halbert said excitedly.

  “What’s what?” Andrew said.  Halbert suddenly grabbed the lantern away from Aurelius and shined it behind him.  There in the darkness a pair of bright eyes gazed back at them curiously, and Andrew couldn’t help but be amazed at what it was he was seeing.  “It’s a Unicorn!” he said in awe.

  “If it is, it’s the ugliest Unicorn I’ve ever seen,” Halbert said.  Andrew had to admit that that was true.  Even in the poor light it was obvious that the beast was heavily scarred from its face to its back and the tip of its horn snapped to form a rather strange, jagged point.

  “His name is Pali,” Aurelius said angrily.  “And if you say he’s ugly again, I swear I’ll get you both lost out here and you’ll have to find your own way back.”

  “Aurelius…you’re bonded to a Unicorn?” Andrew said.  “Why didn’t you tell us?”

  “It’s…it’s a private matter.  And I’d appreciate it if you don’t mention it to anyone else.”

  “How did this happen?  I mean, Dad told me that he’d never heard of it happening out of a wives’ tale until your mother did it, and that was from necessity,” Halbert said.

  “Ours was from necessity too.  He helped me take on the manticore,” Aurelius said, stepping back to pat its neck, “and we both nearly died from it.  Anyhow, that happened a year ago today, and I just felt like I had to see him again, that’s all.  Now do you understand?”

  “Wow, I wish I had a near death experience that got me bonded to a Unicorn,” Halbert said wistfully.

  “Well, as you said yourself it doesn’t happen often so forget it,” Aurelius snapped.

  “I bet it has to do with something in our bloodline,” Andrew said, noticing now that several others Unicorns peeked in and out of the shadows.  “Look at that one over there staring at me with the long mane in his eyes.  Perky looking chap.”

  “No!” Aurelius protested standing in front of Andrew protectively.  “Under no circumstances is another member of this family going to do it too!  I’ve kept all of your secrets for years.  I should be entitled to at least one thing all my own!”

  “Selfish bugger, isn’t he?” Halbert murmured to Andrew.

  “Fine, you win, Aurelius.  I’ll keep your secret and even help everyone get back to the rooms without getting caught by scouting ahead for you, but that means I get to tell Halbert my secret.”

  “If this Pact gets any bigger,” Aurelius complained.  “I’m going to have to rent out a Quidditch stadium just to hold story collaboration meetings.”

  “Does that mean yes?” Halbert said, looking so intently at Aurelius that he missed the moment that Andrew disappeared.  “Er, Andrew?”

  “Welcome to the Pact, Hagrid,” Aurelius said dryly. 

Chapter Sixteen

The Professor Takes a Room

 

  There was just something especially magical about Halloween.  Jacqueline could feel it in the air, taste it in the brown leaf-filled winds and see it in the faces of the children getting ready for a night of trick-or-treating.  She didn’t have anything at all to wear to work that night, but she decided to make do, coming out in one her most favorite and least modern looking dresses.

  Mark, already home and watching T.V. with a bag of microwave popcorn at hand’s length, merely glanced at her as she came out of the bathroom.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Work of course,” Jacqueline said, looking in the closet and deciding to go with her long tan coat.  “It’s Halloween, you know.”  Mark dutifully lifted up the large bowl of candy beside him.  Sighing, Jacqueline paused long enough to take out the wrappers on the top.  “So what do you think?  Could I pass as a witch?”  Mark looked up in surprise, nearly dropping his popcorn.

  “You know, maybe you should stay home tonight.  Help me pass out candy?”

  “Don’t be silly, I’m going to work,” Jacqueline said, completely annoyed with his response.  “What has been with you lately?” she slammed the door behind herself, heading down the stairs. 

  She sighed, immediately feeling angry for losing her temper.  It was true that both Mark and Erascus had been on edge lately, but then so was she.  More and more she felt frustrated with her situation, wishing that both of them would just disappear and leave her to herself.  At the same time, she couldn’t help feel a little lonely as well.  Even with Rob and Sally around to cheer her up, she couldn’t help but feel a bit disconnected…her world seemed so different from those around her.

  She smiled as she dodged a couple of neighborhood kids dressed as ghosts as she stepped in the door, but her smile quickly faded when she saw Erascus at one of the booths, drinking coffee.  He nodded at her when she came in but made no move to gesture her over, so she headed to the back.  Rob looked quite hilarious in his Marc Anthony outfit; his burly arms making him look more like a gladiator than anything.  Sally was a much more impressive Cleopatra, at least her makeup was…the apron covered up most of the dress.

  “How long has he been here?” Jacqueline muttered.  None of them had to ask whom ‘he’ referred to.

   “Just a few minutes.  He even plans on ordering.  My guess is he’s going to be here a while,” Sally murmured.

  “Lovely, just what I need,” Jacqueline said, grabbing her apron.

  “I do have some good news though…well, interesting news at any rate,” Sally winked.  “That British professor of yours was in earlier today.”

  “You mean I missed him on top of everything else?” Jacqueline said, and then blinked.  “What do you mean my professor?  He’s just a professor.”

  “Well in any case, he just took one of the rooms upstairs on a weekly basis.  He overheard us talking about it the other day, I suppose.  Didn’t have much luggage either, really, I suppose he’s used to traveling light.”

  “What exactly is he doing here?  I mean, shouldn’t normal classes be in session and all of that?  Is he here on some sort of exchange?” Jacqueline said.

  “I didn’t pry, Jacqueline.  He paid a month in advance, but he seemed so very tired I thought it’d be better to give him space to get settled.  I did find out one thing that might interest you though,” Sally said enigmatically.  “From his passport.  His birthday’s tomorrow.”

  “Really?” Jacqueline said.  “And him stuck here alone in a foreign country after losing his wife.  We should do something.”

  “Yeah.  Like stop gossiping and manage the floor so I can cook,” Rob said behind them.  Quickly apologizing, the two women headed out of the back room so that Rob could return to the kitchen.

  Many people dropped by that night, kids waiting for gingerbread and parents getting quick drinks on their way to the next building.  Tony dropped in to chuckle about how all the ‘kooks’ were out tonight, eyeing Erascus who ignored them all as he took his time eating his dinner and glancing over some letters he had brought to read. 

  Just as things began to slow down and it was about the time they normally started pre-cleaning for closing, Erascus paid his check and left without a word.  Exasperated, Jacqueline threw down her towel.

  “Sally, can I take a break?  I think I need it tonight,” she said.

  “Sure.  Have some pie, we have plenty left over,” she offered.  For once, Jacqueline accepted, gratefully taking the pumpkin pie and a fresh cup of coffee.  She glared menacingly at the table that Erascus had been at, purposefully sitting at the next table with her back to it.  She poked at the pie irritably as if without true intention of eating it, trying to force herself to calm down.

  “Rough night?” 

  Jacqueline glanced up startled to see Mycroft standing next to her table with a look of genuine concern on his face.

  “Oh, it’s you, Professor,” Jacqueline said slumping back in her seat.  “For a moment I thought it was Doctor Erascus again.”

  “Are we that similar?”

  “Oh, no really,” Jacqueline protested.  “He’s just been hovering a lot, that’s all.”

  “May I?” Mycroft asked.

  “Of course,” Jacqueline said, slightly apologetic for not having offered as he sat down across from her.

  “What would you like, Professor?” Sally asked.

  “Oh, just coffee and perhaps one of those,” Mycroft said gesturing to Jacqueline’s pie, “Although I’d prefer one slightly less tortured.”  Jacqueline chuckled at that.  “How are you feeling?  Any dreams last night?”

  “No, but I’m taking your advise and staying off of those night pills,” Jacqueline said.  “Although I have to admit I completely detest having to lie about it when they ask me.  It goes against every fibre in my being.”

  “What’s more important, Jacqueline, being honest to them, or being honest to yourself?”

  “Since when did truth get so complicated?” Jacqueline muttered.

  “It always has been, it’s merely that you’ve never noticed it before,” Mycroft said quietly, pausing a moment as Sally came back with his coffee and pie.  “Now, why don’t we both do something novel and eat something for a change?”

  “I eat,” Jacqueline protested, knowing full well that Sally was shaking her head behind her back.  “I do!” she insisted again looking back at her.

  “If it were up to you, you’d be eating pumpkin butter sandwiches morning, noon and night,” Sally said, heading back over to the counter.

  “Pumpkin butter sandwiches?” Mycroft repeated with a look of complete surprise.

  “Rather odd, I know.  And I do eat other things.  In fact, I usually go over to the deli in the grocery store for lunch.  I’m just not much into deep fried batter concoctions,” Jacqueline said in a lower tone so Sally and Rob wouldn’t hear.

  “Yes, but why pumpkin butter?”

  “I’m not sure,” Jacqueline admitted, mirroring his puzzled expression.  “I just started craving it out of the blue and mentioned it to Isaac and he ordered some for me.  But it is true I’d probably starve without a constant intake of sandwiches and cola.  It’s too bad that French restaurant wasn’t closer… or maybe it’s a good thing.  I’d be spending all my checks there instead of saving it,” she chuckled.  “Mark says I hardly ever came here before, and I suppose I understand if my tastes are the same.  And yet he said we met here, oddly enough.”

  “Yes, very odd,” Mycroft agreed.  “What would you recommend from the deli?  I may drop by there at some time.”

  “Oh you can’t pass up the pastrami, at least on the first visit,” Jacqueline said enthusiastically.  “Although I like the corned beef the best.  And the spinach knishes.”

  “The what?” Mycroft said blankly.

  “They’re sort of like vegetable scones, I guess,” she said chuckling.  “Look, I always go there for lunch, so why don’t you drop by there around noon and I’ll show you what to try.  You can’t possibly live in this neighborhood without going there, and Sally told me you got a room.  By the way, why are you here again, anyhow?  If you don’t mind my asking, that is.  How come you’re in New York?”

  “I was just given an extended vacation,” Mycroft said dryly.  “So when I heard Mrs. Kingler’s gesture with the rooms, I thought I would take one.  Fair enough?”

  “Sure,” Jacqueline said as she sipped her coffee, wondering exactly what it was he was leaving out.

  But her break was over, so cleaning had to be done and drawers counted, even though she couldn’t shake the fact that something was going on no matter how hard she tried.  Maybe he was the burglar?  Not that he seemed the type.  He certainly didn’t seem the type to kill anyone.  She thought about it quite a bit as she walked home, chuckling to herself as she imagined him fumbling about a classroom, probably forgetting his own class notes half the time.  Strange that would be on vacation this time of year though, she mused.  Perhaps his wife’s death had something to do with it?

  A loud fluttering movement came overhead and instinctively she ducked into the doorway of her building, scrambling for her keys to get in.  As she dove for cover, she peered warily back out in time to see the large bat gliding across to slam into the window of one of the rooms above the café, so loud that Jacqueline winced.  The crazy creature beat against it like a moth against a light until at last the window opened and a hand reached out for the bat to cling on, drawing it inside and shutting the window behind.  Jacqueline hurried further down the hall and up the stairs, completely stunned by what she had seen.  What did it all mean?  Was that his room?  Was that bat his?  She felt a bit creepy all the sudden, and wondered if it wasn’t just Halloween…Jacqueline kicked herself.  Vampires were Romanian not British, right?  And at the very least, she had seen him out during the day.  Yes, she suddenly decided.  The sun and vampire thing was at least true…if such things existed.  But what would he be doing with a bat?  Didn’t they have import laws against those sorts of things?

  Mark was still on the couch as if he had never moved.  Only the several extra empty bags of popcorn at his feet and the empty candy dish beside him gave him away.

  “Finally back?  How was work?” he said, his eyes still glued to the set.

  “Fine.  Erascus was hovering all night though, why I don’t know.  Do you?”

  “Why would I know?” Mark said with a shrug.  “You should have stayed home.  I think we got hit by every kid on the block.  Some of those costumes were really cute.”

  “We saw some really interesting costumes at the café too.  And I saw one guy with a bat,” she said carefully, getting a soda.  “You don’t suppose there are real vampires, do you?”

  “I don’t believe in anything that doesn’t impact the New York Stock Exchange,” Mark said.  “Did you uh… happen to see anyone with owls?”

  “Owls?  No,” Jacqueline said puzzledly.  “Do you know someone with an owl?”

  “No, of course not.  Was just making conversation,” he said, getting up to pick up the trash.

  “A wizard, right?  Someone playing a wizard might have an owl,” Jacqueline said, wondering why it gave her a strange feeling to say that.

  “You know, it’s getting late, let me clean this up so you can go to sleep,” Mark said.  “You said Erascus was there most of the night?”

  “Yes, the old bore.  You’d think he had better things to do,” Jacqueline said, turning off the television.

  “Don’t forget to take your medicine,” he reminded her, as he put his bowl in the sink and threw her the bottle.

  “No way, not after the headache I got last time,” Jacqueline said.  She knew very well it was the other pills that had caused that, but figured that that incentive would put Mark at ease to believing she was taking it, making a show of it while slipping the pill between her fingers as she took a drink of water and threw the bottle back to him.

  “Good.  You have a good night then,” he said, rubbing her shoulders a bit before heading off to bed.  Jacqueline waited until he had closed the door before dropping her pill in her water, pouring it down the kitchen sink before settling back onto the couch and pulled out the blanket, turning out the light.

  At first she couldn’t sleep, unusually restless and confused about the way everyone was acting around her and how strange the night had been.  Those thoughts haunted her as she slept until suddenly her wandering mind was interrupted by a very strange dream.  She was walking in a thick mist through a strange forest.  She was following something, and at first she wasn’t sure what it was…a strange wispy figure that seemed to be made of the mist itself.  It appeared to be the ghost of a mare…no, a Unicorn, she realized suddenly, noticing the ribbon of fog slipping past its horn, trailing behind it like something moving through water.  A maze of trees was around them as the Unicorn led the way, but then abruptly it stopped, looking back at Jacqueline almost expectantly before the image dissipated into the fog. 

  The fog then began to lift, and Jacqueline saw a boy standing there with black hair and fierce stormy grey eyes.  He might have been ten from his appearance, and yet Jacqueline somehow got the feeling he was a little older.  She also knew, although not sure how she knew, that the boy looked a great deal like her father.

  The boy didn’t speak, but looked at her as if angry and hurt.  The mist came down shaped as a Unicorn head again, a bit distorted now, but nuzzling the boy comfortingly.  But as much as she wanted to ask him what was wrong, she found she couldn’t speak either, only watch helplessly as the boy turned and walked the other way despite a panicked feeling that she didn’t want him to leave.  She wanted to go after him, but couldn’t move either despite several attempts.  Finally the futility of it forced her awake, sitting up with a start to realize it was morning, and Mark was standing over her with a bewildered look on his face.

  “Are you all right?  Did you just have a nightmare?” he asked with a frown.

  “No,” Jacqueline said, pulling herself together as quickly as she could.  “You startled me.  Why were you hovering over me like that?” she barked, shoving him back a bit.

  “You were tossing in your sleep,” Mark said.  “You know, maybe I ought to stay home today.  You don’t look too well.”

  “No really, I’m fine,” Jacqueline said, shaking her head at him.  “What is with you lately, it’s like you’ve gotten so paranoid about me,” she said almost accusingly, turning the set on.  “You and Erascus both have gotten so edgy.”

  “Well,” Mark said, glancing at the T.V.  “Is it any wonder with a mad killer on the loose?  Of course we’re worried about your safety, you can barely take care of yourself.”

  “I can take care of myself just fine, thank you,” Jacqueline bristled.  But for once she too was interested in hearing what the news had to say, hoping to find something substantial to eliminate her new friend from her own suspicions.  “And besides, the burglaries and the murder are only suspected to be related, that doesn’t mean they are.”

  “Either way, he’s dangerous,” Mark said, watching her carefully.  She wasn’t often glued to the set like that.  “So have you run into any unusual strangers at work recently?”

  “That depends, am I allowed to include my psychiatrist?” Jacqueline joked.

  “Come on, Jackie, be serious.  I know you don’t like to be fussed over, but ever since the accident, I can’t help but be worried.  You were so lost when you got here,” Mark said softly, gazing at her.  “And I know you’ve come a long way since then.  I just… don’t want to see anything happen to what we have here.  Even if all we have here is a friendship.  I can at least say that without you snapping my head off, can’t I?” He asked, lifting her chin a bit.  It was strangely obvious to her that it was more than that to him when he looked at her.  But there were limits to lies, and some things Jacqueline wasn’t about to lead on to.

  “Yes, I suppose we are friends,” Jacqueline said, moving a bit away.  “But honestly, Mark, the way things are going, I imagine it’s going to stay that way.”  Mark looked at her thoughtfully for a moment then nodded.

  “I guess it’s something, at least.  A start,” he added, getting up to make coffee. 

  Jacqueline stared after him.  Had he been on the same Friday night fiascos she’s been on?  Surely by saying that he was only fooling himself.  But what could she do?  She’d already told him not to count on anything more.  Jacqueline sighed and decided to just ignore it and turn her attention back to the news.  Why was it that any time there was something she wanted to hear about that they always waited until the last three minutes of the show and after an extended commercial break?

  “Police still have no new leads in the string of burglaries around the metropolitan area, although they are still looking for this man who was seen near one of the crime scenes.  The police are still insisting that the man is mainly wanted for questioning in the case, and have not officially named him as the main suspect,” the reporter said, flashing the picture again.

  “If he’s not a suspect, how come everyone is making such a big deal out of finding him?” Jacqueline asked in annoyance.

  “The police always say that, they have to.  Innocent before proven guilty, no matter how much they have on someone,” Mark shrugged, pouring them coffee.  “Especially in this case where they think he might not even be a citizen.”

  “They don’t?” Jacqueline said with surprise.

  “You should watch the news more,” Mark chuckled, handing her a cup.  “They think he might be posing as some sort of British tourist.”  Jacqueline took her cup and stared at the T.V. waiting to hear confirmation of that.  But the annoying program had already moved on to discuss a local canine Halloween fashion show done last night for charity.  Jacqueline rolled her eyes and turned it off.  “So how come this person hasn’t been caught yet, anyhow?”

  “To put it bluntly, because it’s in the hands of the New York Police department,” he chuckled. 

  “I guess I just don’t understand why anyone would do anything like this in the first place,” Jacqueline sighed, getting up to pour out the remainder of her coffee.

  “People will do a lot of things for money,” Mark murmured from behind his financial paper.  Jacqueline gazed at him, wondering why his voice was so strange.  “I’d better go.  Stay close today, okay?” he added, folding his paper under his arm and grabbing his coat.

  “Hard to stay any closer than two blocks,” Jacqueline muttered as he went out the door.  Well, at least he quickly forgot the idea about staying home today, she sighed with a bit of relief.  That would have definitely made her lunch at the deli difficult.  But first she did have some errands to run, even if it did go a block past her normal boundaries.  Some sacrifices had to be made if she were going to get some answers out of that quiet mannered professor.

Chapter Seventeen

Dumbledore At Work

 

  “Gone?  What do you mean he’s gone?” Aurelius said when Alex pulled him aside before breakfast.

  “He left last night.  He stopped by the common rooms and told me.  And I think that he would have told to two of you too, but said you were out on the grounds somewhere,” Alex said.

  “Wait a minute, did he happen to mention to anyone else I was out on the grounds?” Aurelius said.

  “He mentioned it to me,” Alex said.  “Why weren’t you in your rooms this time, anyhow?”

  “I’ll explain at lunch,” Aurelius said, glancing in to see Heph and Stock waving for him at the table.  “But don’t mention it to anyone, it’s a part of the Pact.”

  “I can’t mention anything I don’t know about yet anyhow, can I?”  Alex said with annoyance, glancing at Mandria who just shrugged as she followed her in.

  The Great Hall felt different that morning.  Sunbeams poured through the windows shadowed only by owls peeking in as the students one by one took their seats, their plates filling from the moment they sat down.

  Andrew and Halbert had been there for quite some time, huddled up together talking quietly about the night before as they started on their second platefuls.  But they were interrupted quite abruptly as Stewart came up and made his brother Ted move a few places over so he and Conner could sit in opposite Andrew.

  “So, is it true?” Conner asked him, leaning over the table a bit.

  “Is what true?” Andrew asked when he realized Conner was speaking to him.

  “That Dumbledore sent your father out on his ear, of course,” Conner said.  “Several people said he left the school last night and they’re rearranging some of his classes as if he’s been replaced.”

  “You’re lying!” Halbert snapped in surprise.  “Dumbledore wouldn’t do that to Professor Snape, especially after everything he’s been through since Dumbledore left the school in charge with him.”

  “Oh come on, Halbert, you saw how mad Dumbledore was when he came back.  Everyone did, and it was just as obvious as to who it was aimed at,” Conner said. 

  “I think if anything happened concerning Father’s job security they would have mentioned it to us,” Andrew reasoned.

  “Look sharp, here comes the Headmaster now,” Ted Gaffney said, his eyes focused on the main doors.  But Dumbledore didn’t seem to be in the bad mood he had been in the night before.  Instead he seemed to have completely recovered, back to his old self again as he walked between the tables, nodding to the students he saw glancing up at him.  As he came to where they were sitting he suddenly paused with a pleased smile on his face.

  “What is this I see?  Is it actually a Snape sitting at the Gryffindor table in Gryffindor colors?” Dumbledore said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.  “Oh, that must have caused quite a family scandal.”

  “It took them all a while to get used to it,” Andrew admitted with a grin.

  “And there is Halbert too!  I was hoping that your parents would see their way through to send you here, even though I’m sure your mother was a bit disappointed.  But somehow I knew you’d be here, and at this table.  And with an appetite to match Andrew,” he chuckled.  “You are in good company here with Rose, Conner and the Gaffneys,” he assured them, patting Conner on the shoulder.  Conner looked slightly uncomfortable.  “I hope you studied for your Defense test.  I understand you have one today,” he said to Conner.

  “But how are we going to have Defense?”  Conner asked looking back at him.  “I mean, well we heard…”

  “Professor Snape has gone on a personal leave of absence to clear up some family matters, but I’m sure you’ll strive to do well with the poor man who haplessly volunteered to fill in.  Try to be understanding and not too hard on him.  I understand the substitute is a very fine educator but is a bit rusty in the classroom.”

  “Just please tell us he’s not as old as Witolf,” Ted smirked, getting whacked from across the table.

  “That’s my grandfather!” Rose scowled at him.

  “And he is doing a magnificent job himself.  Everyone has in my absence, for that matter,” Dumbledore said with a nod.  “However, there are some things I would like to speak with you and your siblings about Andrew, over lunch, perhaps?”

  “Yes sir, gladly,” Andrew agreed.

  “Good, then we’ll meet in your father’s office,” he smiled, heading over to the Slytherin table next.

  “Do you think it’s about last night?” Halbert murmured to Andrew.

  “If it were, I think you’d be there too,” Andrew whispered back.  “I wonder why we’re meeting in Father’s office?”

  “Something to do with the new teacher?” Stewart suggested.   “I wonder who they suckered into taking that job?”

 

  It was Aurelius’ class that first found out the answer to that question, walking into the Defense classroom to see a strange familiar’s stand placed by the desk unoccupied; a perch with a large silver tray underneath.  Several of the other students had gathered around it as well, careful not to touch it but looking at it curiously.

  “What sort of creature is that for?” Ranly asked, glancing at the ashes.  “A dragon?”

  “A Phoenix, Ranly.”

  The class looked up to see Dumbledore standing in the office doorway, wearing the most unusual robe they’ve ever seen him in; a Hogwarts robe, black as night and hanging nearly to the floor and a beautiful embroidered Hogwarts crest on the left side, each of the animals blinking or looking around every now and again when eyes fell upon it.  But although it was obviously charmed and tailored, it otherwise looked little different from any of the regular professor’s Hogwarts robes.  He did, however, wear a rather colorful brick red brocade hat, where a Phoenix chick clung to precariously, flapping its still feathering wings whenever Dumbledore walked.

  “Unfortunately, Fawkes is a bit skittish his first few days after a burning, but I’m sure he’ll take to the stand soon enough, he always does,” Dumbledore smiled at them.  “So, shall we find our seats?  I do have a great deal to talk with you about today.”

  “You are going to teach us?” Aurelius asked incredulously.

  “Would you like to see my teaching credentials before we start?” Dumbledore said, his eyes serious but his smile full of good humor.  “I think we will be able to manage all right until Professor Snape returns, although you will have a bit more homework.”  Aurelius didn’t like the sound of that at all.  Dumbledore still looked at Aurelius as if addressing him, but his voice carried so the whole class could hear.  “I’m not going to interfere with what you already have on your study plan, so I expect you to keep up the reading, for it will be covered on your tests, of course.  But I admit I have my own agenda on what I want to teach you as well.  I will most likely be lecturing on other topics rather than your obligated work, although I will ask daily about any questions you have on your material and have some open discussions on it.  You will, of course, find my topics on your tests too while I’m here.  But I am trusting you, all of you, to keep up on your bookwork…not that it won’t be reflected in your marks if you don’t, but all the same, this is a good time to brush up on your study habits if you like doing things last minute,” he smiled at Aurelius, turning to the rest of the class.  “So does anyone have any questions on what I’ve just said or any material assigned for today, or shall we continue?”

  The expressions of his housemates were wary at best; the Hufflepuffs were a bit more enthusiastic about the change.  Reluctantly Aurelius took his seat between Stock and Heph.

  “There goes our points in here for the year, right out the window, or should I say up in smoke?” Stock murmured.

  “Where is Snape exactly, anyhow?” Heph asked Aurelius.  But Aurelius, who wasn’t expecting to get any answers until lunch, just sat quietly, watching Dumbledore intently.

  “Today I’m going to talk to you about a specific set of charms that aren’t exactly what one would call dark spells, but I personally wouldn’t call them light spells or white magic as it were either.  The definition being, of course, is that any magic designed with beneficial intent is considered a white spell, and anything else, its intent on harm, is dark.  Of course, ‘intent’ truly is the trick word, for intent hardly dictates the outcome of how any spell is used.

  “Let’s see, you are second years, so I suppose you would know what controlled spells are by now.  Hephaestus?”

  “They’re restricted spells,” Heph answered.  “Spells that you either need to hold a special license to legally cast them, hold a job title, or meet a certain criteria of conditions of use.”

  “Yes, and many of them have been the subject of many debates in the Council of Wizards on whether or not some of them should be allowed at all.  One of these happen to be used quite a lot during wizard events of all sorts, and that is the Obliviation Charm, although I believe Curse would be a more appropriate term.  It is a memory charm that was designed for short-term use, and can be easily be manipulated to give those that it is inflicted on suggested memory…or in other words, providing them an alternate explanation as to what might have happened in that time period.  So long as that explanation is reasonable, it is normally quite effective at keeping Muggles that have stumbled onto a magical situation from remembering what had happened.  Yes, George?  You look rather puzzled.”

  “I just don’t understand why anyone would want to oppose that is all.  I mean, it doesn’t really harm them, does it?”

  “That’s rather a matter of opinion, I think, depending in part on one’s definition of what ‘harm’ is,” Dumbledore said.  “But the true concern for those that oppose it is the restriction itself.  It states that only those authorized by the Ministry may cast it, and then it can only be used on Muggles, never wizards.  Many of the Council wonder why we would be so willing to inflict on Muggles something that we would not use upon ourselves.  Yes, Aurelius?”

  “I suppose this debate you refer to is what caused the Haven’s Bluff incident?” Aurelius asked.

  “In part, yes, although I’m not sure I would call what happened an incident,” Dumbledore said.  “For those of you who may not have frequented Haven’s Bluff or Willowby’s Weeds and Wands, it is a very small farming community where the local Muggles all know we exist.  It happened about the time that the strange fluctuations of magic caused some of our protections to fade, leaving wizard hovels, government buildings, even the prison briefly, quite seeable by anyone.  Of course in most of these cases hundreds were affected instead of mere individuals, and so the Ministry used cleverly phrased explanations that the Muggles would understand and convince themselves to believe.  In fact I think people of both Muggle and Wizard kind do not hesitate to believe something odd was caused by some sort of government conspiracy,” he admitted with amusement.  “Haven’s Bluff, however, was an unusual situation, and provided a rather unusual opportunity.  You see, several years before when Voldemort still terrorized this world, he and his followers attacked Haven’s Bluff and several other Muggle towns.  Many Muggles died that night, many very good, wise people.  It left the towns in fear, anguish, and confusion, and much time was spent by the Ministry to put things right again.  Because of this, those towns were watched very closely in the years following.  Haven’s Bluff, because of its remoteness away from other towns, dislike of strangers and general close-knit behavior actually in many ways recovered faster than the others, but there was always suspicion there to what truly happened. 

  “So, when the protections surrounding a certain wizard family’s household dropped in the area, the truth of what had been actually happening did not come as a shock to any of them.  And rather than accusing, ostracizing, or going to the London Times, they chose…the town itself, that is, to accept this new branch of their town and welcome them willingly.  It was decided by members of the Ministry and myself that it would be best to honor their choice to look after their own business, as they put it, and so with quite a bit of cornering, lobbying and other political maneuvers, we were able to convince them to leave Haven’s Bluff to do just that.  And you know, the fact of the matter is, I’m not sure that if we had attempted to give them ‘reasonable explanations’ that they wouldn’t have worked their way through them all that much quicker.  They are a suspicious and loyal group, two highly admirable traits.

  “And, it is also fuel for the fire of those opposing the Obliviation spell, for its success as a town has gotten to be rather well known.  So, too, was how the Ministry handled when the Lost Tower of London appeared that same year.  There are many ways that we can minimize damage without damaging anyone’s memories, and it wouldn’t hurt if we weren’t just a bit more careful on how we use our magic to begin with.

  “But now I digress.  The point is that the spell still functions as a controlled spell for the reasons I pointed out, but the spell is, as you can imagine, highly abusable.”

  “Any spell can be abused, no matter what it is,” Heph said.

  “That’s very true, Hephaestus, and I’ll give Slytherin five points for pointing that out,” Dumbledore nodded sagely.  “But I’ll ask that you not speak out of turn again or I’m afraid you shall lose them.”  Heph grimaced sheepishly.  “Well, as it turns out, this spell is actually rather simple to cast for a wizard with an above average mental capacity.  But someone of exceptional ability or intellect must be very careful when using it, for it was found out not long after the Ministry started using it that this seemingly innocent charm was actually powerful enough to push the memories of its victim so far out of reach that they seem to lose them completely.  Aurelius?”

  “What do you mean seem to?  You mean they don’t really lose them?” Aurelius asked.  Dumbledore gazed at the intense look on Aurelius’ face.

  “Well, yes and no,” he answered thoughtfully.  “I probably should have said, ‘they seemed to have been erased completely.’  Yes, they are lost in that the person who had the memories can’t seem to find them.  But they are not lost in the sense that they are erased.  To accomplish that truly one would literally have to take one’s soul to do it, which is something, thank goodness, no wizard has been able to do to my knowledge.  Yes, a memory can be captured and stored, much like in a Pensieve…but although we do not recall it, it doesn’t mean that our souls don’t know we’ve been through it.  However, Aurelius, even though it is true that our memories are still preserved in the fabric of our spirits, I’m afraid that there hasn’t been a case of someone who has been inflicted with this curse to that extent who has made a full recovery.  True, after several years, some of them have been able to gain some of it back, but as of yet, there is no cure.  Yet,” Dumbledore added again, nodding gently at Aurelius before turning back to the class. 

  “Now, I suppose you’re wondering how one protects oneself from it,” Dumbledore said.  “You will find, however, that I will always recommend to you the same three rules of advise as how to protect yourself no matter what the curse we’re speaking of is.  And that is first, to be aware of it.  Second is to be aware of those who are also aware of it, and third, to make a conscious decision never to abuse it yourself.  Now, how many of you here think you can make that decision about this particular spell?”  Dumbledore was not surprised when Aurelius was the first to raise his hand.

  As the class ended and the rest of the students cleared out for lunch, Aurelius waited for them to leave before going over to Dumbledore.  Dumbledore was watching him carefully, nodding almost in confirmation.

  “I see the secret has already made its way into your Pact,” Dumbledore said quietly.

  “The others don’t know yet,” Aurelius said.  “I don’t think he would have told me if I hadn’t been such an ass lately.”

  “We all have our moments, Aurelius.  I had one of mine recently too, as you know,” Dumbledore chuckled softly.  “And I think in many ways for the same reasons.  But don’t worry.  You and I and all of your siblings, yes, Alicia too, are going to have a nice lunch, and if we can get Andrew to take a breathe between bites now and again have a long conversation to go with it.”

  “And you’re going to tell them the truth?  About her memory being gone and there not being any cure?”  Aurelius said.

  “There are treatments, Aurelius.  And if you’ll recall, I said there was no cure yet.  I haven’t given up hope that the Jennifer we know and love will return and take up her calling again.  You shouldn’t give up hope, either.  The world was turned upside down to find her by her friends, so I should think before its all over it’ll be turned upside down to find a way to cure her.  But right now, it’s up to your father to bring her home safe and sound, and until then, we’ll just have to carry on, I suppose.  Hopefully without too many broken curfews or wandering off the grounds without permission,” he added almost casually as he showed him in his office.  Aurelius decided quite wisely not to comment.

 

 

Chapter Eighteen

Jacqueline Gets Nosy

 

  Jacqueline got back to the corner grocery just before noon, still grinning at her daring.  Oh, perhaps it was a bit silly, she admitted, making such a fuss over going two blocks past her normal area.  But after so many months of being stuck in such a small space since her attempt at going to the library, it felt like an adventure.  And the best part was that she didn’t feel the least bit disoriented by doing it…not at all.  She was still thinking about it as she went in, smiling when she saw Mycroft browsing the store, reading the labels curiously.

  “Sorry if I kept you waiting,” she said with grin, bags in hand.  “But I’ve been shopping.   Do you like your new room, did you sleep well?” she asked, stepping into line at the deli counter.

  “It’s comfortable, although I must admit the noise at night will take a bit getting used to,” he admitted.

  “Oh, I know what you mean.  After I woke up from the hospital, I had such a terrible time getting used to it.  Took me over a week, in fact,” Jacqueline admitted, waving to a younger man standing behind the counter.  “Do you have an order for me, David?”

  “Oh yes, that’s right, I’ll bring it right out,” he winked.

  “That’s rather strange if you lived in the same place before your accident,” Mycroft said, getting her attention.  “I would almost think that would be a physical adaptation instead of a memory one.”

  “You know you’re right, that is strange,” Jacqueline said puzzledly.  “I never thought of it that way before.  Perhaps it was just because I was so disoriented.”

  “Perhaps,” Mycroft said quietly.  He glanced up as the man from the deli counter and a much older man came out bearing trays, smiling warmly at them.

  “Ah, so here is your new friend!” Isaac said, putting one of the trays in front of Mycroft, who was looking suspiciously at the lone candle sticking out of the knish.

  “Isaac, this is Professor Doyle.  He’s staying in the neighborhood,” Jacqueline said.  “Isaac is a good friend of mine.”

  “I hear congratulations are in order.  The older you get, the more of a miracle birthdays become,” Isaac chuckled good-naturedly, offering his hand.  Mycroft glanced at Jacqueline strangely before taking it, shaking it gently.  “You know you look familiar, Professor.  Have you been in here before?”

  “No, I came today because of Jacqueline’s recommendation,” Mycroft admitted.

  “She’s a lovely girl, isn’t she?  A bit picky,” he teased with a chuckle and a wink, “But then we all have our vices.  And one has to admit, she has good taste in food and friends, yes?”

  “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Isaac,” Jacqueline said, not for the first time.

  “Well, enjoy, I should get back to work,” he smiled at them both before heading back to the back and David to his counter. 

  “How exactly did you know it was my birthday?”

  “From your passport.  Sally told me,” Jacqueline said, grinning his stunned face.  “Are you upset?”

  “No, merely surprised,” Mycroft said, taking the candle out.  “I normally try to avoid as much fuss as possible on the occasion.”

  “I wouldn’t count a candle in a knish as much fuss,” Jacqueline teased.  “Well, and there are a couple of other things,” she admitted.  “I talked Sally into carrying a few more tea choices in the shop including Earl Grey, although she swears you’ll be the only one using them.  And, I happened to get you something.  Well, not that it’s appropriate or that I expect you to really use it… I don’t even know if you do.  It’s more of a collector piece, really.  But I didn’t know what to get you, and after I heard your name and what I’ve been reading lately, well, I just couldn’t resist.”

  Out of a brown paper bag she took out a small velvet box, holding it out to him.  Cautiously he took it and opened it, his lip curling a bit when he saw what was inside.  It was a meerschaum gourd pipe.  He glanced up to see her watching him intently, wondering if she hadn’t guessed wrong after all as he leaned back in his chair, looking at it.

  “How ironic.  My wife wouldn’t let me get one of these when we went to Turkey last year,” he explained quietly a slight curl to his lip, “slightly afraid, I think, that I would pick up the habit.  She got me a violin instead, which unfortunately for those in hearing range I did pick up the habit.”  Jacqueline smiled cautiously.

  “So you do like it?”

  “I shall add it to my growing collection of Holmes memorabilia, yes, thank you,” he said, watching her smile broaden.  “It is intriguing that you were able to guess my interest in the little time that you’ve known me.”

  “Oh, it’s just a knack I have.  Isaac says I seem to have a natural instinct for reading people’s characters.  I just hope, well, that I didn’t bring up a bad memory.”

  “No, not at all,” Mycroft said, carefully shutting it and setting it aside, testing a piece of the knish.  “Interesting.  I could get used to these,” he admitted.

  “So what was she like?” Jacqueline asked slowly.

  “Who?” Mycroft asked, testing the sandwich.

  “Your wife,” Jacqueline said.  Mycroft stopped and looked at her a moment, toying with his drink distractedly, attempting to think of how to answer it.

   “There were many that considered her the most beautiful woman in Europe.  She was that, and more, although she did tend to get over her head in things.  She had an innocence and spirit that could not be broken no matter what happened to her, and she was well loved by her friends, family, and students,” he said, wondering if it sounded a bit too much like a eulogy.

  “You must really miss her,” Jacqueline said.

  “You have no idea,” he said, but strangely enough there was a tone of amusement under his otherwise somber expression.

  “Was she a professor too, then?  You mentioned the students.”

  “Yes, she was, a very popular one.  As popular as I am unpopular,” he admitted sardonically.

  “Really?  But I can’t imagine how you would be unpopular!” Jacqueline said with surprise.  “No, I’m quite sure you’re just being modest.  You’re obviously intelligent, you don’t seem the type at all to do any work unless you actually wanted to so you must enjoy it, and you’re so thoughtful and patient, at least you have been with me.  No, you must be imagining it.”

  “Perhaps,” Mycroft said uncomfortably, quickly turning his attention to his food.  Jacqueline did as well, but her expression was so intense that it was fairly obvious that she were trying to work herself up into saying something.

  “Professor,” she said at last, pushing away her tray a bit, “Do you know anything about bats?”  It was obvious by his reaction that she had caught him by surprise again.

  “I wouldn’t by any means profess to be an expert on the subject,” Mycroft said carefully, squinting a bit.  “Why do you ask?”

  “I saw one outside the apartment the other day, an unusually large one,” Jacqueline said.  “I don’t think it’s native to the area.  You don’t suppose anyone could have tamed it?  Have you seen any unusual bats?”

  “No, no unusual bats,” Mycroft said quickly, slipping on his gloves.  “This was a nice suggestion, by the way, you have impeccable taste.”

  “Only when it comes to food,” Jacqueline chuckled.  “And why do you put on gloves before you pay your check?  I’ve got this one, by the way, since it was my idea.  But I still want you to answer the question.”

  “I happen to be quite allergic to certain metals,” Mycroft said, a little defensive.

  “You sure you’re just not trying to minimize how many fingerprints you leave around for some reason?” Jacqueline said teasingly.  Mycroft stared at her.

  “Sometimes, Jacqueline, I must admit your thought process baffles me.  Tell me, exactly what sort of fish are we hunting this season?”

  “I’m sorry, I was only joking.  You are so quiet, and I’m just trying to get to know you better,” Jacqueline said.

  “No, no, you are definitely after something.  I know this routine of yours too well,” Mycroft said.  “Do you mind telling me what it is that’s really on your mind?”

  “You, my dear Professor, are becoming positively paranoid,” Jacqueline tsked at him, getting up to pay the bill.  “People shouldn’t be so grumpy on their birthdays.”

  “Yes, thank you once again,” Mycroft said, but was still eyeing her thoughtfully.  “Perhaps you should try a little less bait on the hook next time.  It may make it easier for the fish to swallow,” he suggested, nodding his head a bit.  “See you later on,” he added, heading out the door.

  Jacqueline’s eyes followed him out and she frowned.  Maybe she was too hard on him, she admitted.  She was turning into regular Emma in training.  She shook her head at herself, wondering how she was going to get her questions answered without backing him into a corner.

  “I like that one, Jacqueline.  He seems to be a very nice man,” Isaac said with a smile.  Jacqueline looked around to where he was stacking the shelves behind her.

  “Yes, but you said the same thing about Mark,” Jacqueline said.

  “No,” Isaac said, turning back to his work.  “I said Mark seemed to be a very nice boy.  He has much to learn about the world.  This one walks as if the world has much to learn from him.”

 

  Sally and Rob were waiting for Jacqueline quite expectantly when she came in for work that night.

  “Well?” Sally said impatiently as she went to get her apron.  “How did the date go?”

  “Date?” Jacqueline said, staring at her.  “Oh really, Sally!  It was hardly a date!”

  “You met for lunch, ate and gave him a present, and you don’t call that a date?” Sally said unconvinced.  “What did you get him, anyhow?”

  “A gourd pipe from the tobacco store,” Jacqueline said.  Sally looked at her blankly.  “Well, it was the only thing close enough for me to dare getting!  And he liked it.”

  “I didn’t know he even smoked,” Sally said.

  “He doesn’t,” Jacqueline grinned.  “I think you missed the point.”

  “Well I just got the point, Jacqueline, you crossed the corner!  That store is nearly four blocks away!” Rob said.  “Living dangerously, aren’t we?”

  “Yes, and loving every minute of it,” Jacqueline grinned proudly.  “Maybe one of these days I’ll get real daring and see some of the town on my own.  Tony says he would take me.  And what Erascus and Mark don’t know won’t hurt them, right?”

  “That’s the theory, but you’re forgetting Erascus seems to have a built in radar when you step out of line,” Sally said.

  “Screw him.  Jacqueline can take care of herself.  She don’t need a shrink anymore,” Rob said.

  “Well I still haven’t gotten my memories back,” Jacqueline said with a sigh, hurrying out to the bar to make coffee.

  “He hasn’t really been helping you there, has he?” Rob said.  “Or Mark either for that matter.”

  “Jacqueline, I think you’ve already proven you can manage without them,” Sally said gently.

  “Manage yes, but feel complete?” Jacqueline shook her head slowly.  “I’m not sure I ever will be complete again.”  The customers coming in provided for a welcome distraction, and Jacqueline got busy on the floor.  And it wasn’t until Emma came in that her mind wandered onto anything else.  She looked, in fact, quite worried, and was obviously relieved to see Jacqueline was at work.

  “A cup of coffee and a menu tonight, I think,” Emma said, waiting until Jacqueline came closer to murmur.  “Did your date go all right?”

  “It wasn’t a date,” Jacqueline said with exasperation, handing her the menu and turning over the cup.

  “I don’t suppose you’ve been following the news lately about the burglar?” Emma asked.

  “Who has time to do that?  Besides, if there’s anything interesting in town, Tony tells us about it,” Sally said, making a hand movement as if to ward off impending gossip.

  “Yes, of course, and he’s good at it too,” Emma agreed.  “But I was wondering if you heard the description of the man they want to question?”

  “Yes I have,” Jacqueline said curtly.  “And I hope you haven’t jumped to any conclusions, Emma.  There is no way that Professor Doyle is involved.”

  “What’s this about the Professor?” Sally said, immediately interested in spite of herself.  That was Emma drew out a paper, the composite drawing just below the fold.  Sally squinted at it thoughtfully, looking at Emma and then at Jacqueline.  “You know, he does look a bit like him.”

  “Oh no, not you too,” Jacqueline said, looking for something to fill.

  “The fact that you don’t seem surprised makes me think that you must have considered the possibility yourself,” Sally said, glancing at it again.  Rob came up behind her, drying his hands off on a towel.

  “Nah, it’s not him.  Doyle’s nose isn’t that big.”

  “Well, that could just be his wearing glasses.  Has anyone seen him with them off?” Sally asked.

  “Besides, these robberies started months ago.  The Professor hasn’t been around that long,” Jacqueline said.

  “We don’t know that,” Rob said, shrugging.  “Who says the first day he came in here was the first he was here?  And don’t con artists call themselves professional names when they’re really good?  I mean, I’ve heard ‘em called Professors and Doctors…hey maybe Erascus is one too,” Rob smirked.

  “Yes, but Erascus is slime.  Professor Doyle’s a very nice guy.”

  “People get murdered by nice guys.  You hear it all the time.  Ask Tony,” Rob said.

  “Please, please, let’s not mention this, all right?  For one thing, if Erascus thinks I’m seeing anyone other than Mark he’ll blow a fuse, and to have him look like this burglar everyone’s been getting worked up about will really convince him to put me in solitary somewhere,” Jacqueline pleaded.  “Let me handle this in my own way.”

  “So you do think it’s him?” Sally asked.

  “So you are seeing him?” Emma inquired.

  “No!” Jacqueline snapped.

  “To which one?” Sally smirked.

  “No, I don’t think it’s him, but I’d just as soon be certain, and no, I’m not seeing him, but I don’t want Erascus to think I am because I’m talking to someone male.”

  “He sees you talk to Tony all the time,” Emma pointed out.

  “I hardly think he would be worried by Tony,” Jacqueline said irritably, filling Emma’s cup.

  “Then why would he be worried about this one, hm?  Unless there was something there?” Emma prodded.  Sally chuckled a bit, but before she could comment on the look of Jacqueline’s face, they all glanced up in time to see Erascus come in.  Jacqueline quickly walked away from the older lady, who put away her paper and glanced at the senior menu.

  Erascus frowned, knowing very well they had stopped their conversation because of him, squinting at Jacqueline a bit as she took down the old woman’s order, seemingly absorbed in her work to notice.

  “Good evening, Doctor.  Usual table and usual order?” Sally said with a civil smile.

  “Same table, but something different would be nice.  Do you have anything in this place that isn’t soaked in grease?” he asked, walking over to the table and inspecting it to make sure it was clean before he sat down.

  “How about a salad?” Sally said, her smile even more forced.

  “How about fruit salad?” Rob couldn’t help but suggest from the back room.  When Erascus looked up to give him a cold stare, Rob retreated to the back, snickering.

  “Just the soup, and tea please.  Your coffee is beginning to give me an ulcer.”

  “Fine, what kind of tea?” Sally said, letting out a short sigh to keep herself cool tempered.

  “What kind?” Erascus stared at her.

  “Regular, Earl Grey, Darjeeling or Chamomile?”

  “Since when do you carry more than one?”

  “What, can’t a humble café instill a bit of class every now and then?” Sally asked.

  “It’s my doing, Doctor,” Jacqueline blurted out, Erascus’ eyes falling on her and looking even more annoyed than ever.  “I thought it’d be a nice change for everyone, and I really like Earl Grey.”

  “Perhaps you should consider coming to our appointment a bit early next week,” Erascus said.  “Regular, Mrs. Kingler.”

  “Fine,” Jacqueline said, and didn’t speak for the remainder of the evening.

Chapter Nineteen

Careless Deceit

 

  Jacqueline didn’t even blink when Erascus changed the prescription of nasty night pills that week.  If he had truly known what was happening, he would have surely been even more furious, Jacqueline knew.  Of course, she didn’t dream every night.  But the dreams did seem to come more steadily on Mondays and Thursday nights, tossing and turning as she always did dreading the days that followed them.  Not that the dreams ever made any sense, and nearly all of them were nightmares.

 

  She had been at a party, of which everyone there had blurry faces, not quite focused.  But then, as she tried hard to recognize someone, Mycroft was there, bowing slightly with an almost expressionless face as he asked her to dance.  Did she know how?  She supposed she did, she realized, gliding across the floor feeling his arm around her waist.  He gazed at her so intensely…a fire behind his eyes that she’d never seen before and felt herself grow warm, wondering if it would go on forever.  But finally they stopped and he handed her a drink taking a sip of his own.  But the moment she did, Jacqueline began to see strange black spots and felt dizzy, several shouts calling out a name she didn’t recognize as she hit the ground.  But although she knew she was unconscious, she suddenly found herself standing above herself, and the boy from the other dream was there, watching.

  “Don’t worry, you’re not dead,” the dark-haired boy said.  “Just nearly.  And you’re not the only one,” he added.

  But before she could turn and ask him to explain, she opened her eyes, cursing softly that she couldn’t see what happened next.  She glanced up to notice Mark, standing in the kitchen and fiddling with the coffee pot, who was still watching her intently.  How obvious was it getting now that she was dreaming?

  And so, when Erascus asked her, Jacqueline admitted she hadn’t been sleeping well on certain nights, and his reaction had been immediate… so had his insistence that she take that night off whether she wanted to or not.  

  Above the café, Mycroft had been pacing his room restlessly, glancing at the mirror once more before turning to go the other way.  A simple enough spell, to make a mirror that could see around a corner; and Mycroft had it pointed to the office building beside them, wondering what was taking so long.

  The dread that came to her face whenever she thought of or talked of Erascus worried him more and more as time went on, as did the troublesome comments from others around the café that Erascus himself had seemed more on edge of late.  He suspected something, Mycroft was quite sure, and the idea of letting her walk into the lion’s cage again went against every instinct he had but he knew to do otherwise before she was ready would be disastrous.

  At last he saw movement from the corner of his eye and glanced over to see Jacqueline come out of the office.  But instead of heading to the café as she normally did, she started towards home.  Mycroft frowned, knowing what he had to do but not sure if he should.  Erascus for certain would be watching, but probably only the door, Mycroft mused.  In less than an instant, Mycroft was gone from his room and was stepping out of a rather questionable elevator onto the second floor of the apartment building, matching the doors to their corresponding balconies.

  Collapsed on the couch, Jacqueline started in surprise when there was a knock, reluctantly going over to check it, half expecting Erascus to be on the other side.  Peering out the peephole in disbelief of who was standing there, she finally opened the door.

  “Professor!  How did you get in?  How did you find me?”  Jacqueline asked letting him in.

  “I have a talent for getting into places when I need to,” Mycroft said evenly.  “Your appointment took longer than usual.  I was afraid that your friends might be concerned unless someone checked on you.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that,” Jacqueline said bitterly, sitting down again.  “Erascus called them and told them I needed another night off a week.  He said he is concerned about my safety as well as my recent stress levels and suggested I take tonight off.  As if ‘suggested’ is the appropriate word.  Why is it that my losing my memories seems to make everyone feel like they have the right to treat me like a child?”

  “I do not,” Mycroft said expressionlessly.  Jacqueline’s shoulders relaxed a bit and a small smile crept in.

  “You’re right, I’m sorry,” she said, grabbing a few extra pillows off the couch so he could sit as well, throwing them behind it.  “What do you mean exactly, anyhow, by having a talent for getting into places when you need to?”

  “Please, tell me we’re not going to get into that again.  And may I ask just what I did to deserve this undivided scrutiny of yours?” Mycroft challenged.

  “I’m not sure what you mean.  I was only asking,” Jacqueline said defensively.  Mycroft slowly shook his head, his eyes never leaving hers.

  “Do you question Mark this way?”

  “Um, well, sometimes, I suppose,” Jacqueline admitted.  “What’s wrong with asking someone to clarify what they said?”

  “What about Erascus?” Mycroft persisted.

  “No,” Jacqueline admitted.  For some reason that admission was as hard as the first.  “I found out early on that asking him questions only kept me in the apartment longer, so for the most part, I don’t.  Look, Kingler’s Café…it’s all I have to look forward to.  When I’m home, I don’t feel at home.  I hate going to Erascus, and except for an hour now and then at the grocer’s, I have nowhere else to go.  I can’t risk losing that, and as tense as things have been getting...” Jacqueline stood up, walking around the room a bit. 

  “Sometimes I just wish I could get away from here, as far and fast as I can and get myself; somewhere Erascus and Mark can’t find me so that I can live my own life.  But every time I try to stretch a bit, something tells me to back off, to be careful…that something is going to snap that shouldn’t and Erascus will know.  I’m afraid of him, Professor, although frankly I’m not sure I completely understand why.  To hear Rob and Sally talk, I should be able to just walk away any time that I’d like.  And yet I feel like if I do, I may never be able to get my freedom back.”  She sighed, sitting down again.  “There I go, rambling again.  I suppose none of that made sense at all.”

  “No,” Mycroft said quietly, “It made perfect sense.” 

  “Really?” Jacqueline said, looking over at him.  He nodded slowly.  “Perhaps that’s why I still talk to you even though you lie to me so much.”

  “I don’t lie to you,” Mycroft said stiffly.  “I may omit a few things, but that’s hardly lying.”

  “Well at least you admit that much.  What about that bat?” Jacqueline demanded.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “You told me you didn’t have a bat, but I saw one go into one of the rooms above the café.  I asked Sally which room was yours, and I know it’s the right one.” Jacqueline said, folding her arms.

  “I believe you asked me if I had seen any unusual bats.  I had not; as he is not unusual to me, and even so, I also admit that I am no real expert on them.  If you are asking if he is mine, he is not.  Ratfly was my wife’s.  Care to meet him?”  Mycroft suggested.  He adjusted a silvery chain around his neck as he went over to the patio door, glancing out for a moment to make sure it wasn’t being watched.

  “Meet him?” Jacqueline said with surprise, getting up to follow.  Sliding the door open, Mycroft held out his arm, and within no time the large bat had swept into the room and over to Mycroft’s arm, complaining loudly.  Jacqueline took a wary step backwards.

  “He is a bit grouchy when I wake him,” Mycroft admitted.  “You know, perhaps I had better give him to you.”

  “Me?” Jacqueline said, looking at the bat warily.  But as Mycroft grabbed her hand and held it out Ratfly immediately came to her, clinging to her arm.  At first Jacqueline didn’t breathe, but after a moment when nothing alarming happened she smiled nervously.  “What sort of name is Ratfly anyhow?”

  “She got it as a present as a girl, just before she got out of school.  I suppose at the time she thought it was amusing,” Mycroft said, watching them carefully as she tried to get used to it clinging there, petting it gently, handing her a cherry to give him.

  “He’s enormous for a bat, isn’t he?” Jacqueline said as it grabbed tightly onto her arm, settling upside down contentedly.

  “No, I believe some of these can get a deal larger,” Mycroft said, his voice sounding strange.  Jacqueline looked up curiously at the forlorn look on his face.

  “What is it?  Something wrong?”  Jacqueline asked concernedly, but he shook his head, the look fading into a weak smile.  She glanced at the bat again.  “Do you know, I do believe he fell asleep,” she said, peering at him.  “What a rather uncomfortable looking position!  Not too comfortable for my arm either,” she chuckled.

  “He hasn’t been sleeping well lately,” Mycroft said, gently waking the bat and getting him to move over to him.  “He’s hardly the only one with all that noise outside,” he added, walking the bat back over to the patio.

  “Count me into that number,” Jacqueline sighed.

  “Now see?  Everything’s going to be all right.  Why don’t you go in where it’s warm and find somewhere to nap?” Mycroft told the bat.  As if it had understood, it flew over to the other building, tilting nearly sideways to make it cleanly in the open window.  “Maybe he’ll finally get some sleep.”

  “Poor thing.  He must miss her,” Jacqueline said.

  “Yes, as do I,” Mycroft admitted.  He glanced back at Jacqueline, who looked rather uncomfortable, not knowing what to say.  “So Erascus is making you stay home because he thinks you are overly stressed, does he?”

  “Oh, yes, so he says,” Jacqueline said, heading to the kitchen to get them something to drink, taking her pills out of her coat to put in the cabinet.  “And he gave me a new night prescription.”

  “Mind if I look at it?”

  “Not at all, it’s not if I plan on taking them.  Not now,” Jacqueline said, filling the cups with ice.

  “So you are dreaming more then?” Mycroft asked, trying to figure out how to get the bottle open.

  “More like nightmares,” Jacqueline said, finally taking the bottle and twisting the safety lock for him, handing it back.  “At least, they would be, if it wasn’t for the boy.”

  “Boy?” Mycroft frowned, palming one of the pills and handing it back.  “Tell me about them.”

  “They’re nothing really, I mean, nothing that makes any sense,” Jacqueline said, leaning on the counter with a sigh.  “Mostly they’re about me being trapped.  Like the dream I told you about where I felt like I couldn’t wake up, or the one I had where I thought I had woken up, but I was buried alive like in an unmarked grave, and then last night, it was poison, playing out like a bad mystery drama, with me standing beside my body and not being able to do a thing about it.  They’re all like that.  I suppose it’s just showing my frustration of not remembering anything.”

  “Perhaps,” Mycroft said softly, his face still expressionless.  “What about this boy you spoke of?”  Suddenly he looked up noticing a ruckus from Ratfly just outside.  “Someone’s here,” he said, going over to the window.  Jacqueline quickly hurried over to look as well, peeking out just to see a suit and a briefcase enter the building. 

  “Great, it’s Mark.  What is he doing home early?  Um, Professor…” she turned to look beside her, but he wasn’t there.  She spun around in surprise staring at the door, which was still closed.  “Professor?”  She glanced in the bathroom just as the handle turned, then stepped out again as casually as she could as Mark came in, risking a glance out the balcony door as she passed it.  Just then she noticed the silhouette of someone in Mycroft’s window and did a double take, the shadow quickly disappearing out of view.

  “Hi, Jackie!  How are you feeling?” Mark said, going over to her and kissing her on the cheek with a gentle hug.

  “Um, fine,” she said quickly before following him into the kitchen.  “Although a bit frustrated.  I was really looking forward to working tonight.”

  “Well, for once I agree with Erascus.  You have been high strung lately, and sometimes downright impossible,” he said, going over to the fridge, staring at something on the counter.

  “Well you aren’t exactly easy to live with either, you know,” Jacqueline teased back.

  “Why are there two glasses of ice on the counter?”  Mark asked.

  “Oh!  I forgot!” Jacqueline said, pushing her way over to the fridge to get out the pitcher.  “I saw you coming and was going to get us both some lemonade.”

  “Then why were you by the window when I came in?”

  “I wanted to see what was taking so long,” Jacqueline said, finishing the task.  She turned to find him standing at the patio door looking out.  “Do you want something to drink or not?”

  “How come all the pillows are tossed around?” Mark said, still suspicious.

  “I was getting ready to take a nap!” Jacqueline said with exasperation.  “What else am I supposed to do since I’m not working?”

  “Well, maybe talk about where we’re going on Friday?  I was thinking either a show, or shopping, or how about I take you to Rockefeller center?  Do you know how to ice skate?” He asked.

  “You would that know more than I would, wouldn’t you?” Jacqueline challenged.  Mark shifted a bit.

  “Look, we’re getting off badly here.  You do need to relax a bit.   Why don’t I get us some real drinks, and we can grab a blanket, sit on the couch, and watch something on T.V., your pick.  I promise I won’t argue no matter what you choose,” he promised, going over to rub her shoulders.  “Ooo, you are tense.”

  “I think I’m just going to turn in early.  Mind if I take the bed?” Jacqueline said, shrugging away.

  “If you really feel that way,” Mark sighed.  “Don’t forget your medicine…”

  “I already took it,” Jacqueline snapped.  She grabbed a book off the shelf, slamming the door behind her and locking it.  Putting down his drink, Mark went to the cabinet and counted her pills, relaxing slightly but still staring thoughtfully at the glass in his hand.

 

Chapter Twenty

Spectacles

 

  “Jennifer, like it or not you are constantly in the spotlight.  Perhaps it is time you should think about how you want everyone else to see you, and discipline yourself to let them only see what you want them to see.”

  “I can’t do that, Severus!   Hide who I am?  Under a mask like you do?   How can I do that and not betray who I am?  I’ve never needed a mask before…”

  “Only because your friends have always supplied the mask for you.  But you’re no longer the young, naïve teacher that first entered this school, and it’s high time you thought about it.”

  “I’ve never really wanted anyone to see me but for who I really am.”

  “What about your first year here when you tried to play Lucius Malfoy with an act and I had to come bail you out?”

  “That was different.  I wasn’t doing it to protect how I was being seen.  Besides, I’m a Truth-seeker, remember?  Honesty first, and all that.  What sort of Truth-seeker goes around wearing a mask to who they really are?”

 

  Severus woke up restlessly, glancing at the closed window.  He suddenly realized that he had gotten used to waking up and shutting it on cold November nights, and yet here it was, still closed, an obstinate reminder that things weren’t as they should be.  With a wave, the window opened to let in a breeze and he collapsed again, the heavy weight of exhaustion feeling more like a weight upon his soul.

 

    All of the regulars were there when Jacqueline arrived to work the next day, welcoming her warmly and asking her how she was until she finally protested laughing.

  “Goodness, I’m gone one day and the world is ending?  I’m fine, really, I got caught up on some sleep,” Jacqueline said as she went for an apron.

  “Did you hear there was another robbery last night?” Tony inquired.  Jacqueline could tell right away from the exchanges of looks what they had been talking about.  “Only a few blocks from here, too.”

  “Did anyone see him leave his room yesterday?” Emma asked.

  “As a matter of fact, yes,” Jacqueline said curtly, tying her apron and taking her normal station at the bar.  “He happened to drop by the apartment after my appointment to check on me.”

  “Really?” Emma said with interest.  “Rather bold of him to do that, considering you live with Mark, isn’t it?  When the cat’s away, I suppose.”

  “He was merely worried!” Jacqueline frowned at her.  “Goodness Eliza, don’t start jumping to conclusions on me!”  Emma blinked at her.

  “Emma, dear.”

  “Emma, yes, sorry.  Don’t know where that came from,” Jacqueline said, filling her cup as a show of apology.  “But still, he was just making sure Erascus wasn’t shackling me to the wall.”

  “How did he get into the building?  You let him in?”  Tony asked.

  “Well, no, he just showed up at the door.  Someone let him in, I guess.  Happens all the time,” Jacqueline shrugged.

  “Some security!” Emma snorted.  “You need a doorman.”

  “When I can afford Park Avenue, I’ll let you know,” Jacqueline said dryly.

  “So how long did he stay then?” Tony asked.

  “Just a few minutes.  Mark came home early,” Jacqueline said.

  “Oh, no!  What did Mark say when he saw him?” Sally asked.

  “Oh, the Professor got out before that, actually.  I’m not really sure how, exactly, but he did,” Jacqueline said.

  “When did Erascus call, fourish?” Rob mused from where he watched from the back.  “That would mean fivish tops.  Robbery happened at nine, which means there’s still a huge window of opportunity there.”

  “Have you all been watching Perry Mason reruns again?” Jacqueline demanded, hands on her hips.  “Didn’t he go to his room after dinner like he always does?”

  “He didn’t stop in for dinner,” Sally said, “And I’m not in the habit of knocking on doors to see which tenants are in and out.  But I do admit he does have his moments when he seems a bit out of touch.”

  “Aren’t most professors?” Jacqueline asked.

  “Thus says the expert,” Rob teased.  “I still want to compare him with his glasses off.”

  “And how exactly do you plan to do that?” Sally asked him.  “Oh, pardon me, would you take your glasses off for a moment so we can make sure you’re not a burglar and possible murderer?”

  “Now, now, I’m sure some of us who know him better could come up with something,” Emma said, looking slyly over towards Jacqueline.  “Think you could bump him so he drops them in his soup?”

  “He doesn’t normally get soup,” Jacqueline said irritably.  “And I don’t like accusing my friends of doing something wrong, no matter how suspicious it looks.”  Sally and Emma exchanged glances.  “All right, I’ll figure something out if he comes in, but only if you all promise to drop it afterwards.”

  “We’re just looking after your safety, dear,” Emma said with an encouraging nod.

  “Please don’t say that.  Every time I hear that I feel another iron chain across my chest and I can hardly breathe as it is,” Jacqueline said. 

  Her friends had been so convinced he was going to come in that night that they kept finding things to order as an excuse to stay, and as it was were they were nearly bursting with food and coffee before Mycroft walked into the diner that immediately quieted with his entry.  Mycroft, however, had begun to get used to the café crowds curious welcome, nodding to them all and glancing at Jacqueline who smiled warmly at him. 

  “Here, why don’t I sit you at a table tonight so you can be comfortable,” Sally suggested.  “Over here by the bar, of course.  Jacqueline, are you going to stand there or get this man some tea?  It is getting cold out there.”

  “Snow before the weekend’s over is what I hear,” Tony put in, immediately telling Mycroft that the short conversation was far from being unnoticed. 

  Sally lingered by the table with the menu when Jacqueline came out with Mycroft’s cup, glancing at her watch.

  “Is it that late already?” she said with surprise.  “Goodness, Jacqueline, you should take a break.  I’ll go bring you a cup as well.”  Jacqueline gave her a dirty look but put her apron in Sally’s waiting hand.

  “Won’t you sit down?” Mycroft said, his eyes looking at Sally thoughtfully as the woman headed towards the bar.  “And is it just me, or do I sense a conspiracy at hand?”

  “Not one of my doing, I assure you,” Jacqueline said, head turning as she sat down to see Tony and Emma turning quickly around in their seats and Rob diving to look busy in the kitchen.  “I think my disappearance yesterday has my friends on edge.  I’m gone one day and you would think it was the end of the world.”

  “Yes,” Mycroft said quietly, his expression distant and unreadable.  “I just wanted to apologize for my abrupt departure yesterday.  I didn’t want to cause you any trouble.  I know things are not as they should be for you at home.”

  “Boy is that the understatement of the year,” Jacqueline chuckled.  “I don’t know how you managed to get out so quickly, but thank you.  You probably saved me a lot of grief.”

  “The last thing I want to do is put you in a position that causes you more grief,” Mycroft said in such a low, sincere voice that Jacqueline couldn’t help but stare and wonder at its intensity.  At that moment Sally came back with Jacqueline’s tea, slipping it in front of her and retreating as fast as she had come.

  “I know what you mean,” Jacqueline said at last.  “To be honest, sometimes I feel like I’m afraid that I might say the wrong thing and…well, it’s obvious that you’ve hardly gotten over losing your wife.”

  “Gotten over it?” Mycroft repeated, testing the words as he said them before shaking his head.  “Impossible.  How can one get over a person who gets under the skin, penetrates every fibre of one’s being so completely that not an action is made after that hasn’t been affected by it… that would be like attempting to get over living,” he said, his eyes never leaving her.  Jacqueline felt a strange chill through her followed by a terrible ache, whether brought on from his own obvious grief or her own she wasn’t sure.  She found herself longing for a glimpse in his mind at that moment.  “There is nothing that you can say or ask that will injure me, Jacqueline.  Although don’t expect me to answer everything,” he added with a wry smile.

  “Well I do have one question,” Jacqueline said after taking a long drink out of her cup.

  “Go on,” Mycroft said, his eyes still on her.

  “Can I see your glasses?” she asked.  Mycroft blinked, raising his eyebrows a bit.  Whatever it was he had been expecting her to ask, that was obviously not it.

  “Why?” he asked, suddenly wary.

  “Well for one thing, they’re a little crooked,” Jacqueline grinned at him taking them off before he could protest again, twisting them gently.  “There, I’m sure that’s better,” she said, gazing at him again, feeling another strange tingle up her spine.  There could be little doubt now that he resembled the man in the drawing now.  Improvising she put the glasses on, turning to the others.  It was then that Mycroft realized how intensely they were still being watched.  “What do you think?  How do they look?” Jacqueline said to them.

  “I think they look better on him,” Rob said.

  “Yes, so do I,” Mycroft said, taking his glasses back with annoyance, glaring at Jacqueline’s pouting face as he put them back on.  “And just exactly what are you up to this time?”

  “What?  You are always so suspicious!” Jacqueline said.  “Maybe I just wanted to see what you looked like with your glasses off.”

  “Fine,” Mycroft said.  “Why?”

  “What do you mean why?  Can’t a girl be a little curious?” Jacqueline asked.  Mycroft didn’t miss the slightly flirtatious tone in her voice, but neither did he buy it.

  “You are up to something, Jacqueline.  I know you.  You definitely think you are onto something, and whatever it is, I think it would be prudent for you to tell me what it is,” Mycroft said.

  “You keep saying that.  The other night you did too… ‘I know you too well.’  What is it that makes you think you know me so well?” Jacqueline challenged him.  Mycroft seemed momentarily taken aback, quickly feigning an attempt to clean his lenses, pausing when he glanced over to where everyone at the bar was leaning over to get a good look at him.

  “Are you telling me that the fact that so many people are watching us isn’t a tad suspicious?” Mycroft said.

  “Oh them,” Jacqueline said, looking sheepish.  “To be honest, they think something’s going on between us.  Emma’s a real gossip and she’s got the others convinced.  But don’t worry, I told them we were only friends.”  Mycroft stared at her dubiously.  “Well, I should be getting back to work, shouldn’t I?” She said and excused herself, his eyes following her back to the bar as the others quickly tried to look interested in their meals or their work.

  “So Jackie, where you going this Friday?” Tony asked casually when he saw Mycroft still studying them suspiciously.

  “Oh, some sort of old show revival,” Jacqueline said.  “I’m going to be bored to pieces I’m sure.”

  “Well if you go in with that attitude you will,” Sally scolded her.  “Perhaps this will be the week that you come home having had a good time.”

  “Yes, maybe Mark will break a leg or something and have to stay home,” Jacqueline said wickedly.

  “You are so hard on that boy, Jacqueline,” Emma chuckled.

  “I know I am,” Jacqueline said.  “But the Professor is right,” she said, nodding over to where he watched from his table.  “I can’t let myself feel guilty because of everything Mark’s done for me.  Although, I’m sure that he’s not any happier with this situation than I am.”

  “So if you both know it, perhaps it’s time to sit down and talk with him.  You know, about you getting a place on your own,” Sally said.  “If he does really care about you, I think he’d understand you needing to be independent for awhile.  Who knows, it might improve your relationship in the long run too.”

  “If you only understood what we’ve been through just to become friends,” Jacqueline said.  “You know how sometimes you meet someone and from the first instant you know you’re going to get along and become good friends from the start?  And then there are times when you meet someone nice that you’d think you should get along with, and well, it just isn’t all that easy.  We can’t do anything together without both of us making sacrifices about what we like, or what we want to do, or anything, and not because we want to make them either but because we have to, to keep from killing one another.  Don’t get me wrong, I do like Mark, but more as a casual, ‘hey why don’t you come over for a cup of coffee sometime’ sort.  Providing I’m the one making the coffee,” Jacqueline added with a chuckle.

  “Don’t tell us that, Jackie, we know it already,” Sally said.  “Tell him.”

  “Tell him,” Jacqueline repeated, glancing at the Professor who seemed lost in thought.  “I’m not sure I can.  I’m not sure I trust what he’ll do when I say it.”

  “Well if you can’t trust him, dear, you most definitely shouldn’t be with him,” Emma said, sipping her coffee.  “You’d be better off with a criminal you could trust than a nice guy you can’t.”

  Jacqueline’s jaw dropped in surprise then she quickly grabbed some dirty plates to take to the back, refusing to look at the old woman on her way past.  Was Emma right?  Did she trust the Professor more than she trusted Mark?  Jacqueline sighed, rinsing off the dishes.  She hadn’t exactly been a good friend to Mycroft, poking around as she had.  Perhaps she should come out and ask him.  Would he tell her the truth?  He hadn’t exactly been honest to her.  And that made her wonder even more at Emma’s observation.  Just why did she feel she could trust him?

 

  Jacqueline had a special gown set aside for the evening; a nice dark wintry red dress, long but sleek, and a new black coat that Mark had given her for the occasion.  She tossed her hair up in a polished amber and bone clip and came out with a wry smile on her face as Mark stood there staring agape at her as if seeing her for the first time.

  “You look amazing,” he said at last, tying his tie.  “I have a good feeling about tonight, Jacqueline.  I really think you’re going to enjoy yourself, this musical seems right up your alley.”

  “I’d be happier if we could both enjoy ourselves for a change,” Jacqueline admitted.

  “We will do our best,” Mark said with an almost mocking bow, offering her arm.  Jacqueline took it with a smile, the two of them heading down the stairs to brave the freezing winds to get to waiting cab.  As they stepped out, Jacqueline suddenly smiled, seeing the title.

  “The Scarlet Pimpernel?  Like the book?” Jacqueline said as they stepped over to the door.

  “I thought you’d like that.  I saw the book on the nightstand and figured you might,” Mark said.  “You’d better, actually, I had to pull quite a few strings to get orchestra tickets tonight.”

  “Just as long as you weren’t standing out here with a sign,” she laughed, glancing at some of the other men hovering about.

  “Almost,” Mark said with a grin, convinced now he had done something right for a change.  “And this is quite a bit warmer than ice skating.”

  “Definitely,” Jacqueline agreed.  She couldn’t help but be impressed at the theatre and their center stage seating, although felt a bit guilty that he had gone to so much trouble.  “You’re positive this isn’t one of those moving picture things, right?”

 “Jacqueline!” he said with exasperation, then saw her grinning at him.

 “And you still haven’t explained why we got dressed up to sit in the dark,” Jacqueline said.

  “You don’t pay this kind of money and not get dressed up.  Besides, we’re going to dinner afterwards.  We should be getting out early enough for that.”

  “Dinner?  Oh no.”

  “I promise I won’t touch a drop of anything,” Mark assured her.  Jacqueline chuckled softly, shaking her head a bit.  She spent the time during the wait just admiring the architecture and listening to others around her, caught up in the building tension waiting for it to start.

  From the moment the curtains opened, Jacqueline felt herself drawn in, completely oblivious of everything, even in some ways of her own self as she got caught up in the story of an Englishman trying to rescue aristos from the Guillotine during the French Revolution.  But that was merely background, in ways, for the true story of Percy and Marguerite, torn between their love for each other, his loyalty for his friends and duty, and her loyalty to her family.  Music has a way of piercing through people when they least expect it, and so it did to Jacqueline.  The more she watched the fanciful anguish and love the couple went through, the more she herself felt something growingly wrong inside herself, something deep and desperate missing that perhaps was lost forever.  Was it a passion for life, or just passion in general?  Nothing really seemed important in what she did, and she couldn’t help but feel that her questions to herself only lead to more questions with no answers in sight.

  Mark watched her with growing concern at intermission, but didn’t say anything to her growing depression.

  “Do you hate it that much?” he asked after a moment.  “Because if you do, we can leave now.”

  “No, really, I’d like to stay,” Jacqueline said immediately.  “Mark, how different am I now to how I was before I lost my memories?”

  “Quite a deal, I would say,” he said quietly. 

  “I’m not the same person at all, am I?” Jacqueline said, looking over to him.  A look of fear crossed his face then, but he shook his head slightly more as if answering himself than her.

  “It’s true, you have changed,” Mark said.  “That’s what you were asking, isn’t it?”

  “Was I happy?  I mean back then.  Was I happy with my life?” Jacqueline said.  Mark looked at her but didn’t speak, even though he opened his mouth as if to, nothing came out.  “Because I’m not now, and I don’t know how to fix it.”

  “Just tell me what to do,” Mark said at last, his tone hushed as the curtain began to rise again.  “Whatever you want me to do to make you happy, I will,” he swore softly.  Jacqueline stared at him searchingly, but he did seem sincere.  She sighed, turning back to the show distractedly, not able to get as completely absorbed as she had the first half.

  Tiny snowflakes had begun to flicker down by the time they came out, and Mark took the first cab that came up the line, settling her in before getting in himself.  The traffic was insane, but Mark wasn’t worried about the parking lot streets.  Instead he turned to Jacqueline who seemed even more somber than before.

  “What is it?” he asked quietly, not being able to stand it anymore.

  “Mark, do you love me?”  Jacqueline asked, turning to him seriously.

  “Yes,” Mark said quietly, gazing at her.

  “No, I mean, do you love me as I am now, and not the person you knew,” Jacqueline said insistently.  “Because I think you know by now that I’m not that person any more.”

  “I know,” he said quietly.

  “Do you?” Jacqueline said.  “Because I think if I got my memories back tomorrow, I don’t think I’d be the same, even then.  Could you still love me, knowing that?”

  “Of course I could, Jacqueline,” Mark said, touching her cheek with the back of his hand.  “But the question is, how do you feel?  What if your memories never come back, do you think you could learn to love me?”

  “Could I?” Jacqueline questioned herself.  “Perhaps I could,” she admitted.  “But not like this.  Not in the shadow of Erascus, and not with these forced dates and definitely not without the freedom to choose for myself on whether or not I want to try.  I realized something tonight, Mark.  Something I couldn’t see before, and that is there is something truly missing in my life and in my heart, and it’s not just the memories as I’ve always thought.  It’s something more, much more.  I can live without my memories, but I can’t live with this emptiness.”  Mark gazed at her helplessly for a moment, wishing the traffic would move.

  “What do you want me to do?  What can I do?” Mark whispered.

  “Let me have the freedom to find out what I’m missing,” Jacqueline pleaded.  “Let me have some time on my own.”

  “Jacqueline, you know Erascus would never allow that,” Mark said, shaking his head.

  “Two hours ago you told me you’d do anything to make sure I was happy, and now you’re taking it back because what I want is not what Erascus wants?” Jacqueline said.

  “Erascus is only doing what’s best for both of us.”

  “Oh, Mark, that’s total bull and you know it,” Jacqueline snapped angrily.  “Do you have any idea what he’s giving me, Mark?  That horrible night pill that you make sure I take?  It doesn’t help dreams; it stops them!”

  “How did you know that?” Mark said with alarm.

  “You mean you knew?” Jacqueline said aghast.

   “Jacqueline, the nightmares… it was to stop the nightmares…” Mark stammered.

   “I didn’t have those until that night I forgot to take one!  Why did you do it, Mark?” Jacqueline shouted.

  “Erascus thought it was best…if you got used to your surroundings again before you had to deal with the trauma of recovering your memories.  He was afraid you would get stressed, as you are now,” Mark said quickly.

  “Shut up!  I’ve heard enough!” Jacqueline said, reaching for the door, kicking it when she saw there wasn’t a handle.

  “What are you doing?” Mark said with alarm, trying to hold her back.  But suddenly as if by magic, the door opened on its own.

  “It’s time you decide whose side you’re on, Mark, either mine or Erascus.  Because it’s obvious now that the doctor and I are not on the same side,” Jacqueline said.  “I can take care of myself!” She added, bolting out the door and slamming it behind her.  She was already across the street as Mark searched frantically for a handle.  The light turned green and the taxi’s quick acceleration knocked Mark back in his seat.

  “You’re not thinking about leaving without paying me, are you?” the cabby said casually.  “And for whatever damage that broad just did to my door.”

  “Just pull over!” Mark barked at him, getting into his wallet and throwing a wad of bills at the driver.  But by the time he got out of the cab, she was gone.  Literally kicking himself for what had just happened, Mark combed the streets, but there was hardly any chance of finding her in that crowd.  It was then that he noticed the subway tunnel and realized by now she could be anywhere.  Making up his mind at last, he hailed another cab.

 

  Mycroft had no reason to suspect that anyone would have been in the café on a Friday night.  As it was, he decided to relax for a few hours, grabbing a book and settling in with tea and pastries at his normal booth.  He was on his third cup when Mark burst in, and with no time to run he quickly turned his back to him, pretending to be absorbed in his book.

  “Has Jackie been by here?” Mark asked frantically.  Sally set the coffee pot down on the bar with surprise.

  “Isn’t she with you?  It’s Friday…”

  “Yes, she was with me, but she took off.” Mark said, obviously upset.  “Any idea where she might have gone?”

  “Maybe the library?  She’s always wanted to go there,” Sally suggested.

  “At night?” Tony asked.  “Where was she when you lost her?”

  “Oh, not far from the theatre.  I’m afraid she might have taken the subway somewhere,” Mark said.  “Look, if she comes back here, can you send her home?”

  “Sure, Mark,” Sally said.  “If she’s not back by closing, we’ll go look too.”

  “Thanks, I only pray someone else finds her before Erascus does,” Mark said.  “Tell her to call me on my cell phone when she gets in,” he added, heading back out the door.

  “That jerk, I wonder what he said to her this time,” Rob said the moment he left.

  “Or what she said to him,” Sally said, glancing over to where Mycroft had jumped up, putting on his coat.  “Are you going after her?”

  “She doesn’t need Mark to find her either.  She needs a friend,” Mycroft said curtly.  “Is there anywhere else in town she might have gone that would be accessible at night?”

  “She’s always talking about sight seeing.  And she was close enough to Times Square,” Tony said, getting up.

  “No, it wouldn’t be noisy, but it would be something distinct,” Mycroft reasoned.

  “The Statue of Liberty?” Sally said.

  “Ferries close down at night,” Emma said.

  “Liberty Park has a good view though, but it’s all the way over on the Jersey side.  It don’t close until ten, and it’s pretty quiet, although I’m not sure I’d recommend a girl walking there at night,” Tony said.

  “She wouldn’t care about that,” Mycroft said, glancing at his watch.

  “Here, I can take you,” Tony offered getting up.  “Although I can’t guarantee speed in Friday night traffic.”

  “That won’t be necessary.  Why don’t you check Times Square, since you think she may have gone that way?”

  “It’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack, but I’ll give it a go,” Tony agreed, Sally quickly waving away his attempt to pay.

  “Just find her,” Sally said worriedly.  The two men nodded at her, Mycroft quickly taking the lead on foot while Tony headed to his car.  But strangely enough, when Tony turned at the car door to ask Mycroft if he wouldn’t change his mind, Mycroft wasn’t there.

 

Chapter Twenty-One

Innocence Proven

 

  The lights of towboats, fireboats and National Guard boats flickered in the Hudson Bay, playing upon the flickering waters.  She leaned against the snow-covered railing shivering a bit, gazing out into the city.  At first she didn’t notice the shadow coming up behind her until a gloved hand suddenly came to rest on the coin-operated telescope beside her.  Surprised, she looked around, exhaling sharply when she saw who it was.

  “Professor,” she said softly.  “How did you find me?”

  “The combined intuition of your café friends,” he said, taking off his jacket and draping it around her shoulders.  “Hardly dressed for this sort of outing, are we?”

  “I just needed to go somewhere to think.  I find it’s so hard to do in this city, all bustle and go.  I can’t imagine what I’m doing living here.”

  “If you could be anywhere, where would you be?” Mycoft asked softly, leaning against the rail.

  “I don’t know, just not here,” Jacqueline said, choking back tears when she noticed Mycrofts’ scrutiny.  “Mark knew about the pills.”

  “The night pills?” Mycroft asked quietly.

  “He said Erascus wanted me not to have to worry about dreams for awhile.  He said he went along with it because he thought it was best,” Jacqueline said.

  “Do you believe him?”

   “I don’t know what to believe anymore,” Jacqueline said, angry tears finally appearing.  Mycroft slowly put an arm around her, straightening the coat as a pretense.  “How can I believe anything they say?  For that matter, how can I believe you?  You’ve lied to me too.”

  “I don’t want you to believe in me, Jacqueline,” Mycroft said.  “I want you to believe in yourself.  Nothing else really matters at this point.”

  “How can I when I don’t even know myself?”

  “Jacqueline, do you know what you want out of life?” Mycroft asked.

  “What I want?” Jacqueline said.  “To be more than what I am!  To not be under everyone’s thumb, and to be able to discover for myself who I really am without interference from anyone!  Perhaps even to learn to love again, because that’s something I’ve not felt since I woke up, but I did once.”

  “For Mark?” Mycroft asked quietly.

  “No, no, that’s impossible,” Jacqueline said with a grimace.  “Because I don’t love him now, I know that, and what I’ve lost isn’t the sort that would just die because my memories gave me a change of heart, because a heart doesn’t forget.  It’s more like… I suppose it’s like what you were talking about, Professor, about your wife,” she said in almost a whisper.  He nodded slowly.  “I’ve lost something too, I know that now, it’s like a huge ache that seems to increase with every day.  Something that no one is telling me about,” she said gazing at him.  There was something about the look that he was giving her that was heart-wrenching in itself, although she wasn’t quite sure why, his face was frosted by more than the falling slow.  “Can you help me?”

   “In what way?”

  “Help me find out what it is they’re not saying.  Help me find out what I’ve lost,” Jacqueline said pleadingly.  “Erascus certainly won’t, and Mark, I don’t think Mark can.”

  Mycroft looked out over the bay silently for while, aware that she had moved in closer to him on her own, still looking at him with those pleading eyes that he knew he couldn’t meet without losing his restraint completely.

  “Perhaps it’s something we both can find together,” he said at last.  Jacqueline’s expression turned to one of surprise and sudden realization, still staring at him when he finally dared to look back over at her.  “But first, let’s get you home.  Everyone is worried, and Mark is worried that Erascus might find out if we don’t get you home soon.”

  “Mark said that?” Jacqueline said with surprise, letting him guide her away from the rail.

  “I wouldn’t lie to you about something like that,” Mycroft snorted.  “I’m sure he got what he deserved for whatever it was that happened tonight.”

  “I guess he was only doing what he thought was best for me,” Jacqueline said cautiously.  “But it doesn’t change the fact that I believe he’s not right for me.”

  “What a coincidence, I believe the same thing,” Mycroft said expressionlessly.  “So I suppose that means you believe in something then, doesn’t it?” he added.  Jacqueline gave him a warm smile as they walked out of the park together.

 

  Jacqueline was at the café early the next morning immediately having Sally and Rob fuss over her about the night before.

  “It’s all right, it’s all right,” she insisted, sitting down at the bar.  “Mark wasn’t angry at me for getting mad, in fact he just seemed relieved and apologetic, and I don’t think he told Erascus what happened either.”

  “I can’t believe you took off like that, it’s not like you,” Sally scolded.  “It’s a good thing the Professor found you.  He left us a note letting us know you were all right.”

  “Ugh, I didn’t mean to worry everyone here!  And I suppose I’ll have to make it up to Tony that he lost a night of work because of me,” Jacqueline said.

  “No one forced any of us to go look, we went on our own,” Sally said, filling her cup.

  Just then the door opened and Tony came in, looking around worriedly.  Jacqueline hopped off her stool and went over to him, hugging the slightly embarrassed driver.

  “They told me you went to look for me!  I’m sorry I worried you!” Jacqueline said quickly.

  “Who found you, can I ask you that?” Tony said.

  “Professor Doyle did, why?” she asked with a frown.

  “When do you get back?”

  “To the house?  About ten-thirty or eleven, why?”

  Tony broke out in laughter.

  “There you have it!  Boy do I feel like an idiot!  It’s not him!” he said, shaking her gently with a smile.

  “What?”

  “The robberies.  One happened last night just before ten o’clock.  Where were you?”

  “Well, we were just leaving the park, actually,” Jacqueline said brightening.  “Are you really sure there was one last night?”

  “Yep, yep, same MO and everything.  It’s not the Professor!”

  “Thank goodness!  I was beginning to wonder if anyone around here was trustworthy!” Jacqueline said with relief.

  “Hey!” Rob said.  “What about us?”

  “And me?” Tony added teasingly.

  “Present company excepted,” Jacqueline protested, the three of them grinning at her.  “How about a round of coffee to celebrate, on me of course!”

  “Oh no, I’m paying for the coffee,” Sally insisted.

  “Hey, if you’re paying that means I’m paying,” Rob said, hands on hips.

  “Well that’s the best part of it,” Sally said back, pouring them all cups.  “So um, what did you and the Professor talk about anyhow?”

  “Oh, Mark, mostly,” Jacqueline said, stirring her coffee absently.  “He was very understanding.  In fact, somehow, in some ways I think he seems to understand more than anyone.  He knows what it’s like to lose part of himself,” she murmured.

  Sally and Tony didn’t say anything for a while, watching Jacqueline getting completely lost in stirring her coffee before exchanging a glance between each other.

  “Nothing like an evening walk in the park to figure out what’s important in life, eh?” Tony said.  Jacqueline nodded absently, taking the spoon out and looking at her reflection in it before stirring the coffee again.

  “Maybe he’s the burglar after all,” Sally murmured to Rob when she picked up a plate at the kitchen window.

  “He sure seems to have stolen something, hasn’t he?” Rob agreed.  “Speak of the devil, here he comes now.”

  In fact, Mycroft was already making his way to the bar.  Jacqueline looked up startled when he sat down beside her, smiling warmly at him.

  “Good morning,” he said.  “Everything all right at home?”

  “Yes, all right.  And we both decided we’ve had enough of this Friday fiasco thing,” Jacqueline said.  “From now on if we go out, we’re coming here and just relaxing.  No more fancy stuff.”

  “Hallelujah,” Sally said.  “Mark may be a wet blanket sometimes, but he’s nicer being himself instead of trying to show off.”

  “I agree whole heartedly,” Jacqueline said, sipping her coffee then grimacing.  “My coffee’s cold.”

  “Well don’t blame me, you’re the one day dreaming this morning,” Sally said.

  “Thinking about anything in particular?” Mycroft asked her thoughtfully, noticing the color rising to her cheeks.

  “No, it’s nothing,” Jacqueline said.  Sally smiled at her.  “Just thinking how strange things have been lately is all.”

  “Since when are things normal around here?” Tony chuckled, waving at Emma who came in frantic.  But it was too late to wave her off as she came up to the bar.

  “Did you hear?  There was another robbery last night!   Close by, too,” Emma said.  “Who would guess he’d come over this way, eh?  They’ll be searching the area, I hear.”

  “Emma, it’s all right,” Sally chuckled.

  “Settle down, Emma, it isn’t him,” Tony agreed.  Emma glanced over at Mycroft nervously.  Mycroft was looking puzzledly at the old woman when suddenly he realized that he was the only one who was puzzled.  In fact, Jacqueline seemed to be hiding her face behind one hand as she stirred her coffee.

  “Might I ask exactly whom they’re searching for and who it is that ‘him’ refers to?” Mycroft asked suspiciously.  The others looked at one another thoughtfully until one by one their eyes rested on Jacqueline.  Reluctantly she looked over at Mycroft, whose face had the look of one who was putting together several pieces of a puzzle and beginning to see the picture.  “Jacqueline?  Does this have something to do with fishing?”

  “Someone show him the paper,” Jacqueline said at last, still refusing to look at him in the eye as Sally went to the back and drew it out, the group of conspirators all looking slightly sheepish as they put the paper in front of him. 

  The moment his eyes reached the picture his jaw dropped and face paled, quickly scanning the article and accusations in disbelief.

  “How long has this been going on?” he snapped.  “Since this picture has been out?”

  “Couple weeks,” Jacqueline admitted.

  “A couple of weeks?” he said, standing up.

  “Well, it was on the news first, but they re-released it everywhere recently,” Jacqueline said.

   “I knew those questions of yours were anything but innocent.  You should have told me,” Mycroft said.

  “Don’t yell at her, Mycroft, you can hardly blame her for this.  She was afraid you might be in trouble,” Sally said.

  “Yes, and none of us were going to turn you in,” Emma offered.  “At least not as long as you were seeing Jacqueline as it were.”

  “Emma!” Jacqueline said in shock.  “Mycroft, I am sorry, but as you can see it did look bad.”

  “Yes,” Mycroft said, sighing with irritation.  “No matter, I will take care of this.  Perhaps I’ll catch up with you at lunch, Jacqueline.  At the deli.”

  “Do I get to order?” Jacqueline asked brightly.

  “Only if you get there before I do,” he challenged, paying for his coffee and heading out the door.

  “Goodness, another date, and this time it was his idea,” Emma smiled enigmatically as he left.  Jacqueline’s cheeks turned pink again.

  “He said perhaps,” Jacqueline pointed out, getting up herself.  “It doesn’t mean he’s actually going to be there.”

  “Leaving already?” Sally inquired.

  “Of course, I’m going to go put in an order at Isaacs now while I have a chance,” Jacqueline said.  Emma tittered a bit, but Jacqueline ignored it, hurrying out the door.

  “No doubt about it,” Tony said, taking a sip of coffee.  “If she wasn’t gone on him before, she is now.”

  “Far gone,” Sally agreed with a nod.

  “So the question is, then, is he?” Rob asked, throwing bacon on the grill.  Sally looked thoughtful and gazed at the door, but didn’t answer.

 

“I need to ask you to come down to the Ministry with me for questioning.”

  “Pardon me, Minister Brown, but exactly on what grounds do you want to question Professor Snape about?”

  “On the grounds that we believe that Severus Snape was one of the last people to see Cornelius Fudge when he was alive.  He was found dead in his house this morning and the evidence would suggest that he was murdered.”

  “That’s absolutely ridiculous!  My brother wouldn’t murder anybody!” 

 “So, are you going to come along quietly?  I for one would rather not make a big deal out of this in front of the students.”

  “Well, I’m going to go get Vallid!”

  “Severus Snape?  Being questioned for murder?  How the mighty have fallen.” 

 

  Mycroft was thinking back over some old memories as he stepped into the penthouse of a business high-rise.  To the center was a long walnut desk with walnut doors to either side of it.  Ivory couches were on both sides of the room, all unoccupied except one where a tired man with camera case with a press pass slipped in the front pocket slept.

  A thin old receptionist with thick glasses was answering several calls on a small switchboard box.  She looked up at the tall Englishman in complete surprise and suspicion.  But he didn’t look much like a politician or a reporter.

  “May I help you?”

  “Yes, would you please tell Judge Vallid that Professor Mycroft Doyle is here?”

  “I’m sorry, Judge Vallid doesn’t see anyone without an appointment.  May I ask what the matter concerns?”

  “I didn’t ask to see her.  I merely asked you to tell her that I am here,” Mycroft pointed out.

  “I have orders not to allow anyone to disturb her without an appointment either.”

  “Well, I find there are exceptions to every rule, and I am sure if you do not tell her I am here she will most definitely be put out,” Mycroft said, not budging. 

  “Yes, that’s what everyone says,” she said skeptically but picked up the phone.  “Mrs. Staple?  Yes, I know, but there’s a rather insistent gentlemen here that wants to be announced without an appointment.  Yes, I told him that, too,” the receptionist said, looking at her nails.  “Professor Mycroft Doyle.” 

  Mycroft drummed his fingers impatiently against the desk, despite the receptionist glaring at him.

  “I don’t have to do this, you know,” the receptionist warned him.

  “Yes you do, you just don’t know it.  Who’s Mrs. Staple?”

   “Vallid’s undersecretary.  She’s checking with her personal secretary now,” the receptionist explained.  Mycroft rolled his eyes.   Finally she turned her attention back to the phone a minute then leaned it against her shoulder.  “You’re not on any lists.  Is there a message I can leave so she can get back to you about at some other time?”

  “I have a message, although I would prefer to deliver it personally,” Mycroft said, losing his temper.  “It’s called a fly-swatter.”

   “Ah,” the receptionist said, turning back to the phone.  “Hello, Christie?  He used the ‘F’ word.  Yeah that one.”  A moment later she hung up, reaching for a magazine.

  “Well?” Mycroft said impatiently.

  “They’re letting her know you are here,” she said, then noticed a blinking light and picked up the phone again.  “Huh.  Guess you can go right in,” the receptionist said with surprise as one of the walnut doors opened. 

  Swiftly he walked in, straight passed a second waiting room where Mrs. Staple looked over at him thoughtfully, and through an open door into a third waiting room where another secretary waited by a pair of open double doors, closing them behind him as he entered.

  Lunette Vallid stood quickly from where she sat behind her desk, looking him over with an appraising eye and a sympathetic smile.

  “Mycroft Doyle?  Is that the best you could come up with?”

  “You knew who it was, didn’t you?” Severus said dryly.

  “Nobody else would have picked that,” she agreed.  “Not to mention how few people know what my animagus form is.  You know, you actually look good in those glasses.  But if you don’t mind my saying so, your mind is reading like shredded Swiss cheese.  To what do I owe the honor?”

  “I have a problem I was wondering if you could fix,” Severus said, tossing a paper at her.

  “Ah, yes, this,” Vallid said, glancing at his aghast expression.  “Of course I knew, Severus, I was just reluctant to fix it considering who put this tip into the police.”

  “Let me guess.  Erascus,” Severus said.

  “Yes, I think he was taking out a bit of insurance hoping that it’d give you trouble.  Has it?  No, just trouble with her, is that it?” Vallid asked.

  “Would you please stop with the mind trick?” Severus said, rubbing his forehead.

  “I can fix this, of course,” Vallid said.  “But the moment I do, Erascus is going to know someone is tampering.  So how are you doing?”  She waited patiently for him to answer but it didn’t come, gazing at his face for a long time.  “So well as all of that?” she said dryly, going over to the liquor cabinet.

  “She still has some faith in Mark,” Severus said at last.

  “Yes, but she’s in love with you,” Vallid smiled at him.  He shook his head.

  “No, Jacqueline is love with Mycroft, someone who doesn’t even exist,” Severus murmured.

  “Severus, I don’t care if they do have her on drugs.  Jennifer still has her Truth-seeker instincts.  And even if she didn’t, I would conjecture that Mycroft is in love with Jacqueline as well,” Vallid said, handing him an anise wine.

  “It’s a bit more complicated than that,” Severus said, and Vallid nodded, pouring herself a glass as well. 

  “Yes, because you’re in love with your wife as well as Jacqueline.  But if I can hazard a guess, I don’t think this is a one-sided problem.  On some subconscious level I bet she’s going through the same thing.”

  “She doesn’t remember me, Vallid.  There is no hint of recognition of me at all.  Even her dreams seem to be about a boy, and not me.”

  “A boy?  Who?” Vallid asked with interest.

  “No idea.  When it came up I didn’t have time to find out more,” Severus grumbled.

  “Hm.  Well you know, even if she were dreaming of you, I seriously doubt she would tell you, especially if she has feelings for you.” Vallid said.  “She didn’t recognize Ratfly either?”

  “No,” Severus said, not even trying to hide his depression.  “I’m tired of this charade.  I even attempted to wish her back to her own self again, wish this was all over and that it’d all end up just being a nightmare, but as usual my wishes never seem to pan out to benefit myself.”  Vallid smiled at him sympathetically, patting his arm a bit.  “She’s searching now, she knows things are not right.  But something tells me that it’s too soon to try and bring her out of there yet.”

  “You have to follow your instincts on this, Severus.  No one knows her like you do.”

  “I don’t think I can hardly claim to know her better than anyone else now,” Severus said soberly.

  “Then who does, Mark?”

  “Definitely not,” Severus snorted.

  “Erascus?”

  “I hope not for her sake.”

  “Well then, as far as I’m concerned you’re still the expert,” Vallid said, swirling her wine a bit.

  “Then if I’m such an expert, how is it that I cannot answer the one question that has been plaguing me since this whole thing started?”

  “On whether or not she’s still your wife?” Vallid said knowingly.  Severus nodded somberly.  “Well, I would think ultimately that’s up to her and her alone, isn’t it?  But then that begs the question of can you let her go if you need to?”  Severus didn’t even begin to try and hide the grief and devastation on his face from her.  It wasn’t as if it would have done any good attempting to.  “It’s all right to hope for the best, Severus.  Have a little faith in her.  It’s easier to believe in oneself if someone else believes too, you know,” Vallid said gently.  “You believing in yourself wouldn’t hurt the situation either.” 

  Severus nodded slowly, trying to get his composure back, thinking things through.

  “I believe I still want the media matter fixed, Erascus or not,” he said at last.  “Perhaps if he thinks someone is onto him, he will slip up enough that Jacqueline will have no reservations left.”

  “All right.  Consider it done,” Vallid agreed, moving back over to the desk.  “Anything else you need?”

  “No…thank you, for the wine as well,” Severus said, standing and setting the glass on the table.

  “Come by any time.  And don’t worry, I’ll make sure they show you straight in next time,” Vallid said, writing a memo to herself.  “Oh and Severus, one last thing.  It is all right, you know, to love Jacqueline for who she is now too.”

  “I am not ready to give up hope on Jennifer yet,” Severus said firmly.

  “Of course you’re not,” Vallid smiled.  “But getting her memories back isn’t going to make her all the sudden forget what she’s been doing since then.  If Jennifer comes back, Jacqueline is coming with her.”  Severus stared at her a moment as if digesting that before turning to the door and heading out it.  Vallid inhaled deeply and let out a long, heartfelt sigh before pushing a button on a small box.  “Get the chief of police up here please, and let Doctor Miller I’ll be late for our luncheon.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Mycroft Unmasked

 

  Jacqueline saw quite an improvement in things over the next few days; the most remarkable part happening in her own home.  Mark no longer mentioned her taking her pills and didn’t comment on the full bottles.  Even the day pills were getting missed now and again, only remembered when the headaches hit her, but not taken with every meal as before.  Best of all, Mark didn’t seem to be trying to be the boyfriend figure any more, contenting himself by acting on her lead, still looking for things the two of them to do together away from the television set and finally met success when he took out an old jigsaw puzzle of the Hudson Bay.  She watched him for a little while, and then started pointing out pieces she had noticed.  Before she knew it, the two of them were both working actively on it in the mornings before he went to work, and sometimes a few minutes after she got home.

  Lunch, of course, was always spent at the grocer’s deli with Mycroft talking about books or other interests; usually with her doing most of the talking.  Then of course there was work, where Mycroft often came to sit at the bar for hours and watching with a cup in hand, even braving a meal now and again.  Everyone that Jacqueline knew was in good spirits.  Everyone, that is, but Erascus.

  He was pacing his office with a paper in his hand when Jacqueline came in for her appointment, warily watching him a moment from the doorway until he noticed her and put it down.

  “And how have you been sleeping?” He asked.

  “Much better,” Jacqueline said truthfully.  “No more tossing and turning, thank you.”

  “Good.  How did your date go with Mark last weekend?  Are you getting along better?”

  “Yes, actually.  The date wasn’t all that great, but we had a long talk afterwards,” Jacqueline said, sitting down.  “You know, I think I’m finally starting to get used to him.  We even found something we like to do together, and I was finally brave enough to tell him just how much I hate his coffee.”

  “Yes,” Erascus said, studying her warily.  “Good.   Strange that Mark hasn’t stopped by the office then to tell me.”

  “I don’t know, we’ve been busy working on puzzles,” Jacqueline said.  “He said he’s going to stop and get some glue and more puzzles today since we finished the one we’re working on.”

  “I see,” Erascus said.  “And is he still talking to you about your past, helping you remember things?”

  “Well, not exactly,” Jacqueline said carefully.  “You see that was part of our talk.  I know I’m never going to be the same again, there’s no use pretending any different.  In fact, despite the ache of not remembering, not knowing what I’ve lost, I think I could live my life the way I am.  I have a job, friends to support me when I need someone to talk to.  Now I just need my life back, and I think I’m ready to face that on my own now.”

  “Are you a psychiatrist?” Erascus said coldly.

  “No,” Jacqueline said.  “But what does that have to do with it?”

  “I will be the one to determine when you are ready.  No one else!” Erascus snarled at her.  “Not you, and not that fool boyfriend of yours!”

  “If you’re speaking of Mark, he’s not my boyfriend but he is a friend, a real friend, I see that now.  I just haven’t quite figured out what you are yet.”

  “What do you mean if I am speaking of Mark?  Whom else would I be speaking of?” Erascus demanded dangerous, a flash of fury in his eyes.

  “I don’t know, you tell me,” she challenged him.  “There was someone else in my life, wasn’t there, someone before all of this, someone besides Mark, I’m sure of it!”

  “You’ll not turn this on me this time, woman,” he said.

  Grabbing her arm, Erascus dragged her out of his office and next door, bursting into the café as everyone looked up in surprise.

  “I want to know whom Jacqueline is seeing, and I want to know it now,” he snapped.

  “Hm. You?” Sally said.

  “Not as in seeing professionally!  Personally!” he said furiously.

  “Oh!  Mark Ghent,” Sally said.  Emma agreed enthusiastically over the counter.

  “And he’s such a nice boy, too, isn’t he, Jacqueline?” Emma agreed.  Jacqueline nodded with a tense grin on her face.

  “I didn’t mean Mark, either,” Erascus said acidly.

  “Really?” Tony said, taking a bite of his sandwich and turning around with surprise.  “You dating someone else without telling us?  That’s not like you.”

  “If she was actually dating someone else, I’m sure she would have told us, Tony!  You aren’t dating anyone else, are you, dear?” Emma said.

  “Hey Jacqueline,” Rob said, coming out from the kitchen.  “Why don’t you clock in early?  We’re going to clean the freezer today.”

  “I wasn’t finished!” Erascus snarled.

  “You are now,” Rob said.  “Jacqueline, work.  Doc, if you don’t get your hand off my employee right now, I’m calling the cops.”

  “Kingler, you have no idea who you’re dealing with,” Erascus said warningly, his other hand in his pocket.

  “I don’t care if you’re the President, nobody manhandles my employees,” Rob said back, one hand out of view.  “Now I suggest you get the hell out of my place, before we see who’s got the best cards.”

   “Fine, but I will be watching your every move,” Erascus said, staring coldly at Jacqueline as he let her go.  “And if you are lying to me, you will find out what happens when my patience finally wears thin.”  Sally protectively got between Erascus and Jacqueline as she headed to the back room, everyone with their eyes on Erascus until he finally headed out the door.

  “You alright, Jackie?” Rob asked calmly, taking out his other hand from under the counter and folding his arms.

  “Thank you,” Jacqueline said, coming back out, “All of you.  I’ve really done it this time, haven’t I?”

  “What happened, what started all this?” Sally asked.

  “I don’t know, one minute I was telling him everything was alright and in the next I found myself shouting at him,” Jacqueline said.  She glanced up to see Mycroft standing in the hallway to the bathrooms, feeling a lump in her throat.  “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve been here,” Mycroft said, nodding to the table where his tea sat, going over to the bar.  “Are you all right?”

  “I think so,” Jacqueline said.  “I’m frightened, but all right.  I’m afraid I slipped up and he knows I’ve been da-…I mean he knows I’ve been spending time with someone other than Mark, and for some reason, that’s made him absolutely furious.”

  “How is it his business anyhow?  Why would he care who you’re with?” Sally said.

  “Maybe because Mark is paying him and Mark is easily manipulated into letting Erascus do what he wants?” Jacqueline said.  “As long as Mark’s in the picture, Erascus probably thinks he has job security.  But I think I’ve just made up my mind, I’m not going back to see him, even if he does threaten to put me away.  It’s not as if I can be much more of a prisoner than I already am.”

  “Finally she comes to her senses!” Rob said.  “You don’t have anything to fear from Erascus.  All you really need is a good lawyer.”

  “I know one who would happily rise to the occasion,” Mycroft said, taking out a card and writing on the back of it.  “Although I would be cautious in believing that this is the only means that Erascus may try.  He’s very dangerous, and I would highly suggest that you get some protections in place before announcing to anyone, especially Erascus himself your intentions, until you are safely out of his reach.”

  “That’d be easy, you just have to be around when I do it,” Jacqueline said, gazing at Mycroft.  “I always feel safe when I’m around you.”  Mycroft blinked then, momentarily at a loss for words.

  “Do you know, I don’t think you’ve ever told me that before,” Mycroft said at last, too lost in her eyes to notice everyone else around them moving to give them some room.  “You’re always so determined to be independent.”

  “Can’t I be independent and feel safer around someone else too?” Jacqueline asked softly.

  “Yes,” Mycroft said, his eyes never leaving hers.  Sally cleared her throat.

  “Your tea is getting cold, Professor,” she said.

  “If it is, it’s the only thing in here that is,” Emma teased, and Jacqueline turned bright red, quickly getting Mycroft a fresh cup.

  “You remind me of a neighbor of mine back home,” Mycroft said dryly to Emma, holding the card out to Jacqueline.  “Here, if you need help, call the number on the back.  It’s Lunette Vallid’s private line.”

  “Lunette Vallid?” Sally repeated in shock.  “Are you serious, you know Judge Vallid?”

  “A friend of the family, my wife’s especially,” Mycroft nodded.

  “Oh, I couldn’t possibly obligate anyone…”

  “Jackie, shut up and take the card!  Vallid used to be the most famous lawyer in the country,” Rob insisted.  “It’d make me feel a lot better if you had it.  That’s a ‘Get out of Jail Free’ card he’s giving you.”

  “I’m not quite sure what you mean by that,” Jacqueline said but took it anyhow.  “Thank you.”

  “Just promise me you won’t try confronting Erascus again on your own,” Mycroft said seriously.  “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “I promise,” Jacqueline said.  “If you’ll try not to worry.”

  “Trying is one thing, succeeding is something else,” Mycroft admitted softly.

  “Hey, am I paying you to pour coffee or be a side show?” Rob barked.  Jacqueline looked back around to notice that everyone had had their eyes glued on the two of them again, except for Rob who was pointing at the elderly couple waiting by the door.  Apologizing quickly, Jacqueline hurried back to work with one quick glance at Mycroft who gazed at her reactions with apparent amusement as he reached for his tea.

 

  That night Jacqueline arrived to find Mark leaning over the puzzle, staring at as if not really seeing it.  In fact, he didn’t even seem to notice her until she sat down.

  “Haven’t gotten much done tonight, huh?” Jacqueline asked him.

  “Erascus came by after I got off work,” Mark said, his voice sounding strange.  “He seems to think you’re seeing someone else.  Are you?”

  “Erascus wears his suit too tight,” Jacqueline said.  “And even if he wasn’t full of it, I don’t think it’s his business.”

  “Who was it that was in the apartment the other day?  The person you were really making the drink for?” Mark asked.    “I thought we were at least friends, Jackie.”

  “We are,” Jackie said.

  “Then tell me who he is!  You can’t expect me to cover for you with Erascus if I don’t know what’s going on!” Mark yelled at her, getting up to refill his drink.  “At least tell me what he does, if you don’t want to tell me his name.  Or at least how long this has been going on!”

  “Are you jealous?” Jacqueline said with surprise.

  “Do you blame me?” Mark said.  “I’ve been spending months just getting so we can be civil to one another in the same room and this guy comes in and takes you away out from under my feet.”

  “Mark,” Jacqueline said firmly.  “I was never yours to have been taken away from.  Not since the accident at least.  And as far as the Professor is concerned he’s only a friend!”  Mark spun around on his heals, his face draining of all color.

  “Professor?  There’s a professor here?”

  “Yes, if you must know, but he’s just a friend.  In fact, he’s the one who found me and brought me home on Friday.”

  “He looks like the man in the paper doesn’t he?” Mark said.  Jacqueline stared at him.

  “How did you know about that?” Jacqueline murmured in confusion.

  “I’m dead.  No really, I’m dead.  Especially when Erascus finds out.  Oh God, but what’s going to happen to you now?” He asked with an open look of fear on his face.

  “Mark, what are you talking about?”

  “Jackie, you can’t see him.  I mean it, this isn’t about me anymore,” Mark said.  “Look, if Erascus realizes it’s him, it’s over for all of us.  I don’t want to see anything happen to you.”

  “Nothing is going to happen to me,” Jacqueline insisted.  “Are you trying to tell me that Erascus and the Professor know each other?”

  Mark was pacing the floor and didn’t answer, trying to think of a solution.  Suddenly he turned and went over to her, holding her shoulders and looking her in the eye.

  “Do you believe I’m on your side, Jacqueline?” Mark asked seriously.  Jacqueline looked at him thoughtfully for a while then nodded slowly.  “Good, then I want you to pack a couple bags, throw in whatever you want.  I need to get you out of here.”

  “What?” Jacqueline said.

  “It’s the only way I can be sure you’ll get out of here in one piece,” Mark said.

  “And just leave the Professor without even saying goodbye?”

  “If he was able to find you here, he’ll be able to catch up with us no matter where we go,” Mark said curtly.  “Come on, right now let’s just get you somewhere safe, and we can worry about relationship logistics later,” he said insistently. 

  “Somewhere safe,” Jacqueline repeated as Mark headed to the bedroom, pausing at the door.

  “Please, Jacqueline,” Mark said.  She gazed at him, knowing from his face that his concern was genuine.

  “Let me just grab some of my books,” she said slowly, turning towards the bookshelf.

  “Just a couple, we can always get new ones wherever we end up,” Mark said, heading to the bedroom and into the closet to pull down some bags.  But as he turned to throw them on the bed he heard the front door shut. 

  “Jackie?”  Mark shouted, untangling himself from the bag straps and over to the balcony, pushing over the door in time to see her slip in the door next to the café.  “Oh, God.  Why doesn’t she ever listen?” He hit himself in exasperation trying to think, and then headed for the phone.

 

  Mycroft was more than a bit surprised to hear a knock at his door, putting down his book and peering out to see Jacqueline.  Quickly he let her in, a bit alarmed when she hugged him tightly.

  “What is it, what’s wrong?” he asked, pushing the door closed with one hand, the other around her.

  “Mark wants to take me away somewhere.  He says I’m in danger here,” Jacqueline said, gazing up at him.  “He’s afraid of Erascus.  But I don’t want to go.”

  “Where is he planning on taking you?” Mycroft asked sharply.

  “I don’t know, but he seemed to think wherever we go that you’ll find us.  Why is that?” Jacqueline said.

  “If he knows me,” Mycroft said quietly, “then he knows I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth if necessary to find you.”  Jacqueline stared him in complete surprise for a moment, recognizing a fierce passion in his eyes that she had been longing to see without even realizing it.

  Suddenly she reached up and pulled his head down, kissing him with the same passion she had seen in his face and with desperation to capture whatever had been haunting her.  Eagerly he returned it despite his surprise at its intensity, carried away in the moment until he became aware of her wandering hands and attempted to back away.  He managed only to lift his head, torn between desire and his better judgment, her kisses landing coaxingly upon his chin.

  “We can’t do this.  Not now,” he finally got out, forcing his arms to relax a bit.

  “Mycroft, don’t you want to be with me?” Jacqueline said alluringly.

  “Oh, yes,” Mycroft admitted, closing his eyes briefly before forcing her shoulders back a bit.  “And I’ll admit that this sudden initiative of yours is nothing short of intriguing…” he said as she tried to lean into him, forcing himself to gently nudge her away.  “You’re making this very difficult, Jacqueline.”

  “That’s not the wording I would have chosen,” she said wickedly.  He quickly captured her wandering hands, drawing them together and kissing them gently.

  “This is not the time.  It isn’t right, and I cannot possibly allow it,” Mycroft whispered, stabbed by the hurt look in her eyes when she finally stopped.

  “Was I wrong, then?  Do you really not love me after all?” Jacqueline asked.

  “The fact that I love you is exactly the reason that I cannot.  I couldn’t be true to myself and continue,” Severus said, taking off his glasses and tossing them to the side.  He wasn’t going to pretend any longer.

  “It’s your wife, isn’t it?  That’s why,” Jacqueline said after a moment, her voice a bit off as she looked at him searchingly.

  “It is about Jennifer, yes, but not in the way that you may be thinking,” Severus said softly.  Jacqueline felt a strange sensation when he said her name.  But the strangest thing of all to her was that the passion that had been in his dark eyes before had not lessened despite his resolve.

  “Let me stay with you, or flee with you, or anything, just don’t send me away,” Jacqueline pleaded.  “Nothing seems real in my life, nothing except for you.  You’re the answer to all the questions I’ve been asking myself.  Somehow I know that’s true, and if I lose you, I lose everything.”

  He studied her with intense scrutiny until at last look of relief suddenly crossed Severus’ face.  He gathered her back into his arms, holding her tightly and kissing her forehead.

  “You’ll never lose me, Jacqueline.  As long as you want me around, I will be,” Severus said.

  “Then I want you around forever,” Jacqueline said, burying her head in his chest. 

  Severus held her more tightly then and probably would have held her all night just like that if he could have.  But a sudden prickling on his neck and the sound of Ratfly banging against the window outside alerted him that something was amiss. 

  Severus turned and pushed Jacqueline back against the cot as a flash of light blasted against the door, knocking it completely off its hinges by the force of the blast and onto the floor as Erascus stepped in.  Immediately Severus’ wand was in his hand, poised for a fight.  He backed cautiously away from the door.

  “So, the snake has been here all along, has he?” Erascus said as he stepped over the threshold, his wand still dimly glowing from his last spell.  “Greetings, Snape, or whatever you’re calling yourself these days.”

  “Erascus, or whoever you truly are,” Severus said calmly back.

  “I see you’ve found my patient.  I don’t suppose you’re prepared to return her?  No?” Erascus said mockingly, stepping up a bit.  “She’s of no use to you, you know.  Jennifer is dead, and Jacqueline isn’t capable of replacing her.  She’s just a young Muggle café waitress with a deadbeat boyfriend who gets paid way too much for his pathetic babysitting services.”

  “Jacqueline can make her own decisions,” Severus said evenly.  “You, Erascus, have yet to pay for yours.”

  “If anyone’s going to be paying today, it’s you, Snape,” Erascus snarled, gesturing with his wand.  But Severus had been waiting for that movement, immediately casting at the door below Erascus’ feet and tossing him to the floor, the door smashing into pieces against the ceiling. 

  “Get down, Jacqueline!” Severus barked as Erascus rolled out of the way.  A flash of pink light came towards Severus and he leapt out of the way.

  Quickly Jacqueline scrambled underneath the cot as another blast of light shot across the room towards a lamp and darkness fell with the sound of shattered glass.  Only the flashes of the spells themselves and a dim light in the hall lit the room now.  But for some reason, the presence of magic in the room didn’t frighten her, only the fact that there was no one coming out of any of the other rooms or making a move to stop what was happening around her.  It was, she realized, going to continue to the end, no matter what that end was going to be.

  The barrage of spells seemed more to keep Severus busy than do any real harm, Severus realized, wondering what Erascus was up to as he quickly parried a sleep spell and hurdled over the bed to get into a position to blast him with a wave of projectiles made from the debris on the floor.  Several of them grazed Erascus and he cried out in mixed pain and fury, flicking his wand.  The chair flew out of the corner and towards Severus, making him jump to one side. But just then the bottom of the broken lamp came at him from behind, hitting Severus on the back of the head and sending him to the floor.  A wave of dizziness and nausea hit him then, and he realized that his wand was not in his hand.

  Erascus laughed then, stepping on Severus’ right hand to prevent him from trying to call it back, digging the heel of his boot in while standing with his own wand pointed at Severus’ head.

  “Not too clever, Snape, didn’t you play Quidditch in school?  When a Bludger comes to the front, a Chaser watches their back.  It really is too bad I can’t kill you, considering how many would be so happy to see the Recreant meet his end,” he said, grinding his heal some more.

  “Recreant,” Snape rasped.  “You’re a Death Eater…”

  “No,” Erascus was.  “But my father was.  Not that he was a Death Eater long, of course.  He was snuffed out in cold blood as if he were a common animal, and who else but by one of our own kind…the man who makes your pathetic attempts at betrayal shallow in comparison.  Thomas Craw killed my father, and now he sits in Azkaban hotel, waiting for the day that the families of the dead have no appeals left and he walks out of there revered as a hero for his massacre.  Ever hear the phrase eye for and eye and a hand for a hand, Severus?” he said nastily, his wand waving in warning when Severus’ other hand flinched as if to try and free the first when Erascus ground it into the floor even more.  “In this case, it’s family for family.  How could I resist, when someone offered me Jennifer on a bed of blank memories?  She is dead without bloodshed, dead for all accounts except left with a live body to torment those that cared for her in knowing that she can be nothing but a shell of what she was.  And now, it seems, that you are about to join her in oblivion.  I can’t profess to be half the charmer that destroyed Jennifer, but I’m sure once you’re under control, the potion I’ve concocted will do the trick.  How ironic it is that you were the one that taught it to me.”

  “Baylor…” Severus said at last.  “Destroying us won’t bring Levus back, Roger.”

  “So, you do remember, do you?” Erascus said with a cold nod.  “Yes, that was me, fifteen years ago, and you were the one to tell me my father was dead.  But time doesn’t heal all wounds, Snape, no matter how you want them to.  Only the satisfaction of knowing the one that did the crime is receiving proper punishment will soothe it.  How crushed he’s going to be when you’re both gone.  How crushed the world will be… well, perhaps not the entire world.  Goodbye, Severus.  I’ll be seeing you soon, but you won’t remember a bit of it.  Pity that.  Obli-“

  “Morte acidium!”  Jacqueline shouted from behind him, her hand gripped tightly around Severus’ wand as a cloud came out of the wand and descended upon Baylor, a complex chant coming out of her mouth as the Acidic Eulogy began to eat at its victim.  Baylor began to scream in intense pain, his skin getting redder and blistery as the chant continued and he fell to the ground, crippled with pain as his skin began to peel.

  “No!  Jacqueline!” Severus shouted.  “Stop!  Stop the chant!”

  Jacqueline didn’t remember stopping.  In fact, she hardly remembered casting.  As silence fell she found herself shaking with Severus’ wand pointed at the injured figure in front of her, barely recognizable now.   Numbly she dropped the wand, unsure of what had just happened, standing in complete shock.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, bursting in tears.

  Severus was still holding her when Mark ran in a moment later with the police, paling immediately in terror when he saw Baylor.

  “What is this?  What’s going on here?” One of the police barked, checking Baylor.  “This man needs medical attention right away!”

  “Send him to Valley,” ordered a woman’s voice from the other side of the doorway.  A moment later Vallid appeared, a cell phone open in hand.  “I’ll have someone waiting there for him on arrival.  You all right, Severus?” she frowned, looking over his battered form.

  “I will tell you in a little while,” Severus said, having no intention of letting the clinging woman in his arms go.  He was letting her cry herself out, oblivious, yes, but only to the chaos going on around them. 
  “How could I do that?  Who was I that I could do that?” she asked at last, still trembling.

  “Would you believe me if I told you that you were once my wife?” Severus said quietly.  Jacqueline’s glassy eyes gazed up at him, her heart skipping a beat as she realized that it was the first thing that had made perfect sense to her since she woke up all those months ago.

  “But who am I now?” She asked slowly.

  “Whoever you decide you are,” Severus said.  “But whoever that turns out to be, I will still love you.”

  “Promise?” Jacqueline said softly.

 “A promise I couldn’t break it even if I wanted to,” Severus assured her, hugging her tightly.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Surprising Recognitions

 

  Fawkes was feathering quite nicely now, sitting comfortably on his perch and watching the students intently as they worked on their tests.  They knew better than to try to cheat with Fawkes there; one warble was all it took for Dumbledore’s eyes to flick away from his work and over towards the guilty party.  He never said a word about it; but then he didn’t have to.  There was something about that brief exchange that had a way of convincing the student that perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea after all.  

  But every head went up with surprise, Aurelius included, when the door of the classroom popped open and Severus came in.  His right hand was wrapped in tight bandages with only his fingers showing and there were marks on his face, but otherwise looked a great deal healthier than he had been when he left several weeks ago.  Aurelius immediately forgot all about the test, watching his father intently as he walked over to Dumbledore.

  “Not here empty-handed, I trust, Severus?” Dumbledore asked quietly.

  “St. Mungo’s, sir.  Might I see you a moment?” he asked, Dumbledore getting up.

  “Of course, your office or mine?  I suppose it’s all the same anymore,” Dumbledore said with amusement as they headed to the door.  “Class, if you finish before I return, feel free to leave your test on my desk.  I trust you’ll keep your eyes on your own papers,” he added, glancing at Fawkes who warbled as if in response.

  “Professor Snape?” Aurelius said anxiously, looking at his father questioningly.

  “We’ll talk later,” Severus promised, slipping in the office behind Dumbledore.  Aurelius looked after them with a frown as the door closed, but Heph nudged him with a smile.

  “Sounds like she’s back, eh?” Heph whispered.

  “Yes, but in what capacity,” Aurelius wondered. 

  Suddenly, Fawkes took flight, startling all the students as he came and perched on the edge of Stock’s desk, craning its neck a bit to stare at him straight in the eyes.  Stock, who had just risked a peek at Heph’s paper when he wasn’t looking, suddenly realized that the bird wasn’t moving, even when he had gotten brave enough to try to nudge him off.  Instead, Fawkes merely took a step and trilled a bit, and Stock looked nervously at the office door, deciding that perhaps ignoring the stupid bird and finishing his paper was the best course of action.  Quickly finishing, Stock then ducked out of the room, the obstinate bird watching the other students intently again, but not moving from the table it had perched on.  There could be little doubt that Dumbledore wouldn’t mistake for an instant what had happened when he got back.  Aurelius quickly turned his attention to his paper, quite determined for the bird not to be sitting on his own desk when Dumbledore and his father came out.

 

  Word spread quickly after that.  Inside and outside the castle alike, the air was filled with electricity as word rippled out like a small disturbance on the surface of the ocean pushing out and causing a giant tsunami.  Owls flew back and forth in busy detail, and St. Mungo’s Hospital found that its already busy public day was about to get much more out of hand.

  Of course, it wasn’t just Jacqueline’s presence that had Mungo’s nurses on their toes keeping away reporters and other riff raff.  Jacqueline had learned that the night before some citizen of high profile and importance in the wizard community had been taken there after he had collapsed.

  But Jacqueline had enough on her mind to satiate that curiosity, taking all sorts of strange memory tests and watching fascinated as carts and beds moved themselves around and strange smoking concoctions were given to her to ease her headaches from the pills that she had been given.  Just as she before when she had first woken up, there was nearly always someone with her, but she quickly forgave them when she discovered that they answered every question as she asked it; and she had lots of questions.

  Several wizard doctors had come in to ask her questions too, many of them with long white robes under their white jackets wearing some of the most comical hats that she had ever seen.  The fuss she was given was undeniable, and she was quite sure not everyone had a private room with a view of London.  Anything she asked for directly seemed to be at her disposal as well, from books to pumpkin butter sandwiches, and no one even blinked when she asked if they had it.  If anything, the nurse seemed completely delighted as Jacqueline sat on her bed and dug into some basic spell books, a plate of sandwiches at her side.  She was still like that in fact when the nurse knocked, peering in with a smile.

  “Up for visitors, dear?” She asked.

  “If one of them is the Professor,” Jacqueline grinned.  She had given up trying to remember to call him Severus instead of Mycroft.  Professor, it seemed, was true in either case.

  “It’s possible,” the nurse winked at her and stuck her head out the door again.  A moment later, Severus entered, followed by another man and woman.

  Ignoring the others, Jacqueline’s face suddenly lit up, leaping out of bed and giving him such a kiss that the woman blinked in complete surprise and the man grimaced and turned away, making a gesture to ward off evil.

  “Sirius, grow up,” Anna said, hitting him when she noticed what he was doing.  Severus looked over at them then, looking almost apologetic.

  “And just where have you been all day?” Jacqueline asked.

  “Checking in at work, and updating your friends and family about your current situation.”

  “I must have a lot of friends and family then,” Jacqueline teased.

  “You have no idea,” Severus said dryly, turning her around gently.  “This is my sister, Anna, and that, unfortunately, is her husband, Sirius.”

   “As in solemn or as in star?” Jacqueline asked with a smile.

   “Star,” Sirius grinned at her.  “We have too much of the other around here already.”

   “We’re glad to have you back here,” Anna said.  “What do you want to be called?”

   “Um, I don’t know…” Jacqueline said, glancing back at Severus.  “I suppose I should be getting used to being called Jennifer, shouldn’t I?”

  “That’s up to you,” Severus said gently.  She turned back around thoughtfully, looking at Anna.

  “I’m here now.  This is where I want to be…well, maybe not in the hospital,” she chuckled, glancing at Severus and back again.  “If Jennifer was the name I was born with, it’s what I want, I think, even if I can’t be the same person as I was.”

  “Do you even want to be?” Anna asked seriously.

  “Well, I do want my memories…all of them, now and before,” Jennifer said thoughtfully, “But if I’m understanding all this right, the chances of that happening aren’t very good, are they?”

  “If there’s a way, we’ll find it,” Severus said calmly.  “And if not, you will still have me.”  Jennifer smiled again and leaned into him.

  “Yes, I see how that would be very comforting,” Sirius said sarcastically.  Severus glared at him and Anna elbowed him.  “Sorry, I can’t help myself.  I can’t stand seeing him in here acting on his best behavior without taking advantage of it.”

  “Well, try.  Really hard,” Anna warned.  There was another gentle knock and Anna went over to answer it.

  A moment later, Jennifer found herself facing the most wizardly wizard she had ever seen with long silver hair and a long silver beard, silvery satin robes and a hat to match, and the most sparkling blue eyes that she had ever remembered seeing.  But it wasn’t until he spoke that something struck a chord.

  “Well!  I see you’re having a party already and didn’t invite me!” he said teasingly.  “Welcome home, Jennifer.  We have so missed you here.”

  “That voice,” Jennifer murmured, staring at him.  “I’ve heard that voice before, in my dreams, I recognize it,” she said with surprise, the old wizard beaming happily.  “Who are you?”

  “I am your friend Albus Dumbledore, Jennifer.  Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where you used to teach.”

  “I used to teach?” Jennifer blinked.  “Oh that’s right, you told me that once, didn’t you Professor?” she said, looking back at Severus.  Dumbledore seemed rather amused by that for some reason.  “What did I teach?”

  “Potions,” Severus said.  Her reaction immediate; she grimaced with complete disgust.

  “And one of the best instructors of Potions we’ve ever had, along with Severus himself,” Dumbledore smiled.

  “I wish I could remember,” Jennifer sighed.  Severus winced at the word.

  “Yes, so have I,” Severus said crisply.  “Do you remember anything else about Dumbledore, Jennifer?  Did you dream about him?”  Jennifer gazed at him a moment then away from his thought-filled face, her expression distant as she looked back.

  “You… you made me promise to hold on, once.  Maybe twice.  Maybe more,” Jennifer said, staring at him in confusion.  “I’m sorry, but every nightmare I’ve had has been about dying, and yet you seemed to always be there, telling me not to.”

  “Was anyone else ever there?” Dumbledore asked with interest.

  “Sometimes Mycroft was, but not always,” Jennifer said.  “Of course, the boy was always there.”  Dumbledore blinked in surprise, looking at her with intensity for a moment before turning thoughtful.  “Professor do you…I mean do we…I don’t suppose we have any children?” She asked.  Severus nodded slowly.  “A boy?”

  “Perhaps one or two,” Severus admitted.

  “You might as well come out and say it, Severus, I’ve already arranged for them to come visit after dinner,” Dumbledore warned him with a smile.

  “Don’t you think that’d be rushing things?” Severus growled.

  “The hospital staff didn’t think so,” Dumbledore said calmly.  “Don’t worry, Severus, the children understand that she may not recognize them.”

  “They?  Exactly how many children do I have?” Jennifer said, staring at Severus in surprise that he hadn’t mentioned it before.  Anna looked at her brother thoughtfully, but Sirius seemed to think his discomfort was fairly amusing.

  “Five,” Severus said at last, watching Jennifer’s jaw drop.  “One adopted son, two boys and two girls.  Ages ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen and twenty-five.”  Jennifer stared at him warily then went to the mirror and looking critically at her appearance, turning around in disbelief.  “Just how old am I, then?”

  “You’ll be forty in August,” Severus said, watching as she turned to stare dubiously into the mirror again.

  “How old are you?”

  “Fifty-one,” Severus sighed.  Jennifer studied him for a long time before turning to Dumbledore.

  “How old are you?”

  “Jennifer, suffice it to say that many of us do look much younger than our actual age,” Dumbledore said with a smile.  “But he is telling you the truth, you know.”

  “I know that, I can tell when he’s lying to me,” Jennifer said, Severus grimacing at that.  “It’s just that he tends to leave out a lot.  I wasn’t expecting he’d leave out anything on quite this scale, though,” she said, glaring at him.  “This is going to take some getting used to.”

  “Well, not too long I trust,” Dumbledore smiled.  “They are coming to visit, you know.”

  “Do I have any other surprises to look forward to, or is that it?” Jennifer asked, looking almost accusingly at Severus.

  “Did you tell her about her father yet?” Sirius volunteered.  Severus turned to him with a look ready to kill, and Jennifer sighed and sat down, ready for anything… or so she thought.

 

 

  “So this man, Mark, was being paid by Erascus to pretend to be her boyfriend?” Zoë asked the Snapes.  The four of them were at the Black Mansion, helping Alicia get her uniform together.  The other three, wearing their best Hogwarts’ robes, were quickly trying to get Zoë and Zack appraised of the situation.

  “Apparently he was in all sorts of trouble with some sort of commission over some trades he’d done, selling out or selling short or something,” Alex explained.

  “Perhaps a bit of both,” Aurelius said.

  “Erascus needed a patsy sort to look after her and help hide her, and Mark couldn’t resist. A frying pan into the fire thing, I suppose.  But Erascus, Baylor I mean, scared Mark, and in the end he turned and called the police.  Fortunately, Vallid had been waiting for something to happen, and gave order for special officers if any calls came from that apartment,” Andrew continued.  “Mark agreed to help testify against Baylor too, as long as he was guaranteed some safeties, and some sort of plea bargain thing.”

  “What’s that, anyhow?” Alicia asked, finishing putting on her vest as Andrew handed her a Stoddard coat.

  “Groveling one’s way out of a higher charge so that they don’t have to have a lengthy trial over it, from what Father said,” Aurelius said.  “They want to concentrate on Baylor, they’re hoping he’ll crack and confess who it was that cast the curse on her.”

  “What?  You mean it wasn’t Baylor?” Zack frowned.

  “Baylor was just some sort of middle man,” Alex explained.  “Apparently he slipped up and admitted there were more involved.  It’s not over yet.”

  “Do you think whoever it was will come back?  Like a back to the scene of the crime, thing?” Zack asked.

  “Why should he?  Found or not, he still did his job, didn’t he?  Mum’s memories are gone, and chances are, she’s not getting them back,” Aurelius sighed.

  “Stop saying that,” Alicia snapped.  “I don’t care how little chance there is, there’s still a chance.”

  “Alicia’s right.  Instead of grousing about it, we need to start trying to think of ways to help her,” Andrew said, straightening Alicia’s coat.

  “You all just never give in, do you?” Aurelius said, shaking his head.

  “No, we don’t,” Alex said.  “And neither do you,” she added, before heading down the stairs, the others turning and following.  Reluctantly, Aurelius turned and followed.  There was no way he was going to admit to the others that he was anxious as they were about the visit.  But he did feel a bit better when he saw their father looking them over with such intense scrutiny and picking over creases in their uniforms that it was apparent they weren’t the only ones who were nervous.

  “What’s the use of all the picking?  Aren’t we taking the floo?” Aurelius complained.

  “I have a key,” Severus said curtly.  “And you will stay turned out, and please keep your tongues.”

  “I’m not sure I’d know what to say to her anyhow,” Alex admitted.

  “You’re not there to speak but to be seen.  Answer only if you’re spoken to,” Severus said curtly.

  “Don’t worry them, Severus,” Anna said.  “We saw her this afternoon and despite losing her memories, she really is fine.”

  “How can you be fine without your memories?” Aurelius asked.

  “Aurelius, I’d rather not leave you behind, but I will if I don’t think you can keep your tongue civil.  She has a lot of things to adjust to, so let’s not cue her in to the four of your demonic sides until she gets to know you better,” Severus warned.  Anna and Sirius couldn’t help exchange a grin at that.  “Fine.  Let’s get this over with,” he said at last, holding something out in his hand.

  A moment later they were in the hospital library, Severus stopping by the desk to return the key and let them know they were back.

  “You can go on up, Professor Snape.  Professor Dumbledore is already with her,” the nurse behind the desk assured him.  Giving one last look at the four he headed to the door lift, lining them up in turn to step in and back out in the hallway near the private rooms, knocking lightly on the door before slipping in, waving them to wait a moment.

  Jennifer was sitting in a chair next to Dumbledore talking, dressed in a simple green robe she had picked out from some things they had sent her from the castle.  She glanced over when Severus peered in, looking at him nervously.

  “Are they here, Severus?” Dumbledore asked calmly.

  “Yes, I merely wanted to make sure you were ready for them,” Severus said solemnly.

  “I’m not sure ready is the word,” Jennifer said, but stood expectantly.   “All right.”

  Severus nodded and nudged them in a line from oldest to youngest, each one of them looking back at her with timid, worried faces.  But Jennifer couldn’t help but stare but the second in line, suddenly getting tears in her eyes as she gazed at him.

  “It’s you!  I can barely believe it, but it is, isn’t it?” Jennifer said, the boy watching her warily back.  “You’re Aurelius!”

  “Mum?” Aurelius said warily back.  Suddenly he found himself getting hugged while everyone else watched with surprise, especially Severus.

  “This is the boy you saw?  In your dreams?” Severus asked.

  “Yes!  In every one!” Jennifer exclaimed.  “And yet you’re real!”

  “Wait, what about them?” Aurelius said, backing off a bit.  “Don’t you remember anything about them?” 

  Jennifer paused and looked at the other three, all of their faces filled with hope.  Jennifer faltered then, not knowing what to say, knowing what it must be like to be standing there now, waiting for some sort of recognition.  But her silence was as powerful as any words and she realized at once that truth was rarely gentle.

  “I only wish I could,” she said, the youngest one gasping for some reason.  Severus waved a gloved hand at her as if in attempt to calm her.

  “This is Alexandria, the eldest of the four.  Aurelius, as you have guessed, then Andrew, and Alicia at the other end,” Severus introduced quietly.

  “I’m so happy to meet you all,” Jennifer said sincerely, but then paused, glancing back at Severus blankly.  “Why do all their names start with A’s?”

  “It’s a rather long story.  Remind me later if you’re still interested and I’ll tell you,” Severus said.

  “Well I’m interested,” Alex quipped, earning a disapproving look from her father.

  “Yes, I wouldn’t mind hearing that story myself,” Dumbledore put in.  “Although I can’t help but be a bit more intrigued with wondering how much you remember of Aurelius.”

  “I can really only tell you what I know of him from my dreams, really,” Jennifer admitted, looking at Aurelius who kept his distance back a bit behind the others.  “I know he was angry with me for leaving, and that I let him down somehow,” she said, watching him.  Aurelius looked even more uncomfortable.  “And I know he was trying to show me something, something important.  But the nightmares kept getting in the way, and I kept panicking and waking up.”

  “Figures I wouldn’t be in any normal dreams,” Aurelius said dourly and got another hug for it.

  “So, what was it like, I mean, to be a Muggle?”

  “Alex,” Severus warned.

  “Well, what’s it like to be a witch?” Jennifer asked her.

  “Well its… fine.” Alex said, trying to think of a better answer.  Aurelius rolled his eyes.

  “Sort of hard to compare when you’ve only been one, isn’t it?” Jennifer nodded to her.  “I suppose I’ll be able to soon enough.”

  “You’re not as different as I was afraid you’d be,” Andrew suddenly said with a grin.  “In some ways, you sound just the same.”

  “I’m sure in others I’m a long way from being the same,” Jennifer sighed, gazing between them.  “I’ve lost so much time with all of you…” she murmured.  “Well, there are advantages to a clean slate too, I suppose.  Tell me about yourselves!”

  Except for a few words and gestures from their father to keep Alex from upstaging the others, they were allowed to talk about anything they wanted as she tried to coax as much information as them as possible about Alicia’s painting and Andrew’s models and answering Alex’s questions about the café and asking them about school.  Only Aurelius seemed not to have much to add, standing with his hands in his pockets and answering with short answers.  But then, Andrew thought, that was very much like Aurelius, and yet at the same time, it was obvious he was bothered about the events of that night.

 

  They got back late, but Halbert was waiting anxiously awake in this bed, waiting to hear about how it went, and Andrew went into length about what had happened when they had first arrived.  The lights were out, and others were fast asleep, but neither of them felt tired as they pondered what had happened.

  “Are you very disappointed?  I mean, that she only remembered Aurelius?” Halbert asked in hushed tones.

  “I was at first,” Andrew admitted.  “Actually, it was more than that.  When she saw Aurelius and recognized him like that, I was hoping it was all over; that it all came back to her and everything was all right again.  But it wasn’t that, she just dreamed about him, and Aurelius… I don’t think he liked being singled out like that.  I think he wanted it to have been anyone else but him.  Father says it was the first time she had recognized anyone by name.  She hadn’t even recognized him like that.”

  “There must be a reason,” Halbert said.  “It wasn’t like it was just one dream, right?”

  “She said it was every one,” Andrew agreed.  “And all of those seemed to be about close calls she’s had in the past.  But there is something important about Aurelius being there.  There has to be.  I’m just not sure what.”

 

Chapter Twenty-Four

Encounters

 

  Jennifer’s restlessness was tempered by her freedom to wander to the small cafeteria and back.  But she couldn’t help but be a little put off about how many people were greeting her by name, and not just the staff itself; but others she happened by in the halls, visiting friend and relatives.

  One morning after getting up particularly early she decided to head go get some coffee on her own, eager to try out the coins that Severus had given her.  Her hand sifted through the pouch with a sort of strange familiarity, feeling each coin by size and weight until she pulled out a Sickle, slipping into the busy lounge.

  “Jennifer!”  A tall blonde wizard in a suit stood up with surprise, the dark portly man beside him looking at her with equal surprise but didn’t make a move to stand.

  “Hello,” Jennifer said with a smile, putting the coin in a small coin box and pouring herself some coffee.  “Do I know you?”

  “Draco Malfoy.  I was a student of yours,” Draco said.  “I heard you were here, of course.  Care to join us?”  The man next to him suddenly blinked at Draco but didn’t comment, nodding to Jennifer as she came over and sat down.  “This is Amadeus Longbottom.  He was a student of yours, too.”

  “Hello,” she said, but he merely nodded again.  “Visiting someone, I suppose?”

  “Yes, my father.  He collapsed a few nights ago,” Draco said quietly.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Jennifer said sympathetically.  But Draco chuckled dryly in response, shaking his head.

  “Now I know you’ve lost your memory.  I suppose you’re going to be here for awhile?” Draco said.

  “Um, no, just a day or two more until a potion I was given wears off,” Jennifer said, still wondering over his comment.  “Then I’m going back to work.”

  “What?  Surely you’re not teaching in your condition,” Amadeus said with alarm.

  “Well, not exactly.  The Headmaster gave me a job assisting Professor Witolf.  I understand he’s getting on in years,” Jennifer explained.

  “What sort of assistant could you be right now?  You barely even know who you are,” Amadeus said.

  “Well, at least I can make a decent cup of coffee,” Jennifer said, staring into her cup.  “This stuff tastes like Mark’s.  Hope your father gets better,” she added as she got up with a smile, wandering out.

  “I wonder how Dumbledore plans to get that past the board,” Amadeus said, shaking his head disapprovingly.

  “Easy, it’s Jennifer isn’t it?” Draco said.  “Besides, Hogwarts is probably the safest place for her to be right now, considering they don’t think they’ve caught whoever did this yet.”

  “I thought the Ministry already said that Roger did it, not that I ever thought he’d have that sort of cheek before this.” Amadeus said.

  “Exactly.  You know as well as I do that Roger is a sheep.  He wouldn’t be acting alone.  Besides, I happened to notice at the Ministry yesterday that there’s just as much buzz around Brown’s office as there was before Baylor was caught.  I’m positive they think there’s someone else.  In fact, that’s why I’m a bit reluctant to go back upstairs today,” Draco said.  “I made the mistake of asking Father if he knew anything and he called me a traitor and kicked me out.”

  “Again?  Draco, he might be a crass old crow, but don’t be stupid enough to lose your inheritance while the man is on his death bed.”

  “Actually, the doctor says he’s recovering,” Draco said.

  “More’s the pity,” Amadeus grunted, sipping his tea.

  “Besides, I got a trump card that he wouldn’t possibly play against,” Draco said calmly.  “He’s not about to do anything that would make me want to keep him from seeing his granddaughter.”

 

  Jennifer pretended to wander aimlessly in the hall for a while, but that was hardly her intent, her curiosity peeked by the strange conversation she had had a moment before.

  “Oh, Jennifer, there you are!” A beautiful red-haired nurse she had seen before had been rushing past her in the hall when she spotted her.  “Wandering again, I see.  Professor Snape is looking for you and your family doctor is coming later to talk to you.  You’d better be heading back.”

  “All right, Ginny, I will,” Jennifer promised.

  “You need me to get someone to walk you back?”

  “That’s all right, I know my way,” Jennifer assured her, watching over her shoulder until the woman slipped out of sight.  “Just going to try a little detour first, is all,” Jennifer said to herself, slipping to take the long way around.

  Quite a number of other private rooms were down the connecting hall, intermixed with nurse stations and an occasional lab filled with bubbly cauldrons.  She peered curiously in any open doors and glancing at small sheets attached to them.  At least she found the one she was looking for and peeked in the slightly ajar door to see a white-haired man resting on several large pillows.

  Quickly she slipped in the door so no one in the corridor would see her, watching him curiously a moment.  She sighed then, shaking her head.  No, she didn’t recognize him, not the name, not the face.  But just before she was about to slip out again he suddenly woke up, his surprise turning to terror when he realized who was standing there.

  “NURSE!”  The man screamed, his fear paralyzing Jennifer, keeping her frozen in complete disbelief at his reaction.  “Doctor!  Amadeus!  Draco!  Anyone!”

  Several nurses and doctors burst into the room, some of the nurses rushing over to Lucius’ side while the rest stood in the doorway with their wands out, ready for anything.

  “Don’t just stand there, GET THAT WOMAN OUT OF HERE!”  He ordered, his face red from getting worked up.

  “Well, well, what do we have here?” Severus said as he stepped in, going over to Jennifer’s side and putting his hands on her shoulders.  “How long has he been here?  No, don’t tell me.  I suspect he got here a just a few hours before Jennifer and I did, didn’t he?”

  “What sort of hospital is this?  Get HIM out of here!” Lucius snapped furiously.

  “And weren’t you in here a few months ago as well?  Newt Pneumonia, I think was the official report, but was it really a curse plaguing you, Malfoy?  Makes one wonder just what the definition of harm is, doesn’t it?   Is it this?” Severus asked, raising his wrapped hand.  Or is it this?” he said, putting a hand on Jennifer.  One of the nurses quickly slipped out of the room, but Severus didn’t notice, his eyes intent on his old foe.

  “Jennifer’s memories may have been ripped from her, but now I wonder if yours too haven’t been taken, Lucius. ’From now until your dying day you will live with the curse of your borrowed time with me.  If you, through any action, direct or indirect, or through any inaction, direct or indirect, cause or allow any harm to come to any of my family…me, my husband, or any of my children, this blow will finish, and your empire will crumble under the weight of your own malice and you will be nothing in history but a blotted memory.’  Do you remember those words as well as I remember them, Lucius?  Direct or indirect.  Of course, we all know you never act directly.  You are hardly stupid, which is why you’re still alive…that and through my wife’s mistake in keeping you alive when she could have killed you cleanly without anyone batting an eye.  How does one, then, get rid of an enemy if one cannot harm them?   You tried to get around it, didn’t you, by suggesting to someone else how to make her disappear.  Who else but you would have reason to keep her alive and cared for, uncharmed except for the bare minimum necessary to keep her in line until she could see herself in no other life but the one that was been presented to her?”

  There was movement near the door, but Severus didn’t look around, his eyes intent on Lucius alone, only barely aware of other voices suggesting that they leave.

  “Who was your wand man, Lucius?  Who else has something against Jennifer or I that we don’t know about yet who would have an investment in keeping her ‘safe’?  And how much money did you pay to Baylor to keep her ‘safe’ for you?” Severus asked.

  “I had nothing to do with this!   And you are in direct violation of a protection order being here!  Get out!  Get them both out!  Or I’m taking this entire hospital down for failing to uphold a court order!” he barked.  “And take him with you!”

  Severus glanced over to see Harry standing beside him, watching the exchange.

  “Come on, Severus, you said what you had to,” Harry said.

  “No, I’m not leaving this room with him thinking he’s won in any way,” Severus said, turning his attention back to Lucius.  “For as you can see, Jennifer is here, no matter who it was who you stringed into this, Lucius.  Back with me, in fact, and despite the odds, her memories will be completely restored.  When that day comes, I hope you’ll be ready, because I have every intention of seeing that you are pulled down with the caster.”

  “You wish,” Lucius said.

  “Don’t tempt me,” Severus muttered, despite his lack of confidence in that method.  Gently he led Jennifer out not looking at Lucius as they left, Harry following closely behind them.

  “I suppose it would be too much to ask exactly what happened in there?” Jennifer asked.  Severus sighed.

  “That will take some length of time to explain.  What were you doing in there?” Severus asked.

  “I was curious.  I ran into that man’s son and saw something strange in his face and thought I would see if I could recognize him.”

  “Wonderful.  Whom else have you been speaking to?” Severus asked.

  “I don’t know.  Everyone who seems to know me,” Jennifer said.  Severus and Harry exchanged glances.  “What’s wrong?”

  “Jennifer, there are quite a few people you are going to have to learn to stay away from, or at the very least be cautious around,” Harry said.  “Not to mention there are still people involved with your memory curse that we don’t know about yet.”

  “What sort of person was I that had caused so many people to hate me?  And that man in there, he was terrified of me.”

  “That is going to take a while to explain as well,” Severus muttered as they turned into her room.  But at the doorway she stopped short, her jaw dropping when she saw the strangely shaped figure in front of her.

  “Good morning, Jennifer.  Do you not remember me?” Doctor Sagittari asked.

  “You would think I would, wouldn’t you?” Jennifer grinned nervously at the Centaur.  “Your voice sounds familiar, but I uh, don’t remember the profile.”

  “Well perhaps I have something here you will remember,” he smiled, walking over to a covered tray and opening it.  Jennifer’s nose twitched as she smelled the food and went cautiously over to taste it.

  “Hey!  Where’s ours?” Harry joked, when Jennifer suddenly became absorbed in her plate.

  “You see what you miss by not being one of my regular patients?” Sagittari chuckled.  “On the desk, I brought enough for everyone.”

  “Close the door,” Jennifer suggested, “so we don’t have to share.”

  “You were right, Severus, her tastes don’t seem to have changed a bit,” Sagittari smiled, a bit pleased.  “And here I always assumed her taste for Mediterranean cooking stemmed from her time in France.”

  “This is a amazing!  You’re a doctor?”

  “Technically, a veterinarian who’s licensed to practice on Humans,” Sagittari said.

  “It’s a good thing you aren’t human or Severus might have some competition,” Jennifer said.  Severus blinked at that.

  “Maybe now’s a good time to learn to cook?” Harry suggested.  Severus scowled at him.

  “Besides her tastes, what other things seem the same, Severus?  Have there been any unusual differences?  Mood changes?”

  “Nothing out of the ordinary, although she isn’t as serious as she used to be, and she’s definitely more reckless.”

  “You mean like she was when she first started teaching,” Harry grinned.

  “Well, right now she does have fewer obligations than she used to have.  What have the nurses been giving you for the headaches, Jennifer?” Sagittari asked.

  “I don’t know what it’s called but it has valerian, skullcap, and way too much lavender in it.  No subtlety whatsoever, and I think it might also have some powdered wisp leaf in it.  The thing about wisp leaf though is, if you know it’s in there, it probably has too much.”

  “The water could have been at an improper temperature, or too high of a boiling point,” Severus suggested.

  “That’s no excuse, a hospital should know better,” Jennifer said.  “How exactly am I able to tell all of that, anyhow?”

  “Taste, I would think.  You were trained to do so,” Sagittari smiled at her.  “And in the process, answered one of my questions about your functional memory before I asked it.  Why didn’t this manifest before?  Was she never given a potion?”

  “Pellet potions,” Severus said acidly.

  “Ah yes.  Ironic too, considering Jennifer invented those,” Sagittari said.

  “I did?” Jennifer said with surprise, actually looking up from her meal.

  “Yes, to try to get out of taking my vitamin boosts while you were pregnant,” Sagittari chuckled.  “You were always clever.  Last year you were able to take a few drops of a very rare wine and turn it into a formula to free an entire race forced into slavery.”  Jennifer stared at him.

  “I did?”

  “And concocted a complex antidote for a highly deadly venom on the spot to save Ginny’s life,” Harry put in.

  “I did?” Jennifer said again, looking at Severus for confirmation.  “You know for a potion’s master, I was very busy.”

  “What did you expect a potion’s master to do?” Sagittari amusement.  “A good teacher teaches by example as well as in the classroom, you know.  You’ll find that Hogwarts professors never lack for things to keep them busy.”

  “Wait, if you teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, what exactly do you do?” Jennifer said looking back at Severus.  “No, don’t answer that, I don’t want to know.”

  “Actually, most of my time has been spent chasing you around,” Severus said, his face expressionless but his voice sounding slightly amused.  “Now why is it that I have the feeling that’s not going to change any time soon?”

  “One would wonder,” Sagittari chuckled, and then nodded with satisfaction.  “And I agree with the resident’s reports, Severus.  As far as I’m concerned, she can go back to Hogwarts tomorrow.”

  “Do you work there too?” Jennifer asked the Centaur hopefully.

  “Magical Creatures instructor,” Sagittari nodded with a smile.  “And advisor of the Bridle Club.”

  “Bridle Club?” Severus frowned at him.

  “Yes, it was a student’s idea; to teach those interested on how to ride mounts of all sorts.  Your daughter’s idea, as a matter of fact, although one of your sons helped most with organizing it,” Sagittari admitted.  He got a small scroll out of his robe pocket, glancing at it before offering it out to Severus.  “By the way, here’s their permission slip, if you don’t mind?”  Severus rolled his eyes and shook his head, muttering softly to himself as he took the form to sign.

 

  Sagittari had been glad that he limited the club to the first twenty to sign up, for he had more than his hands full with those that joined.  After the Snapes, Halbert had been the fourth to sign up.  Alex had somehow managed to talk Mandria into joining, as well as Xavier Platt, who had often rode with them when Jennifer took them out.  Heph also joined, but both Stock and Rose decided they had less smelly things to do with their time.  Quite a number of beasts, from the flying and fantastic to the steady and boring were drawn out and line up, Sagittari making sure they were all safely tethered.

  “A mount is not a broom,” Sagittari instructed, prancing between the students and the mounts with his hands behind his back.  “It is a living thing with its own personality, likes and dislikes.  It is a companion to be cared for and led but never bullied.  I expect each of you to treat the mount you are assigned to with the same respect that you would give your fellow students, and in some cases better,” he said glancing at Conner Donavan who grinned sheepishly.  “Those of you who either have taken my class or have received riding training before shall be allowed to get accustomed to the flying mounts.  The rest of you will be on ground mounts for now.

  “During the duration of the first few weeks, you will be riding solely the animal you were assigned to, and will also be solely responsible for its daily care, supervised by me, of course, unless it happens to be a mount which has an owner from the school in which case you will be sharing responsibilities.  I will let you know if someone else owns the mount when you’re assigned to it.  If I see any slacking on anyone’s duties, or any trouble following instructions, it’ll be assumed you do not have the discipline to carry on with this extra curricular activity and will not be able to participate.  Also keep in mind that any Professor may request that you be removed if they believe it is interfering with your studies.  Does everyone understand?” He asked, waiting to make sure that everyone had been paying attention.  He paused then thoughtfully as he looked at the end of the line.

  “Mr. Aurelius Snape?  I think you’re on the wrong end of the line.  You are qualified for a flying mount.”

  “If it’s all the same to you, I understand that ground techniques are different,” Aurelius said, getting a small nod from the Centaur.  “In which case, I’d prefer a horse, or something similar if possible.”  The Centaur looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded.  “Very well, it’ll take a little arranging but I accept your request.  Halbert, let’s put you on Babe, shall we?  Now, who do I move?” He mused.

  “Doctor, if you don’t mind, I wouldn’t mind switching,” Conner spoke up, surprising several of his classmates.  “He can use my horse.”

  “Very good,” The Centaur said solemnly.  “You are definitely qualified to take a flying mount.  Perhaps you should take Ginseng, since you’ve also had my class on hippogriffs.  Aurelius, you then will ride Colossus.”

  “Just watch that first step, it can be a doozy for someone your size,” Conner murmured as he passed Aurelius, who glared at him in return.

  “Very well.  Let’s work at making friends then, shall we?” Sagittari suggested with a smile, allowing the students to step up to or bow to their mounts.

  Alexandria put her arms around Pepper happily, the winged horse responding favorably in kind to her owner.  Andrew patted Ruby’s nose, grinning at Halbert who cautiously offered something to Babe in his hand.  Babe politely accepted it, although he looked far from hungry.

  “He seems to like you,” Andrew said with a grin. 

  “Most creatures like me.  Although isn’t this one your father’s?” Halbert asked nervously.

  “Yep.  They got them as a wedding present,” Andrew said.

  “Really?  Well they don’t look their age then,” Halbert said appreciatively.  “And isn’t he huge?”

  “Yeah he’s even bigger than that brute plow horse Conner brought in.  A bit tall for Aurelius, though isn’t it?” Alex said.

  “Yes,” Andrew agreed but then leaned over a bit, murmuring.  “But then so is Pali.”

  “Oh!  Oh yes, good point!” Halbert said nodding sagely.  “I should have guessed the reason.”

  “Can you think of any other reason he’d stoop to riding Conner’s horse?” Andrew grinned.  “He hates Conner!”

  Conner bowed ceremoniously to Ginseng while watching Aurelius from the corner of eye as the boy approached with a hand out, Colossus taking two healthy steps backwards in response.  Conner couldn’t help but snigger, careful to make sure the hippogriff didn’t think it was towards him as Conner watched Colossus step back again.  Sagittari as well hadn’t missed the movement, and suddenly took out a bottle that was on a string around his neck, taking a quick swig.  A strange neighing sound came out of his mouth then, sounding remarkably like an order, and Colossus’ ears suddenly perked, stepping back up to the point that Aurelius had to back up a bit to get back into the lineup.

  “Very well, lets see about teaching you how to properly sit on a mount then,” Sagittari said, satisfied that there weren’t going to be any other problems.  But Aurelius came over and whispered something to him, Sagittari looking unusually thoughtful.  “Let’s make sure you’re both better friends before we attempt that one, shall we?”

  Conner looked at Aurelius suspiciously, and Halbert and Andrew exchanged glances of their own.  Whether Conner truly had good intention or not for giving up his horse, Andrew wasn’t sure, but he also knew his brother.  It was only a matter of time before the situation became explosive.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Homecoming

 

  The coach service was waiting patiently on the roof of the hospital when Severus and Jennifer arrived, a Goblin sitting in the drivers seat, offering Jennifer a crooked but friendly smile.

  “You’re late,” the Goblin said.

  “You know it’s bad luck for a coach to leave on time,” Severus said curtly back, opening the door.  Jennifer was busy staring at the pair of winged horses at first and didn’t see the gesture.  “Shall we?  We’re expected back, you know.”

  “Do you always travel like this?” Jennifer said in amazement stepping into the carriage.

  “Special occasions, or sometimes long trips over water,” Severus said, waving to the goblin as he got in, Jennifer looking around with amazement at how much room they had inside.  “It’s longer than port key stations but guarantees one won’t be seen traveling by unfriendly eyes, provided the driver knows what he’s doing.  We’ve used them for both reasons at one time or another,” he added gazing at her as she peered intently out the window at the city below.  “This was Dumbledore’s idea, really.  I was planning to take you by floo powder, but he thought it appropriate, since this is how you first arrived at the castle before.”

  “Castle?”

  “Well, you didn’t expect a wizardry school to be in a high-rise, did you?” Severus asked expressionlessly.

  Jennifer became even more glued to the window than ever, wishing they weren’t up so high, wanting to see more than an occasional glimpse of fields and towns through the cloud cover.  But at last the coach finally began to descend and she saw a glitter of lights upon the edge of the lake, then at last the castle itself.  She felt her throat clinch, and a thrill run through her as they neared it, and her stomach dropped but not because of the spiraling decent onto some sort of sport’s field.  She glanced over at Severus when they landed.  He was watching her very intently, monitoring every reaction.

  “Familiar?” he asked quietly.

  “No, only…it feels like home,” she smiled, stepping out onto the Pitch.

  Flights of owls flew overhead hooting in greeting, and she could hear the sound of conversation of a great many people through openings at the top of huge stained glass windows to the one side of her.  Severus glanced at his watch, taking a few steps forward to show her the way.

  “Running a bit late, but we did pick up a bit some time… still in time for dinner,” Severus said, hurrying in.

  “Oh, I’m much too nervous to eat right now,” Jennifer protested.

  “That’s quite all right.  I was hardly expecting you to actually eat,” Severus said, walking down a wide hallway towards a pair of large double doors.

  “Well if you don’t expect me to eat, why are we going?” Jennifer asked, breathing hard to catch up.

  “Well, you once asked me how much friends and family you have, I thought I’d introduce you to a fraction of them,” Severus said calmly, pulling her arm so that she stood in front of him as the doors suddenly opened. 

  Jennifer peered into to an enormous hall where one either side of her were two very long tables that stretched down three-fourths of it, filled with students that looked up from their meals with surprise.  In front of her was a long dais where a rather impressive looking group of wizards and witches sat, and in the center was a man she recognized; Albus Dumbledore, who had gotten to his feet with a warm, welcoming smile.  Severus nudged her firmly from behind to coax her to move forward, and quite reluctantly she did so, aware that everyone’s eyes were on her.

  “Come on, come on, I’m the only one in here that bites.  Up to the main table,” Severus murmured to her impatiently just before a roar of applause suddenly broke out within the student body.  The rest of the staff stood as she got close to the table and Severus led her over the two empty chairs there.  She nearly made it before she hesitated again, stopping to stare through one of the professors before she realized why she could see through him.  The ghost of Icarus Ravenclaw merely smiled at her and nodded.

  “Let her sit in your seat this once, Severus, after all she’s rather the guest of honor tonight,” Albus said, and Severus immediately helped her into the seat next to Dumbledore, taking the position between her and a very ancient looking man that Jennifer could only assume was Professor Witolf.  As the rest of the staff sat she caught the eye of the older woman on the other side of Dumbledore, who was clapping with the rest of the students with tears in her eyes.

  It was only then that she caught sight of the dazzling ceiling and floating candles, feeling another strange chill running through her that she couldn’t explain before glancing back down again.  Andrew and Halbert, sticking out rather noticeably around the rest of their classmates, waved happily over to her, grinning from ear to ear.  Immediately she started searching for the others until she finally picked Alex’s auburn hair out of the crowd, and Aurelius, who was mixed in with mostly older students.

  “We are truly so very glad to have you back here where you belong, Jennifer.  Hogwarts just wasn’t the same without you,” Dumbledore smiled.

  “Thank you, Albus, although all the sudden I’m not sure how much I can actually help here, really,” Jennifer said,  “It’s rather overwhelming.”

  “Well, I think it’s mutually beneficial for you to get out of that hospital and start feeling productive again.  You never were one to sit still, and from what Severus has told me that is still true.  Besides, Jennifer, I don’t think that you’ll be able to get your memories back by sitting in bed.  You need to be out experiencing the world again, so you can rediscover them on your own.  Don’t you agree, Severus?”

  “Of course, Sir,” Severus said, toying with his goblet.  “Provided she’s supervised until she gets her feet wet, as it were.”

  “Well, good, I’m glad you at least agree to some extent.  I’ll be able to count on you both helping chaperone the last shopping trip to Hogsmeade before the holidays then, I trust.  That’s the town on the far side of the Forest, Jennifer, the week after next.”

    “Wonderful, I’d be glad to.  I’d love to see more of the area anyway,” Jennifer agreed enthusiastically.  Severus suddenly stopped mid drink and put down his goblet as if he had just been tricked into doing something unpleasant.

 

  Upstairs Jennifer had more surprises in store as Severus paused in front of the painting of a Raven just off the staircase, which rumbled below her as the stairs changed position in a rather unnerving manner.

  “This leads to your sitting room.  The dragon down the hall leads to mine.    The password to yours is, ‘bienvenue lumière d'obscurité’… don’t blame me for that, by the way.  Dumbledore set it up.  You can change it at your leisure, of course.  Mine right now is, “Destiny fears only inaction.”

  “Are the passwords always so deep?” Jennifer couldn’t help but ask.

  “No, normally the two of us have always set up similar ones so we could keep track of them, as well as our offices downstairs, although I don’t suppose you’ll have one of your own for awhile.  You can use mine, though, once Dumbledore gets his things out.  I believe right now he has it set to something like, ‘Tea should not be served with philosophy.’”

  “What’s that one supposed to mean?” Jennifer laughed as he opened the painting.

  “Something having to do with his visit with Merlin, I should think.  Shall we go in?”

  “Surely you don’t mean the Merlin,” Jennifer said with amazement.  “But he’s not been around for thousands of years!”

  “Yes, well, that will take some explaining as well,” Severus decided, coaxing her in.

  “Is there anything that won’t?” Jennifer asked teasingly, gazing around at the room.  Ornate rugs and tapestries covered the walls not occupied by floor to ceiling bookshelves, and there were several chairs and a couch with a table low enough to by comfortable but high enough to work by.  There was a desk near the bookshelves, clean except for a few books and a crystal lamp.  Near the frosted windows was a pair of familiar stands where an owl and Ratfly were dozing, while behind her by the door was a carved end table with silver tea set, and on the other was a floor length mirror with a gold foil frame.  “What a large mirror,” she murmured, standing in sight of it mesmerized.  “Why, it’s enchanted, isn’t it?”

  “No, why?” Severus asked curiously.

  “It’s strange, but I’m hearing an echo in my head, as if I were trying to read my own mind,” Jennifer said, staring at it with confusion.

  “Sounds as if the last of that nasty drug has finally fallen off,” Severus said, Jennifer frowning at him puzzledly.  Gently Severus turned her around to face him, lifting up her chin.  “Ask me something.  Anything you’ve wanted to know the truth about,” he said in a low voice.

  “Anything?”

  “I have nothing to hide from you.  Well, not until we get closer to Christmas,” he amended with the faint hint of a grin before turning completely serious again.  “What do you want to know?”

  “I want to know if you truly do love me now, as I am this very moment, and if it turns out that there is no hope of me getting what I lost, would you still?”  Jennifer asked softly.  Severus gazed at her for a long moment.

  “Yes,” he said simply. 

  But what happened next was anything but simple.  His thoughts and all the reasons behind the answer pierced through her like a knife then exploded outwards as the different levels of it exposed themselves…his memories of her as Jacqueline at the heart of them, and she heard her own voice echo in the midst of his own while reason danced about each thought like a ring, linking each to the next.  But as she got lost in his eyes, she found she could go deeper still, and realized that the reason went even deeper than perhaps he realized, and somehow knew it was in herself as well…that strange shocking sensation that had occurred when she had first met…it had not been the first time that had happened, and he had experienced it as well, she was sure.  Suddenly she noticed something else buried in the back, encased in a protective shell to hold it from disturbing the rest of the thoughts as they came, but Jennifer recognized it, for she knew that within herself as well.  She had barely touched it before the thought consumed her and she tore herself away until once again she saw his eyes growing very alarmed indeed when they had noticed the tears in hers.

  “Oh Professor…oh Severus,” she said at last.

  “Are you all right?  Perhaps showing you that gift of yours was a bit too much for you to understand too soon,” Severus frowned.

  “No, it isn’t that,” she whispered, not turning her way.  “I never realized how much pain you were in.  I am so sorry.”  Severus stared at her for a moment before finally closing his eyes, drawing her to him and pulling her head to his chest away from his gaze.

  “I wasn’t expecting you to go that far,” he murmured, angry at himself.  “If I had, I wouldn’t have offered.”

  “All of those years we shared…good and bad…hardships and grief…trials and triumphs, and yet now you’re faced with remembering them alone.”

  “It is hardly your fault,” Severus whispered, still holding her tight so she couldn’t see his face, kissing the top of her head.  “We have all suffered in our own ways from this, and I’d rather you concern yourself with your own recovery and not mine.”

  “What concerns you concerns me,” Jennifer said firmly.  “I have to have my memories back…I know that now.  I may have been able to live with my suffering, but not yours and not the children’s.  I’m not going to let them tear this family apart.”

  “No, never,” Severus said softly.  “But I want you to concentrate on doing what’s best for you now, first and foremost.”  Jennifer pushed herself away enough to be able to look at him.

  “You are what’s best for me,” Jennifer whispered.  “If that weren’t true, would I be here?”

  Severus gazed at her again before kissing her gently, not allowing either of them to take it farther than that.

  “We have a busy day tomorrow,” he said expressionlessly.  “Come, let me finish showing you around.”  He slipped away to open a door in the back, and she followed him into a very simply decorated bedroom with matching stands, bureaus and wardrobes.  “Here are your things on this side, and as you can see, the bathroom is through there,” he said with a wave as she peered in, a lot more impressed than he was after the tiny flat bathroom she had had before, turning to the wardrobe next and opening it curiously.

  “Oh thank goodness!  I did have taste after all!” She said with relief as she pulled out a couple of dresses putting them up to herself.

  “Impeccable,” Severus agreed, watching her a moment.  “My sitting room is through this door opposite yours, so if you need anything, feel free to come get me.”  Jennifer looked up with surprise.

  “Come get you?”

  “Yes, I have quite a deal of work to catch up on, so I think I’ll stay up and get some of it done.  If you get hungry, just turn the dishes over in your sitting room; the House Elves will have something ready for you.  Good night,” he said, quickly slipping into the next room and closing the door.

  Jennifer stood there with her hands on her hips staring at the door for a moment.  Was it her imagination, or did he just give her a convenient brush off?  Well, it served her right, she mused, after the way she treated Mark all of that time.  No, what was she thinking?  Mark was getting paid to watch over her.  And Severus did love her, if she could trust that strange ability that had come over her when she looked at him.

  Trying to talk herself into believing she was just imagining things, Jennifer got ready for bed, finding everything she needed and more in her wardrobe and the bathroom, feeling quite relaxed by the time she climbed into bed and blew out the candles.

  But she found herself lying awake, listening.  After a few moments she heard the fluttering of wings outside the window, and an occasional hoot in the distance.  She waited impatiently for the next noise, but it was a long time coming, so long, in fact, that she threw back the covers and kicked herself back out of the bed.  She threw on a robe lying in a chair nearby and stepped over to the other door, slowly turning the handle peered inside.

  Severus was sitting at the table with a quill, papers in front of him, and a stack of books at hand.  Jennifer realized he at least wasn’t making up the part about having a lot of work to do. 

  She slipped in then, looking curiously around.  This sitting room seemed more about functionality than comfort, and had quite a great deal of extra shelves in it.  But one corner near the door was set up slightly different; the corner bookshelf filled with novels instead of textbooks.  Nestled on the shelf in the corner was a book pedestal, displaying one of the novels in glass.  Nearby were a music stand and a chair where a violin case sat, and on one of the shelves nearby sat the pipe she had given him.

  “Still awake?  Everything all right?” he asked, glancing at her briefly before returning to his work.

  “I can’t sleep.  It’s too quiet,” Jennifer complained, walking over to peer curiously at the student papers he was reviewing.

  “I can make you a potion to help you sleep if you’d like,” he offered, setting one of the papers aside.

  “Oh, no thanks, I’d rather not,” Jennifer admitted.  Severus looked up at her thoughtfully.

  “I wouldn’t give you anything I didn’t think was safe and that you didn’t understand exactly what it did,” he said quietly.

  “I know, Professor, I trust you,” Jennifer assured him quickly.  “It’s just that I’d rather not get in the habit.  And I do need to get used to things now that I’m here, don’t I?”

  “Yes,” Severus agreed thoughtfully, watching her.

  “Rather funny, I suppose.  I never thought I’d actually miss the sound of the T.V. in the next room,” Jennifer said, shifting uncomfortably.  “Do you have much to do?”

  “Yes, in fact it’ll probably keep me up most the night.  I’ll just get a quick nap in here before class, it’s no bother,” Severus said, Jennifer nodding to herself at that.  “Care to borrow a book?”

  “No, I’m fine,” she said quickly.  “I’ll just… try again, I suppose.”  Severus watched as she shut the door behind herself, letting out a very long sigh.

  Inside, Jennifer climbed back into the bed, drumming her fingers against the blankets irritably as she tried to settle in, her mind too busy puzzling over Severus’ behavior to really let herself relax. 

  Suddenly, she heard an excruciatingly painful noise followed by several somewhat melodic notes and another screech.  Realization sunk in as she remembered the violin sitting on the chair and she chuckled a bit, wondering exactly what it was that he was trying to play.  Just when it sounded like he was getting somewhere, a note would go flat again and she’d wince, unable to stop from giggling every time it did.  She didn’t remember getting tired, but sure enough before the last note screeched along the bow she was fast asleep.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Playing the Trump

 

  Andrew and Halbert wolfed down their breakfasts in record time the next morning so they could get to the pens before class.  Several of the other students were already there, including Conner, who was busy preening Ginseng.

  “Hey ‘Drew, where’s that no-good brother of yours?  Colossus hasn’t been fed yet,” Conner complained.

  “Maybe he thought you might actually take care of your own animal for a change,” Halbert suggested.

  “I have my own mount to worry about,” Conner pointed out.  “But I’m not about to see Colossus neglected.  You had better go find him and get his ass out here before I am tempted to go drag it out myself.”

  “I thought we decided we were going to let up on him this year, Conner,” Stewart said from where he stood beside his winged mule.

  “Only because of Craw and she’s back now.  And anyhow, that’s no excuse for letting Colossus starve.  I’ve half a mind to go report him to Sagittari, and I will if I end up being the one to feed him,” Conner swore.  “Besides, I shouldn’t have to spend my morning practice before our big game with Slytherin having to worry that their pathetic excuse for a Keeper can’t keep up with his responsibilities.”

  “I had better go check on him,” Andrew murmured to Halbert.  “Last thing we need right now is a row between these two.”

  “Right.  I’ll start feeding Babe and Ruby,” Halbert offered.

  But fortunately, Andrew didn’t have to go too far before he found him.  He was coming over the grounds with Heph and Alex on either side with the same glum expression that had been on his face for the last couple of days, still brooding over what had happened at the hospital.

  “There you are.  I’ve been wondering if you remembered,” Andrew said.  Aurelius glared at him.  “I meant about your mounts.”

  “Don’t worry, I have no intention of forgetting,” Alex said.  “Mandria will be along in a minute.  Rose was helping her study for our Herbology test, but I think I’m ready.  If only I had Potions today!  I rather miss having Mum in the class room after all.”

  “I thought you said last year you couldn’t stand her teaching, in fact both of you did,” Heph pointed out.

  “Well, yes, but you always knew what to expect in her class,” Alex said.  “Professor Witolf seems happiest when things are exploding and cauldrons are boiling over.”

  “Yes, makes you wonder if he hasn’t gotten a bit senile,” Aurelius said.

  “I wouldn’t let Rose catch you saying that,” Andrew said.  “Besides, I sort of like the old chap.  And one never knows what’s going to happen in that class, keeps things exciting.”

  “Please don’t get yourself sucked into the potion crowd, Andrew,” Aurelius said.  “Potions are for losers who can’t cut it for real magic.”

  “I wouldn’t let Father catch you saying that one, either,” Andrew said, Aurelius rolling his eyes in response.  “Besides, Corey’s not exactly incompetent with magic and he’s an alchemist.”

  “Can we not bring the perfect son into this conversation?  I’m surprised that everyone isn’t expecting him to single handedly design a cure for mother while maintaining his little Muggle cheering section he keeps handy in his shop whenever his ego needs a boost,” Aurelius said.  Heph snickered, but Aurelius’ siblings seemed to completely ignore the comment as they climbed the fence.

  “It’s about time.  Get enough beauty rest?  Or were you just hoping to grow overnight?” Conner snapped grumpily.

  “Do you mind?  It’s not as if this is all we have to do,” Aurelius said back.  “Besides, if you were so worried, you could have taken care of your miserable horse instead of waiting for me.”

  “He’s your responsibility right now,” Conner said, “I don’t normally let anyone ride Colossus, he’s my hunting mount, not to mention he’s a rare breed.  He’s a Stockford.”

  “Oooo a Stockford,” Aurelius said, having no clue what that meant.  “Please.  If there is an animal in this barn that isn’t rare, it’s a humdrum ol’ plow horse.  And you take this thing hunting?  What do you hunt?  Elephants?”

  “Deer, foxes, minks, hare, whatever’s in season,” Conner said, petting him.

  “What a beastly Muggle habit, hunting,” Aurelius said, preparing Colossus’ feedbag.

  “For once I agree with Aurelius,” Andrew admitted.  “Why do you do it, anyhow?”

  “My uncle breeds hounds,” Conner said, helping brush his horse.

  “His Muggle uncle,” Aurelius amended.

  “You know, Muggles aren’t the only ones who’ve hunted for sport over the years,” Conner said.  “Before the Magical Creatures Protection Act, a lot of wizards hunted dragons, jackalopes, and all sorts of other creatures.  In fact, they hunted the Questing Beast right to extinction, which is why the law is there in the first place.  Of course, that won’t happen with minks or foxes or anything, they’re nothing but field pests.”

  “Well, it’s still cruel.  And I wouldn’t start talking about hunting around school because…” Aurelius suddenly jabbed Alex hard in the side.  “Because some people might get offended.”

  “Like who?  A bunch of pure blood Snapes who are too self-righteous for their own good?” Conner said, taking the brush off of his hand.  “Don’t be late taking care of Colossus again, Aurelius.  I didn’t have to let you ride him, you know.”

  “Then why in bloody hell did you volunteer to give him up?” Aurelius scowled.

  “I dunno.  Kind streak, because I had an idea why you wanted a horse.  But don’t worry, I’m over it now, it won’t happen again,” he promised, grabbing some books off the haystack.

  “Oh, don’t worry, it won’t happen with me either,” Aurelius said.  Alex and Andrew looked over at him, wondering what he was up to this time.  But Aurelius had more important things in mind, heading over for a little chat with Xavier Platt.

 

  Jennifer was both eager and nervous to start work the next day, so after a quick cup of coffee and a hasty set of directions to the dungeons she was off, stopping only once more to get directions and then finally having one of the prefects lead her there. 

  The lab was almost too immaculate for her liking, pristine and sparkling from top to bottom, cauldrons and phials polished and everything in its place.  But the office she met Glen Witolf in was a bit homier; at least it was cluttered with tons of ingredients on shelves and small labs and other things.  Her job, it seemed, was to be his legs in the classroom, fetching papers and helping students as she could and bringing out ingredients, so she quickly went to the shelves to get used to where everything was.  But each shelf was carefully organized by component type and then alphabetically, and even the types of ingredients were arranged alphabetically on the shelves from left to right.

  By the time the students arrived, Jennifer found she was ready, easily gathering requested ingredients as Glen told them about the project for the day, setting them on the desk in time to grab the homework that was coming up.  This was going to be easier than she thought, she grinned, stacking them on the desk.  But it was just about that time that the first explosion went off, several of the students chuckling when they saw Ginger Davidson’s face, which had turned a deep color of purple.  Andrew, looking away from his experiment to try to help Ginger and June MacKay clean up the mess heard an explosion behind him.  Slowly he turned to see that he and Halbert’s own cauldron had gone up in smoke, and Halbert was shaking his head at him.

  “You see what happens when you try to get mixed up with that sort?” Halbert said, jabbing his thumb at the girls.  June leaned forward so she could see around Andrew, sticking her out her tongue at Halbert.

  “You are letting your cauldrons get too hot,” Jennifer said with exasperation, turning several down on her way over to them.  “Keep stirring those, it’ll slowly cool down to a better temperature.  Here, that stuff isn’t going to come up using your robe sleeve, Andrew, and it won’t come off the robe, either.  Use the Spilled Milk potion in your kit, it’s designed to dissolve stuff like this.”

  “How do you know all that?” Halbert asked, staring at her.  “I don’t understand how you know all that and yet didn’t recognize Andrew.”

  “It’s called functional memory, Halbert.”

  Jennifer and the two boys looked up to see Witolf watching them from where he leaned on his desk.

  “Our brains store knowledge and experience differently, and it’s a good thing too, else anytime anyone cast even a simple memory charm we’d find ourselves having to teach them how to walk, talk, teach them language…of course there are some cases that people do lose some functional memory as well, such as that poor chap Lockhart who used to teach here.  Normally, memory curses only affect event memory, which is what happened in this case.  And it’s very fortunate, else Jennifer wouldn’t be standing here now telling you to turn down your cauldrons, despite the fact that I would have let you learn that the hard way,” Witolf added with a chuckle.

  “I’m sorry, sir, did I overstep?” Jennifer said alarmed.

  “No, no, Madame Craw, feel free to jump in whenever you feel necessary, but do let them learn from their own mistakes now and then, hm?  I have a feeling, for example, that Miss Davidson and MacKay won’t be gossiping instead of stirring after this,” Glen said lightly.  Ginger blushed bright red at that, getting in her case for the solvent, while June feigned innocence, busy rescuing their lab work from the sticky mess.

  “Andrew,” Halbert murmured after Jennifer had moved away to check on someone else.  “Do you suppose this assistant thing is just Dumbledore’s way of getting her used to the classroom again?  I mean, do you think she could actually teach like this?”

  “I’m not sure.  I would think that experience would have just as much to do with being a good teacher as knowledge would,” Andrew whispered back.  “I mean, perhaps she’d be able to tell us how to put together a Butterfly Balm, but would she be able to tell us the best time to use it and when not to?”

  “Well, Witolf would probably tell us to figure it out for ourselves,” Halbert said dryly.  “I’d think she could do that much, huh?”

  “Haven’t you gotten your desk cleaned yet, Mr. Hagrid, Mr. Snape?”  The two boys looked up to see Professor Witolf’s eyes on them again.  “And would you both add a few more inches of text for me today about what went wrong, please, about how being distracted by talking might have impacted how the explosions started today?”

  “Yes, Professor,” they both said meekly, turning back to their cleaning.

 

  That weekend turned to be quite cold, and clouds threatened to pour snow upon the last Quidditch game of the fall season.  It was, in many people’s mind, also the most important game of the season; Slytherin vs. Gryffindor…the defending house cup champions against the defending Quidditch cup champs.  Everyone knew that without a miracle, the Slytherins were expected to dominate the sparring tournament again this year.  Here was the equalizer; for Conner, the Gaffney boys, and of course Rose Bailey, were some of the best Quidditch players that Gryffindor had seen in years.  They had been undefeated last year, and may prove to be again, depending of course, on the outcome of this, their rival game.

   Jennifer stepped into the teacher’s box excitedly as Severus led them to a couple of empty seats.  They had waited until the last minute to come out because of the weather, but it seemed from the rest of the stands that the cold air didn’t deter the majority of the student body to be out their braving it.  Nobody was going to miss this game. 

  Within minutes the Slytherin team was out and zooming past them, each one nodding to Severus on their way before diving in a dizzying pattern towards the center of the field.

  “Did I ever get on one of those things?” Jennifer grinned, waving to Aurelius when he went by.

  “Yes, although to be frank, you ride a broom the way I play the violin,” Severus said dryly.  Jennifer glanced out at the Pitch as the Gryffindor team flew by.

  “Oh, no,” Jennifer said with disbelief.  “I couldn’t have possibly been that bad.”  Severus scowled at that, and Jennifer immediately turned apologetic.

  “See if I ever play to help you sleep again,” Severus muttered, and then suddenly caught side of someone on a bench below grinning broadly and focused in on her, squinting a bit.  “What, Minerva?  Come on, go ahead and say something,” Severus said dangerously, a knowing spark in his eyes.

  “Now, Severus,” Minerva said, her smile never leaving her face.  “I was merely thinking about how nice it was to have Jennifer back.  We’ll have to arrange a Coven Night sometime, maybe after the holidays.  You know, a sort of girls’ night out?”  Jennifer grinned and nodded.

  “She’s hardly ready for that,” Severus snapped.

  “Really?  From what I’m hearing I think she’s more than ready,” Minerva said enigmatically, turning back around with Severus still glaring at her.

  Madame Danny Brittle flew in then getting applause of her own as she headed to the trunk, kicking it open and letting the first of the balls loose.

  Aurelius watched intently from the rings as the Quaffle went up and Xavier and Conner raced towards it, the two brooms knocking viciously together as Xavier grabbed it and pushed him away, heading straight up to get away from the pack.  From that moment on, it was quite evident how brutal the game was going to get.  How he wanted to be in the pack right now, seeing Xavier push away and put Stew in his place over at the ring!  Of course, Stew was hardly the main target, and Aurelius couldn’t help but be impatient to see if his plan was going to pay off.

  It was as they began running back up the Pitch that Aurelius suddenly became alert, for Conner had the ball and was heading towards them at breakneck speed.  As if on cue, Xavier suddenly crossed in front of him, Camille acting as a sight shield for Xavier who had butted up to Conner and punched him in the side, grabbing the Quaffle back, getting an immediate round of boos from the crowd that had been in the position to see it.  Had Madame Brittle?  She seemed quite oblivious to the whole thing even though she was at an angle that she might have at least suspected it, but no call was made as they sped back to the other side of the field.

  In the teacher’s box, Jennifer was still wincing a bit, and Minerva was on her feet, waiting for the call that didn’t come, murmuring something under her breath.  Severus smirked slightly, wondering exactly what Platt had going against Donavan this time.  No, perhaps it was just a little over enthusiasm.  The champions of the Pitch could use a little ego bruising, Severus mused.

  But that didn’t stop the Slytherin team from seeming to single out Conner with their questionable moves, batting Bludgers at him when he was much too close and jostling him at any given opportunity.  In fact, the abuse towards Donavan seemed to be evident to everyone, except, perhaps the referee, who always seemed to be in the wrong spot of the field to see it when it occurred.

  Finally, Stewart Gaffney called a time out, pulling his team to the ground.  He had seen Conner’s growing irritation, and it was quickly reaching the boiling point.

  “What the hell is going on out here?  Why isn’t she calling those bastards out?” Conner growled furiously.  “A fine time Brittle picked to turn Slytherin on us.”

  “This isn’t like her, she’s normally a very fair referee,” Rose said, looking over at the Slytherins who were hanging out in the air chatting and grinning from ear to ear.  “Why do they all seem to be breathing down your neck, anyhow?”

  “Because I’m the best Chaser you have, of course.”

  “So?  You can’t win the game,” Rose said.  “But there hasn’t been one Bludger shied in my direction yet.”

  “Look, we don’t have enough time left to get into this.  Conner, if you end up with the Quaffle, throw it to Ted.  I don’t know what’s going on, but I’d prefer if you kept the heat off.”

  “What, and sit back and watch like an idiot?  If I’m playing I’m going to play,” Conner said.

  “You want thrown out then?” Stew challenged.  The whistle blew in warning.

  “Please, let’s just get back out there.  Just be careful,” Rose said, taking to her broom again.

  “Stay out of the action, Conner,” Stew ordered, taking to the air as well.  But Conner wasn’t about to hand a Quaffle off to the new kid all the time.  Instead Greg, who was a fair Chaser at best, ended up with the ball quite often, fumbling with it so much to give Xavier plenty of ripe opportunities to pluck it out of his hands, jeering at Conner on his way back around to the rings.  Growling with anger as Slytherin pushed the score to 40-0, Conner glanced over to where Brittle was hovering looking completely disinterested. 

  Making a split second decision Conner leaned forward and zoomed straight for the group head-on and straight over to Xavier, skidding around at the last moment so that the broom came to land across his stomach, flipping him up in the air and making him drop the Quaffle in effort to keep from falling off the broom, gasping to catch his breath.  Immediately Brittle was there, the whistle ringing in his ear as she turned in front of him.

  “Illegal and dangerous contact!  Off the field, Donavan!” Brittle snapped angrily, pointing him away from the back.

  “What?  That’s completely laughable, after what you’ve been letting them get away with and more?  How is that fair?” He barked back.

  “Why Donavan, I’m surprised at you, where’s your sportsmanship?” she asked in a strange mocking voice that sent a chill through him.  “What could be more sporting than a team of riders chasing down a target and wearing it down before the kill?  You’re not allowed to fight back, you know, that’s not part of the game.  Now, get off my Pitch, or I’ll throw you out for the rest of the match!”

  Conner quickly went to the box, trying to make some sense to what Brittle was saying.  Was she out of her mind?  Was she actually intentionally looking the other way?  And even more important, did he even want to go back in when time was called? 

  Above him, Rose was getting more and more irritated with Henry’s laughter as they got a free ten points from the encounter and Camille had the ball, giving Xavier a bit of room to recover.  The Gryffindor Beaters, furious over what was happening, wasn’t about to give their captain any leeway, the Bludgers flying over at Xavier and forcing him to dodge.  Now that their main target was out of the way, Slytherin began to concentrate on the Seekers again and Rose had to make a quick dive as one was smacked towards her.

  But just as she dove, she saw something flicker above her above the pack, Henry’s shadow racing towards it.  Cursing herself for getting distracted, Rose pushed the broom full speed ahead, but even as she pulled up the broom to come at the Snitch from below, she saw it was not meant to be.  She spun into a tight curve to avoid Henry as he came thundering through the air above her like a locomotive, his hand clutching the golden Snitch ending the game.

  A huge roar rang in her ears as the reigning champs were trounced, their morale beaten as their Chasers had been, and losing at a very disappointing 200-0.  Rose looked over at the rest of her teammates apologetically, their faces all fallen with the exception of Conner.  For some strange reason, a look of pure relief swept over his face, and as he landed next to the others, it was obvious that he was a bit shaken.  The reprimand that Stewart had been planning died on his lips, looking at him curiously.

  “You all right?” he asked.

  “Yeah, it’s just…I think they were really out to get me,” Conner said with such a serious face that the rest of his teammates couldn’t help but believe him.  They all glanced over at where the Slytherins were making their victory flight around the Pitch before landing inside the gate, and Conner’s eyes were fixed at the two at the head of the pack; Xavier and Aurelius.

  Up in the teacher’s box, Minerva and Severus both exchanged worried glances as they got up and headed down the stairs, Jennifer close behind.  They split up at the bottom, going to their respective teams while keeping an eye out for Danny.  Severus was quite certain that something unusual must have happened before the game for Danny to have had shown such open bias.  Not that that sort of thing was unheard of on the Quidditch Pitch, but in all the years that Danny had been there it had not been her way to do so, not in the slightest.  Gently motioning for Jennifer to stay back, Severus rounded the corner and into the hallway leading to the Slytherin gate in time to see Xavier shaking hands with Aurelius enthusiastically.

  “Nice, play, Aurelius.  I knew it wasn’t a mistake to put you on the team,” Xavier grinned.

  “Well, I would still like in on what happened out there, but however you did it, it was nice to see Donavan put in his place,” Camille agreed.

  “Hey!  What about me?” Henry protested, and another round of handshakes went to him as Severus picked up his pace and approached them.

  “So, another victory for Slytherin, I see,” Severus said casually, nodding to Xavier and then to Henry.  “Well done on the catch.  Aurelius, I see you had it easy, considering that Gryffindor didn’t seem to get anywhere near the ring this evening.  I hope it doesn’t ruin your edge.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about that sir, a Slytherin always has an edge.  Especially Aurelius,” Xavier assured him.

  “Yes, I wonder where he gets that from,” Severus said, a questioning look behind his thoughtful gaze.  The rest of the team smirked a bit, but Aurelius remained expressionless, sensing that his Father knew something was up.  “Very well, keep up the good work.  Perhaps I’ll drop by the rooms later, but right now I have something to take care of,” he said, gazing at Aurelius a moment longer before turning and heading back out to the hallway.  Jennifer gazed at his frowning face curiously.

  “What is it?” she asked quietly as he turned and headed back towards the Pitch.

  “Our son has a rather remarkable ability to hide what’s on his mind from you and from others,” Severus said in a low voice as they walked towards the main storage area.  “However, I have noticed that when Aurelius has done something particularly dastardly, there is a subtle change in his expression as his conscience tries to take a battering ram through that cold genius of his.  Time to do a bit of investigation, I think, and you can be a great help to me.”

  “Sure, what do you want me to do?”

  “Just watch, and don’t be too obvious,” Severus said simply.  Jennifer thought about that a moment.

  “Isn’t that prying?  I mean, to do that without being asked?”

  “Jennifer, everyone in this school knows you’re a Truth-Seeker, and even if they didn’t there’s nothing wrong with being what you are as long as you don’t have a loose tongue, which you do not.”

  “And I suppose husbands are exempt from this keeping one’s tongue rule?” Jennifer challenged him.

  “Of course, it’s one of the fringe benefits to marrying you,” he said softly before nudging her to stay quiet as he spied Danny putting away gear in a storage cabinet.  “Interesting game tonight,” he said in a louder voice, Danny looking up with surprise.

  “Oh hi, Severus.  Yeah, good catch for Henry, wasn’t it?  I think that’s the fastest I have ever seen him fly,” Danny said casually, kicking the ball trunk back into place and throwing her broom in before closing it.

  “Yes, the team definitely seemed to have quite a lot of momentum out there after that Blind Bowman early in the game.” Severus said.

  “Blind Bowman?” Danny said with surprise, turning away to lock the cabinet, chuckling a bit.  “Severus, are you actually accusing your own team of foul play when I wasn’t looking?”

  “I never said it was my team that did it,” Severus said casually.  “Does that mean you actually did see something?”  Danny turned and stared at him fixedly then.

  “Severus, we were just now speaking of the momentum of your team.  I’m sure that if you meant to reference something that Gryffindor had pulled, you would have specifically said so.  In fact, I was nice enough to ask you to clarify what exactly you were referring to, but now that we’re off on this tangent, would you care to tell me why it is that you’re trying to put words in my mouth?  Because if you would like to accuse me of something, I would rather you just do so outright,” Danny said, folding her arms.

  “No need to overreact, Dannyelle,” Severus said calmly.  “I would never try to accuse you of anything without just cause.”

  “Why not?  From what I hear you do it to my uncle all the time,” Danny said bluntly.  Severus’ expression changed then and he grew strangely quiet.  Nodding with satisfaction, Danny turned around and walked towards the castle, not looking back.

  “I don’t know what that last sentence meant, but it sure look like it burned,” Jennifer said the moment Danny turned out of view.

  “Never mind that, did you get anything pertinent out of that?  Like why she might have missed that call?” Severus asked in a low voice.

  “Actually, she wasn’t thinking about the game at all,” Jennifer shrugged apologetically.  “But can I ask a question?”

  “You can ask without asking, what is it?” Severus murmured impatiently, still brooding over the problem at hand.

  “Why would she be angry about a student having a horse trained for fox hunts in the barn?”  Severus’ expression changed dramatically then, Jennifer frowning with confusion with what she was reading from it.

  “Come on, I need to find Dumbledore,” Severus said, suddenly glad that Dumbledore was back so he didn’t have to handle this one.  “Remind me that I need to have a long talk with our son about attempting to manipulate staff members tomorrow.”

  “Don’t tell me, whatever it is that just happened is going to take a lot of explaining as well,” Jennifer said, having to jog to keep up.

  “Most definitely,” Severus agreed.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Severus and Jennifer Present

 

  ‘Twas the night before Hogsmeade, and all through the castle not a creature was stirring…Jennifer, however, was drumming her fingers on the blanket again, glancing at the clock.  She got up and went over to Severus’ sitting room, not bothering to put a robe over her shift as she strolled in, sitting down in a chair beside where Severus was sitting with his feet comfortably resting on an ottoman, reading a novel.

  “Not working tonight?” Jennifer asked thoughtfully.

  “Just trying to relax a bit before I try,” Severus said, not looking up.  “Visiting that vile mansion always takes a lot out of me.”

  “You just don’t get along with Sirius.  Why don’t you like him, anyhow?” Jennifer asked, curling her feet up and pulling a pillow out from behind herself.

  “Oh, the fact that he once nearly got me killed may have something to do with it,” Severus said, turning the page.

  “Then how come he seems to treat you worse than you do him?” Jennifer asked.

  “Perhaps because I nearly got him killed twice,” Severus said.

  “Oh,” Jennifer said, turning over a cup, watching it fill with tea.  “Alicia is very talented though, isn’t she?  She’s so in tune with her art.  Or perhaps she’s just lonely.  I wish she were here too.”

  “Jennifer, could you please refrain from using that word so often?  I rather don’t care for it,” Severus sighed.  Jennifer frowned.

  “Which word?”

  “The w-i-s-h word.  It’s not something to be spoken lightly,” Severus said.

  “Why, what’s wrong with it?”

  “Perhaps because it only seems to work when you don’t want it to, and never when you do.  Except for once,” Severus mused.  “But in any case, the most unreliable form of magic out there next to Divination…not that it hasn’t had its moments as well,” he admitted acidly.  “Why are you awake, anyhow?  Do you need me to play for you?”

  “No, no…that is, not right now,” Jennifer said.  “I was more wondering when you were going to turn in.”

  “Presently, I am going to finish this chapter first and then get a few work related things out of the way so I don’t have to think about them tomorrow while we’re in town,” Severus said.

  “And then you’ll wait until I’ve fallen asleep and then you’ll crash on the couch like you have for the last two weeks.  Professor, two days ago you got completely caught up on student papers, and I know for a fact you’ve already turned in your test copies and nearly all of your paperwork that wasn’t due till just before we leave for the holidays next week.  Are we married or aren’t we?” she asked, trying unsuccessfully to get him to look her in the eye.  “Or is this some great charade and all of this is just as phony as my other life?”  She leaned so far over to get his attention that he finally didn’t dare look at anywhere else but in the eye.

  “Is that what you believe?” he asked evenly.

  “What I believe is that you’ve been intentionally avoiding me at night despite going completely out of your way to make sure I’m close at hand during the day,” Jennifer said.  “I know you love me.  So what’s holding you back?”

  “Well for one thing,” Severus he said, resigning himself to inevitable.  “You still call me Professor.”

  “Oh,” Jennifer said, blinking a bit.  “Well, that’s easy enough to fix…Severus,” she added quietly.  Severus smiled thinly and shook his head at her.

  “You say my name but you’re thinking Mycroft while you’re saying it, aren’t you?” he asked.  Jennifer looked uncomfortable.  “It was Mycroft you fell in love with, Jennifer.  Everything you know of me has been briefly summed up to you in a period of a mere two weeks.”

  “So what you’re saying is that because I fell in love with you under a different name and a diluted job title that my love means nothing?” Jennifer said.  Severus put a quick hand on her shoulder to keep her from getting up.

  “That you would once again fall in love with this old fool in any guise is nothing short of a miracle as far as I’m concerned,” he said gently, gazing at her angry face.  “You remind me so much of how you were when we first met.  Oh, it took you a while before you would give your trust to someone, but once you did, it was absolute.  And if there’s one thing that disarms a man who trusts no one, it’s a woman that trusts him absolutely.  You did it to me again, you know.  That naïve streak of yours attacked full force and I found myself defenseless again.  But I have no intention of betraying that trust no matter how hard you try to make me.”

  Jennifer grinned wickedly and was suddenly in his arms again, kissing him with intense passion before lifting slowly away, reading his expression intently.  Smiling triumphantly she got up and walked back into the bedroom, shutting the door.  Severus stared at it for a long while, not wanting to move.

  “God, if this is hell, let me plead for mercy now,” Severus murmured before reluctantly retiring to the couch.

 

  It had just begun to snow that morning.  The rosy cheeks of students passed in groups as Severus and Jennifer walked through the streets of Hogsmeade, and Jennifer couldn’t help but be wrapped up in the excitement as children packed into the candy shop, joke shop and sports shop.

  “I hope we’re not going through that to get Alex’s new broom,” Jennifer chuckled.  “She’ll hear about it by the end of the day if we do.”

  “No, I think we’d be better off hitting the Quidditch Shop in Diagon Ally for that,” Severus murmured back.  “And, of course, we have our annual trip to Myrkinbrek.”

  “Another wizard town?”

  “Goblin, actually.  Of course, we didn’t go last year, there was a boycott…yes well that…”

  “Will take a lot of explaining, I know,” Jennifer chuckled.  “Oh, Severus, you know I could ask you questions from morning to night and do nothing else, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to catch up completely.”

  “Yes,” Severus said expressionlessly.  Jennifer suddenly regretted saying anything at all.  “Come, let’s go see Rosmerta.  I have a feeling that you will like the Three Brooms.”

  As Jennifer stepped in to the pub, she was suddenly reminded of the Kingler’s Café, for although much more crowded it felt just as warm and friendly, and there was a general feeling that everyone knew everyone else at least better than strangers passing on the street.  A cheerful fire made it feel warm and cozy, and as they came in, nearly everyone looked up to smile at them.

  “Jennifer!” Rosmerta dropped her tray on the table of a couple of wizard gentlemen and hurried over to give her a hug.  “How are you?  I heard you were back at Hogwarts again!  What’s it like working with old Witolf?”

  “Fine, he’s brilliant, actually,” Jennifer said with a smile, instantly liking the woman.  She looked and reminded her of Sally, although there was something in her eyes that hinted that she was much older.

  “I just have to treat you to something.  Sitting at the professor’s table?”

  “Perhaps something a bit quieter?  Preferably a small table?” Severus suggested.

  “Don’t want to share her, is that it?” Rosmerta teased him good-naturedly.  “Come on back,” she said, leading them to a table on the bottom floor of a two-level seating area next to a frosty window.  “Black Anise Wine, Severus?  And what about you, Jennifer?  How about a nice hot butterbeer?”

  “Can I have coffee?” Jennifer asked hopefully.

  “I as well,” Severus agreed, nodding to Jennifer.

  “Well, it’s a bit unusual but I think I can manage it,” Rosmerta winked.  “Jennifer!  You were able to get Severus to change his order!  That’s absolutely astounding!” she said in a voice that really did sound amazed, before she chuckled and went back to find her tray.

  “I hope the coffee here is as good as the atmosphere, I’ll be crushed if it turned out like Mark’s,” Jennifer grinned.  “Is there any shop here we have to hit today, or are we just browsing?”

  “I would rather get Honeydukes over with, although that’s normally your department.  How I detest going in that crowd.”

  “Then I can do it, just make me a list,” Jennifer offered.  “Perhaps I could take Alex with me, I’m sure she knows the shop.”

  “Better than she knows her last Defense assignment,” Severus said dryly, getting out a piece of paper.

  “Here you are,” Rosmerta said coming up beside them with a full tray, dropping the coffees and a service tray off.  “I put them in self-filling cups, so you two just relax, and let me know if you need anything else.”

  “Thank you,” Jennifer said gratefully, exchanging another smile with the busy woman before she bustled off to the next table.  “She’s good.  This place is packed and yet she and those other two girls are completely in control.  I don’t think I could do it.”

  “I don’t think Rosmerta could teach a classroom either, although one could learn quite a lot from her if they cared to ask,” Severus said.

  “I’d imagine so,” Jennifer agreed, sipping the coffee.

  “So?  Does it pass the test?” Severus asked casually, still working on the list.

  “Well, it’s not as good as mine, but close,” Jennifer grinned.  “Where do you suppose Alexandria is, anyhow?”

  “Sports shop the last I checked,” Severus said, sliding the list over.

  “You know, you never did explain to me why all the children start with A’s,” she pried again, glancing at the list.

  “You change subjects faster than a Snitch changes direction.  Now I’m beginning to see where Alexandria gets that from.”

  “Are you going to answer or not?  And how am I going to learn anything if you keep putting off my questions?  It’s not like we’re in any rush now,” Jennifer coaxed.

  “It’s hardly worth all of the fuss you’re causing.  It was decided at the same time we decided to have four children that two names would reference my family and two yours.  You wanted the first girl to be named after my sister, Anna, but when I wouldn’t let you pick Anastasia because of someone in my mother’s family line, you instead picked Alexandria.  Aurelius was named Aurelius because you had a war with your father on whether or not to call him Andrew, after someone on your side of the family, and when he refused to give in, you named him from my side, keeping the A and the middle name Craw in spite of him.  Then Andrew was named so because we didn’t name Aurelius Andrew, and Alicia was named after your mother, whose name was Alice.”

  “Oh, come now, Severus, you can’t possibly be telling me the whole thing was a coincidence,” Jennifer protested.

  “On a conscious level it was,” Severus said with a nod.  “Although looking back I wonder now if it wasn’t symbolic of the change that occurred when we were married.  You were the last of several prestigious lines, not the least of which being Craw, which despite its reputation I learned to respect through you and your father.  And although it was my name we kept, I had plenty of reason to distance myself from what my family had been reduced to.  So, we made a few changes to the Snape family crest, throwing out the ones we didn’t agree with and adding the family ideals from your line we agreed with.  My uncle was positively livid when he saw it,” Severus added, smirking with obvious satisfaction.  “But anyhow, I often thought in a way it rather symbolized that new beginning for the family, as it were, not forgetting, of course, what got us here in the first place.”

  “I think that is splendid,” Jennifer said enthusiastically.  “So all of our children were planned?”

  “Except for Corey, of course, yes,” Severus nodded.  “With spring and summer birthdays in four consecutive years, although in retrospect I probably should have insisted they were spaced out a little more, even if it did mean not seeing them in school together.”

  “Why?  I mean they’re so obviously close, I’m sure their age difference is part of it.” 

  Severus looked down at his coffee for a moment, twisting the cup in his hand to get it to refill, his eyes distant as they gazed into the dark liquid.

  “When you were carrying Alicia, there was an attempt made on your life using a cursed item meant to poison only those of your bloodline.  It nearly killed you both, both that night and the night Alicia was born.  Your strength was not as it should have been.”

  “It was at a party of some sort,” Jennifer said with surety.  “We had been dancing, and you were the one who had handed me the cup.”  Severus looked up with surprise.

  “How did you know that?  I wasn’t looking at you, how did you know that?”

  “One the dreams I had, the one I told you where I was poisoned?  That’s what happened, only in the dream it was Mycroft, really,” Jennifer admitted.  “Now I understand what Aurelius meant.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, in the dream I was looking at my body almost as if, well I was planning to leave it,” Jennifer whispered.  “And then Aurelius told me not to worry, that I was only nearly dead, and I wasn’t the only one.  And then I woke up.”

  “You must have been closer to death in that moment than even I was lead to believe,” Severus murmured paling.  “Aurelius, why Aurelius?  There has got to be an explanation.  Were you thinking of him when the spell was cast?”

  “I have no idea,” Jennifer said softly.

  “No, no of course you don’t.  I apologize,” Severus said.  “It was more of a rhetorical question really.  But perhaps we have sat here long enough.  Ready to brave the crowd?” He asked, glancing at his watch.

  “I’m game if you are,” Jennifer said with a faint smile, Severus leaving a few coins on the table as they got up, heading out into the blustery snow.

  Alex, as it happened, was right across the street in the joke shop, and although she had already made her trip to the candy shop was quite eager to take Jennifer back through, showing her every single shelf and talking so fast that even Jennifer could barely keep up, especially in the already loud and busy area.

  “Only one crate of chocolate frogs?  Is he mad?” Alex said, staring at the list.  “Don’t you want any this year too?  You usually go through them as fast as we do.”

  “I do?” Jennifer said.

  “Yes, you’ve been collecting them before we were even born,” Alex said matter-of-factly.  “Ever since the first year they put you on a card, Father too.  In fact, you have the full set.”

  “A full set of original Hogwarts frog cards?” Stewart Gaffney looked up with immediate interest.  “Gad, those are nearly worth a Goblin’s vault these days!  Ever thinking of selling them?”

  “Of course she wouldn’t!  It’d be almost like selling a photo album in this family.  Get another case, Mum, really.  Father won’t say anything to you about it,” Alex coaxed.  “And you might want to pick up another bag or two of those licorice cauldrons.  Father’s crazy about them, and I was thinking of getting him something else this year.”

  “Really?” Jennifer said, glancing over the licorice drops.  Deciding to trust her daughter’s judgment, she loaded up her basket, buying a few individual chocolate frogs as well, keeping them in a separate bag when the clerk minimized their order for them and headed out again.  “Hm, where do you suppose your father went?”

  “Dragonwing Deli most likely,” Alex grinned.

  “A Deli?  Here?”  Jennifer said with surprise.

  “Sure, Mum.  It’s one of your most favorite places to eat in Hogsmeade,” Alex said, leading the way. 

  “Really?” Jennifer said, and then smiled to herself at the irony of that. 

  Severus had somehow managed to secure a table just inside the door, away from the lines up front and the stuffy potbelly stove in the far corner of the room.  It paid to be an unpopular professor at times, he mused, nodding to Alex and Jennifer when they came in.

  “Staying or going?” Severus asked his daughter casually.

  “Going,” Alex said.  “I’m meeting Mandria and Rose at the Three Brooms, then we were thinking about going to search for Toby’s again.  Nobody’s been able to find the shop for months now!  I hope it’s not gone for good.”

  “Fine.  Just stay close, and don’t go anywhere alone, there still may be danger around,” Severus warned in a low voice.

  “What about the Grove?” Alex asked.  “There’s no place safer, is there?”

  “Fine, but not alone,” Severus said fixedly.  “Don’t forget what happened to Rose two years ago.”

  “As if any of this family would give me diamonds,” Alex snorted.

  “Yes, as responsible as you are, it’d take you all of ten minutes to misplace them,” Severus said sternly.

  “Do you suppose then I’d misplace a familiar if I had one too?” Alex asked.  Severus frowned at her and thumbed her to the door, and reluctantly she took a few steps, pausing again.  “By the way, just in case you hadn’t noticed, the sport’s shop just got in a whole new line of Thunderbolt X’s…”

  “Goodbye, Alexandria,” Severus said in a tired voice.  Jennifer chuckled softly as the girl finally left.

  “She certainly has a lot of spirit, doesn’t she?” Jennifer said.

  “Yes, I wonder who she gets that from,” Severus said, gazing at Jennifer who blushed slightly.  “Not to mention that hair.”

  “Does she have a boyfriend yet?” Jennifer asked, fiddling with her bag.  Severus stared at her completely aghast.  “Goodness, I was only asking.”

  “Yes and until you asked just now, that particular concern had not occurred to me to even worry about yet,” Severus scowled.  Jennifer laughed at that.  “And if it’s all the same, I’d like to keep not worrying about it for as long as possible.”  He looked up as one of the waiters came by with a tray, grinning at them as he dropped it off.

  “Hey, you ordered ahead!” Jennifer scolded him.

  “Well, I was here first,” Severus reminded her.

  “Only because you didn’t tell me where you were going to be.  Of course, Alex knew, but I don’t see a tray for her here, so you must have known she wasn’t going to stay.”  Jennifer challenged him.

  “Oh, come now, how many students do you know would choose to stay with their faculty parents on a school outing?” Severus said slyly.

  “Good point,” Jennifer agreed with a grin, taking a bite of her sandwich before pulling out the box she had been searching for, glancing at it curiously.

  “Oh, no, please don’t tell me Alex hasn’t gotten you back on those again,” Severus said, looking disapprovingly at the chocolate frog box.  “Wait… don’t…” before he could stop her, Jennifer had the box open and the frog leapt out, landing directly in Severus’ tea, making him leap back as the liquid sprayed out and all over him and the tray.  Jennifer tried to apologize, but every time she tried she broke into a giggle and finally gave up altogether.  “Lovely.  Chocolate flavored licorice tea,” Severus said dourly, glaring icily at several students watching with grins as he brushed himself off with a handkerchief.  As they hurriedly turned back around, Severus gazed at Jennifer, who was still sitting with her mouth covered trying very hard to regain her composure.

  “How I hate those things,” Severus said grumpily, deciding to take his aggravation out on the frog itself, which had been reduced to chocolate sludge in his cup.

  “I am sorry, but I was curious.  She said something about a card, and that there’s some of us,” Jennifer explained, turning the card over to look at it, but it was no one that she knew.

  “There won’t be any of me in there, although I don’t doubt that there is one of you,” Severus said, trying to salvage his sandwich.

  “Why wouldn’t there be?”  Jennifer asked curiously.

  “My work is hardly notable enough,” Severus said with a shrug.

  “For some reason I find that quite hard to believe,” Jennifer said.

   “I am someone who has always preferred to work on the back line,” Severus admitted.  “Besides, keeping you out of trouble has always been a full time job in itself.  You, however, have been a headline thief since the year you came to Hogwarts.  Care to see one of your cards?” he said, reaching into his cloak pocket.

  “What?  I thought you just said you hated those things,” Jennifer challenged him.

  “I keep it for merely sentimental reasons,” Severus said defensively, glancing at it before handing it to her.  “A first edition Jennifer Craw card.  In fact it’s the only Jennifer Craw card.  All of the others all had the name Snape attached,” Severus smirked.

  “’Jennifer Corsiva Craw: Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts.’  I was the Defense teacher?” Jennifer asked, but Severus motioned for her to continue. 

  “’Currently entering her second year at Hogwarts, Jennifer Craw has already earned a claim to fame last year leading a herd of Unicorns’…” She paused then, feeling a strange shiver through her as she read it… “’to a victory against the Azkaban Dementor Revolt.’  How could I have done this?”

  “You did,” Severus said quietly, “I was there, even though you didn’t realize it at the time.”

  “I don’t look all that different,” Jennifer said, gazing at it troubled.  “And yet…” she found she couldn’t continue, not really wanting to look back at Severus.  When she did, however, he had had his hands folded across his face.  “Here, thank you for letting me see it,” she said softly, causing him to look up at last and retrieve it.  “All the sudden I’m not all that hungry.”

  “Perhaps we both could use a bit of air,” Severus said at last, getting up.  “Come, let’s take a walk and finish our browsing.”

  The snow had stopped, but the air had turned bitterly cold so Jennifer spent little time hopping into the next shop.  Even with Severus’ imposing presence cutting a path through the students, it was difficult to do any serious shopping, but right now, Jennifer was merely looking for a distraction.  It also didn’t help that Severus was viewing the entire shop with complete and open distain.  The colorfully dressed man behind the counter seemed to be eyeing Severus with the same wariness while Jennifer looked curiously through the trinkets in the divination shop.  Students, however, seemed to be spending quite thriftily on small trinkets promising love, luck, money, and better magic prowess, although Jennifer wasn’t sure how many were actually taking any of them seriously.

  “I would like to make a prediction,” someone said behind Severus.  He looked behind himself to see Harry Potter standing there.  “I predict that this store probably isn’t going to be making much money off of you.”

  “How astute, I believe I could have made the same prediction,” Severus said dryly, stepping over to him while still keeping a casual eye on Jennifer.  “Well?”  Harry sighed softly, glancing around the shop as well.

  “There has been no change in any funds coming out of any Malfoy companies, investments or personal funds in well over a year, Severus,” Harry said in a low voice.

  “Impossible.   It must be there somewhere.” Severus murmured.

  “I know, it doesn’t make sense,” Harry said with a sigh.  “But it’s not there.  We even uncovered a few subsidiaries we didn’t even know he had thanks to some inside information, but there’s no sign that any of them could possibly have paid out as much as what Ghent was getting, let alone whatever Baylor must have been getting on top of it.”

  “Are you sure your informant has told you everything?” Severus said bluntly.

  “If you’re asking me if I trust him, I think you know the answer to that already,” Harry said.  “Which is why I let Audi talk to him.  He may have gotten past me, but not her.”

  “She doesn’t always tell the truth either, you know.”

  “No, but she wouldn’t lie about this, would she?” Harry said, glancing at where Jennifer was near the crystal necklaces.  “Personally, I wish we could get Vallid to talk to Baylor, but his lawyer’s got that tied down, and since Vallid was using judge powers at the beginning of the case, she can’t push the issue without a scandal.”

  “Malfoy is behind this, Harry.  I know it with every fibre of my being,” Severus said.  “However indirectly.”

  “I know,” Harry said grimly.  “But short of a full confession…”

  “Damn him,” Severus snarled.  “So many times we passed up killing him when he deserved it and more.  Perhaps Thomas had the right of it, after all.  Allowing him to manipulate the law and our lives… fools deserving to be tortured.”

  “It’s not foolish following one’s conscience and doing what’s right, Severus.”

  “Tell that to Jennifer,” Severus said bitterly.

  “She would agree with me.  And so would the part that you lost,” Harry said firmly.

  “In that case, I’m not so sure that I would agree with her,” Severus said, walking away to see what had captured her attention.  Harry watched them silently for a moment, lost in thought before stepping outside where Ron was standing with his hands in his pockets, shivering in the cold.

  “Well, that went rather well,” Harry said solemnly.

  “Did you tell him about your dead end with finding the wand man?” Ron asked in a low voice.

  “No,” Harry said somberly.  “Let’s not ruin his faith in me all at once.”

  “Who knows, maybe you’ll suddenly discover a previously overlooked witness that was afraid to come to the surface before now and will open you Aurors up to the obvious suspect,” Ron said encouragingly.

  “Let’s face it Ron,” Harry sighed, slipping down a side street to escape the crowds.  “This case hinges on only one solution.  Only Jennifer and the person who did it were there when it happened.  This isn’t a case of clues or hidden motives, it never has been.  It’s a matter only of pointing a finger, and Jennifer has got to be the one to do it.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Memory Hunt

 

  The silence of the small empty cottage was abruptly replaced with the sound of chaos as the Snapes returned, all the children immediately breathing with relief and talking to each other a mile a minute as they tried to catch Alicia up on school and the Bridle Club and Quidditch in the middle of the tiny living room that seemed to be more bookshelf space than floor space.

  “All right, all right, that can wait.  Get these trunks upstairs or downstairs whichever the case may be,” Severus told them impatiently, the four of them quickly making their exits.  Severus lit the fireplace that they had just stepped out of while Jennifer looked cautiously around, pausing when she noticed a small frame sitting on the corner desk with the Severus Snape card in it.  The Severus in the card suddenly made an attempt to straighten his black robe, nodding at her in a way that made her grin.  “Mercy?  Lights from top to bottom please, let’s get this place alive again.  Any problems to report?”

  “No, Master Severus, Sir.  Welcome home!  Welcome home, Mistress!”

  Jennifer turned to see a cheerful, bright-eyed House Elf, smiling warmly at her before disappearing in a flash, the candles in both the living room and kitchen bursting to life in her wake.

  “We have House Elves?”

  “Eight of them,” Severus said, “Although several follow us to Hogwarts.  Ten came with the house, but two are full time at the school now.  Mercy, whom you just met, is the Head Elf here, so go through her if you need anything.”

  “That’s quite a lot of House Elves for such a tiny place,” Jennifer said, glancing over to see Severus was studying her carefully.

  “You don’t remember this place at all, do you?” he asked softly.  She shook her head.  She hadn’t even gotten the strange chill that she had had when she first saw Hogwarts.  Why would she remember there and yet not here?  “Very well, then I suppose I had better show you around,” he said, tossing his cloak off and stuffing his gloves in a pocket in case he needed them.  “I suppose the kitchen is obvious; this is part of the original cottage, as is the garden, bedroom, and the upper basement.  We’ve had to add on since then, of course,” he said, opening the bookcase between the front door and the kitchen.  “The stairs here lead to Alex, Alicia and Andrew’s rooms, children’s bathroom and guest suite…used to be the nanny’s rooms.”

  “Where does Aurelius sleep?” Jennifer asked curiously.

   “Lower basement.  Follow me,” he said, opening the basement door and leading her to the family room.  Jennifer couldn’t help but be impressed…the small book niches, seating areas and table games area obviously designed with the logistics of a family of six in mind.  A huge fireplace was snapping and crackling by the time they had got down there, while above the mantle hung a slanted wooden shelf in which Jennifer could see the end of some sort of scrapbook.  But before she got a chance to look at it, Severus pulled back the long drape at the far end of the room and she looked with amazement at the incredible view of the bluff, a light flurry of snow racing past while the ocean crashed below them.

  “Incredible!  What a view!  Whoever designed this place was a genius!” Jennifer said appreciatively.

  “Thank you, I’d like to think so,” Severus said.

  “You?” Jennifer said with surprise.

  “I designed it, yes, although admittedly Black built it.  Our nanny at the time, Carol helped with the interior as well.”

  “It’s wonderful.  And with the window, it doesn’t even feel like we’re underground at all, really.”

  “That was the general idea, yes,” Severus said, gazing thoughtfully at her, pondering something.  “Come, let me show you the lower level.”  Jennifer followed him down a short narrow staircase into a narrow hallway with three doors, which Severus opened in turn.  “On the left here is my study, as you can see…”  Jennifer peered in to see a simple room with even more books, a desk, comfortable chair and cot.  “The next room here is Aurelius’…actually we put it in for storage but after it was clear the two boys weren’t going to be able to share a room he decided to move down here…and this opposite door is my potion’s lab,” he said, opening and stepping in.

  “Your lab?” Jennifer asked.  “Not mine?”

  “Well, you use it too on occasion, but I generally make all of the potions for the family, yes.  Besides, you used to not want to spend too much time down here at once, and some potions do take awhile.  You’ve never really cared for this room,” he added carefully.  “How do you feel about it now?”

  “Well, now that you mention it, it does feel a bit close down here,” Jennifer admitted.  “How is it that there’s a window?  Aren’t we further into the cliff now?”

  “Sirius linked it back to the cliff edge for ventilation reasons, although it doesn’t have the charms the window above us does to keep out the cold.  Feel free to use the lab whenever you like, not that we need anything.  Right now, I have it fairly well stocked,” he said, nodding to the shelves.  “But that is basically the house, such as it is,” he said, stepping back out into the hall.  But she didn’t make a move to head back, only stood looking at him with such intensity that it put him slightly off guard.  “Yes?”

  “You haven’t shown me the bedroom yet,” Jennifer said.

  “Yes, I mentioned it.   Upstairs, as you recall, it’ll be the door to the right when you get to the kitchen.  Feel free to explore at your leisure, after all, this is your house,” he said quickly, slipping into his office where his trunks were waiting, clicking them open.  “Do you want me to put your things away as well?”

  “Oh, no thanks, I suppose I’ll learn more quickly where everything goes if I’m actively looking for them,” Jennifer said, leaning on the door, still watching him.  “Did you use that often?”

  “What?”

  “The cot,” Jennifer said.  Severus looked over at her with surprise for a moment before turning back to his unpacking.

   “It’s from my bachelor days, as is most of the furniture in here,” Severus said.  “But this is where I come when I need some quiet away from the chaos upstairs.”

  “Where did I go for quiet then?”

  “The garden in the summer.  This time of year you never seem to look for it, merely sit in the kitchen when not attending to other things or attempting to get all of us to cooperate in holiday rituals.”  Jennifer chuckled softly at that.  “Everyone needs a bit of time to themselves…even more so, I think, when you grow so close that sometimes it can be…overwhelming.”  Jennifer suddenly felt the grief in the air, and then realized it was her own, the emptiness pulling her from within as she saw in his eyes a fraction of what they had had together.  “Not to mention the fact that I went from being an introverted loner to having a boisterous twelve year old son and unusually energetic wife in the same year.  You should be getting unpacked, you know.  Mercy will have dinner ready at six.”

  Jennifer nodded to herself as much as to Severus as she headed up the stairs, lost in thought.  All of this magic… it just didn’t make sense… how could such a power take something away and yet not give it back?  Jennifer snorted at the naivety of that idea.  There were a lot of death spells in the world…a lot of ways even without magic to kill.  But how many were there to get someone back?  None, obviously, when all was said and done.  No evil, it seemed, could be undone completely.  But even as she realized that, a part of her fought it with all her heart…why?  Why fight it?  Why even try to get it back?  Wasn’t it just causing more pain than if nothing was tried at all?  It was then that she remembered Severus’ eyes when she had asked him he loved her, and the anxious looks of her children, not knowing how to talk to her.  Aurelius avoided her most of all. 

  Trying to push her thoughts away, Jennifer slipped into the bedroom, looking around.  Just like all the other rooms she had seen so far, this one had a personality all of its own, smacking her like a cold hand to the face.  The room was filled with memoirs; memoirs that without a doubt were put there by herself.

  An ornate vanity with a large curtained mirror stood opposite a large carved oak bed, the mirror’s frame dangling with charms; a tiny potion bottle on a chain, a unicorn necklace, and trading cards attached to a string of black satin ribbons.  On the top of the vanity was a tall jewelry box with drawers in every direction; the rest of the vanity’s surface covered with bouquets of alchemists roses, glistening in the candlelight.  Jennifer pondered the lavender curtain on the bronze rod a moment, but as she glanced casually in the mirror, the curtains purpose was crystal clear.  It was to keep her from becoming distracted by stray glances into the mirror.  Perhaps it was Severus’ idea she thought with amusement, glancing in the mirror towards the bed.  Just then, she spied a frame on the dresser and went over to look at it, not believing her eyes.

  It was a sketch of Mycroft; or at least of Severus in Mycroft clothing, glasses and all.  Despite the rough lines, however, the sketch was hardly inactive; staring back at her with a deep thoughtful gaze before finally a thin enigmatic smile crept onto his face.  In the corner of the sketch, a single line of the shoulder suddenly turned into the artist’s signature; F. Pyther.  She smiled and sat on the bed, glancing at the bare wall in front of her where a large hook made for a heavy frame was currently empty, and to one side of the bed was a window of cracked glass, slightly ajar to let in some air.  On the other side of the bed, matching glass doors led to a small walk-in closet and a small bathroom, where beside them were school portraits of the children in their Stoddard uniforms, and one of Corey in his Gryffindor one.

  She let out a long sigh then, spying the trunk sitting near the closet door and forced herself to attend to it, pulling out and admiring each robe and dress in spite of herself.  It was quite easy to figure out which side of the closet was hers too, considering that his half consisted of just a handful of black robes and the one brown suit, the extra space taken up by a low shelf filled with all sorts of magic devices.  Hers, however, had quite a number of gowns still there, and she pushed them aside to make room for the others she had brought. 

  Several pairs of shoes came out next, and as she looked around the closet she spied a couple of others nestled below the shelf and fit the others beneath it.  But as she began to stand she caught sight of something shimmer and stooped back down again, not believing her eyes. 

  It was a Pensieve.  She was sure of it just as sure that she knew what it did, although she didn’t remember ever owning one or even if Severus owned one.  Surely it wasn’t hers, she thought.  If it was, they would have mentioned it by now, wouldn’t have they?  Pulling it off the shelf she brought it out and put it on the nightstand opposite the one with the picture, grabbing her wand out of the trunk.  She simply had to know whose it was.  If it was Severus’ as she suspected, it’d only take a moment to put it back, she told herself, although she couldn’t help but be a little eager to see what the memory nearest the top was.  Peering through the slightly open door to make sure no one was around, she gave it a little wave and looked in.

   It was not Severus’ Pensive.  For it was Severus’ face that looked back at her now, full of concern in a dimly lit passage.  There was another there; a man whose chiseled features dress and manner gave Jennifer the impression that perhaps he wasn’t quite human. 

  “Is something wrong?” Her own voice asked, and Severus immediately dropped the lamp away from his face.

  “No.  But I am going to lead, if you don’t mind,” Severus said, pushing ahead of them.

  “As you will, Merlin blood.  You’ll have only yourself to blame then if you get us lost,” the other said.

  “I am beginning to doubt that,” Severus muttered, hurrying ahead so for a while Jennifer only saw his back.

  “All right, I know we’ve been here before,” her voice said as Jennifer saw a strange chalk mark on the cave wall. “Severus, what is going on?” 

  “The maze is enchanted,” he sighed, a map appearing clear in the Pensieve.  “The walls and corridors are rearranging themselves in front of and behind us.  Without a key to knowing the proper movements, we cannot possibly get through it.”

  “But that also means we can’t get out!”

  The words sounded strange then, and the vision began to seem strangely warped and funny, the words coming after sounding hollow.  What was going on? 

  “Curious how it is that you got out,” Severus said, turning on the Magus.  “Or was it that Ciardoth let you out?” 

  Frustrated with how blurry it was getting, Jennifer finally leapt in, just in time to see herself pulling out a wand as a tall frighteningly beautiful woman appeared.  Ciardoth, Jennifer had called her, and the name did sound familiar to her ears.  Chills went through her too when she saw the Dementors, but as she stared in her own face, she realized that her fear back then had not been because of the woman or the Dementors at all, but of where they were.  Why, she wondered, watching the exchange between Ciardoth and the man with little interest.  Suddenly the earth began to groan, and the Jennifer watching the memory was caught in surprise as they were propelled upward through the dust, feeling the pure terror that had come over her old self as it occurred, only to safely find herself and Severus standing upon a lonely hillside, clinging to him shakily.  But just before she spoke again, Jennifer found herself being pulled out and standing on the edge of the Pensieve.

  What?  That was it?  A single moment of terror and that’s all?  Jennifer scowled in frustration.  What had caused the terror in the first place?  This was going to get her nowhere going backwards like this, she realized, waving her wand.  She would have to start at the beginning.

  Waving her wand a bit, she reversed the order of the strands with the oldest on top, carefully tying each one to the other until it was one continuous line.  She didn’t bother to look to see what the first memory was before jumping.  There would have been little point, she thought, considering how little she remembered anyhow.  So the moment the last strand was tied, Jennifer touched the surface and found herself pulled in, and found her memory self kneeling in front a large group of cloaked figures.  One of them, although she didn’t realize it yet, was Voldemort.

 

  Andrew had been onto his way to the kitchen, knowing that Mercy would have a sandwich or something ready for him by the time he got there.  Sure enough, as he turned over the plate a rather hefty turkey sandwich was waiting for him.  He sighed with contentment, but then realized that no cups had been gotten out yet and headed around the bar to get one, when something caught his eye and a curious feeling entered him.  He couldn’t explain what it was, but as he glanced through the slightly open bedroom door, he got the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong.

  “Mum?”

  Forgetting about the sandwich, Andrew went to the door, careful not to step over the threshold of the off-limits room as he knocked softly.  There wasn’t an answer, but he was quite sure she was there and knocked louder, the knock making the door creep farther open.  It was then that he saw a shimmer and spotted a bowl on the other side of the bed, and saw the pale crumpled form behind it with a hand still touching the liquid.

  “Mum!” Andrew shouted, but she didn’t answer.  “Father!  Father, come quick!  Help!” He screamed, and Severus appeared with a * pop * his eyes immediately following Andrew’s

  “Oh, God.  Oh, no,” Severus murmured running in and standing next to the bowl, hoping to catch a glimpse of what she was remembering.

  “What is it?  What is that thing?” Andrew demanded.

  “Hell in a hand basket!  Tell Alicia to get Corey here, now!”  Severus snapped.  So unusual was the request that Andrew bolted up the stairs, but as Severus watched the images that passed by he realized that even at painting speed, he couldn’t afford to wait any longer, touching its surface. 

  A moment later, Corey thundered down the stairs followed by the rest of the children, stopping at the door, his face going white as a sheet when he realized what had happened.

  “Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” Alex said impatiently.

  “It seems that Mom’s gone and taken getting her memories back into her own hands,” Corey said, leaning in to close the door.

  “You make it sound like that is a bad thing,” Andrew said warily.

  “It is the way she’s doing it,” Corey agreed grimly, motioning them towards the basement.  Not even Aurelius questioned it this time, heading downstairs with only a quick exchange of glances with the others.

 

  She was walking in the Forest again.  This time, she was near the place she now knew the Tomb had been, the tomb where only mere minutes earlier she had seen herself brutally thrashed by a werewolf and buried alive…and yet…. just as the memory where she saw herself tortured to the edge of death… just as the moment that Voldemort cast the Unforgivable Death curse…just as the moment Pettigrew pushed her into submission in the caverns beneath the cottage…the event faded to black and she discovered once more that she was alive…apparently again to face another nightmare as she and the woman she now knew was Anna walked almost casually through. 

  Just as she began to step up to hear the conversation she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Severus standing there… the real one, she was sure, from the strange haunted look in his eyes.

  “Come, Jennifer, we need to get out of here,” he said firmly.  “You’re not ready for this.”

  “Who are you to tell me what I’m ready for?   And I have some questions to ask, because I don’t understand how am I standing here if I’ve been through so many horrible things, and don’t give me that line about how long it’s going to take either.” Jennifer said angrily.

  “Fine.  I’ll do so outside the Pensieve.”

  “No, you’ll do so now and as we go,” Jennifer said.  “Because I am not leaving until it’s over.”

  “Jennifer, these memories were not meant to be seen by anyone,” Severus snapped.  “Not even me.”

  “Not even me?” Jennifer challenged him.  “I’m staying.”

  “Run!” said the Jennifer in the memory.  And Jennifer turned to see Anna and herself faced by an enormous wraith, even now swooping down on the two women as Anna changed into the shape of a Unicorn and Jennifer somehow managed to scramble on, the wraith close on their heels.  It was then that all around them came a pride of true Unicorns, and at their head was the most beautiful white mare that Jennifer had ever seen, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the beast race to come up next to the two fleeing women.  “Keki!” the other Jennifer cried out, and Jennifer had no doubt it was the Unicorn’s name.  In fact, she realized with some surprise that she had known it before it was even spoken.

  Everything faded to black again, signifying the end of the memory.  When they had returned again, Jennifer found herself in a dusty dark cavern filled with Centaurs, many of them wounded, and Severus, who was busy tending the wounded behind her.  A large Centaur was speaking something about the cave entrance collapsing, and the memory Jennifer suddenly paled and bolted out of the cave, and the perspective suddenly changed to look out on the Forest ravaged by battle and an army of harpies in the air.  But as Jennifer whipped out her wand as if preparing to take the entire army single handedly, the Unicorn returned, a flash on her horn as she reared up and the visage of a giant snake appearing around Jennifer, protecting her from the flying targets, snapping their wings when they came near her until a blast of magic from several wands shot out over Jennifer’s head.

  Everything faded again, and she found herself still in the Forest, walking with Anna Hermione and Ron.  Behind her, Severus suddenly clenched her shoulder tighter, tempted to take her out by force, but the look of defiance in Jennifer’s eyes as he considered it made him pause, but his eyes mirrored the dread of what he knew was going to happen next.  For Keki had returned, the memory Jennifer immediately concerned about her behavior.

  “She doesn’t want us to go on,” Anna said.

  “We must go, we must go now,” Severus ordered behind Jennifer.  But Jennifer wasn’t heeding him, waving her hand to try to shush him so she could hear.

  It was then that the wraith came; the same, Jennifer was sure, that she had seen before, but much larger…and as Keki charged it to protect memory Jennifer and her friends, the wraith washed over her like she was not an obstacle at all; turning grey and grayer while Jennifer found herself watching in stunned horror.  Numbly the four cast spells to keep the wraith at bay, but to Jennifer watching, it suddenly didn’t seem important whether they made it or not, even as a strange wave of light funneled into it with enormous dark power.  All that was important, truly, was the fallen form of the Unicorn at memory Jennifer’s feet, and suddenly both Jennifers burst into tears while both Severuses found themselves watching, helpless to do anything about it.

  Jennifer felt herself pulled into his arms, too upset to continue anymore, but was crying so hard that she wasn’t quite sure when she found herself back in the bedroom, still being kissed and held tightly by Severus who was saying something to her but whatever it was went unheard.

  “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe she’s gone,” Jennifer murmured at last, causing Severus to hold her even tighter.  “The hole inside me has grown now.  I don’t understand it!  I’ve felt her so strongly before!  In my dreams…in my nightmares in the apartment, I saw her, I know it now, her spirit was there…and now it’s so unreal to me.”

  “A part of you died that day,” Severus whispered.  “A part that I could never have, and once envied as well.  I’ve always known that.”

  “And now it haunts me like all of these… why have so many gone to such lengths to hurt me?” Jennifer demanded, glancing at the Pensieve.  “God, Severus, I’m barely halfway through them.  Are they all like this?  All such horrible memories?”

  “No,” Severus said firmly.  “You used the Pensieve to store the worst of times yes, but do not use those short moments in time to judge your life!”

  “They are all I’ve got!” Jennifer snapped back.

  “They are not worth having!  If I had known they were in here, I never would have allowed you to find it!” Severus said angrily.

  “Then you would have been wrong!  Didn’t you say yourself they’re my memories and mine alone?  It’s not yours to decide if they’re worth it!  Because right now not only is there comfort in the idea that I did store some memory, there is also comfort in knowing that with these the worst possible is known to me.  And I’m taking them,” Jennifer said, turning around before he could stop her and grabbing the end with her wand, drawing the strand in, her name echoing in her head as Severus called it out.  But as the memories raced faster and faster passed her, her head began to scream in pain until finally she blacked out, nothing left to remember.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Dumbledore Steps In

 

  Jennifer was aware of a warm hand touching hers and opened her eyes, looking around to see the smile of the man’s whose voice she had always recognized.

  “Albus!”

  “Good morning, Jennifer.  Good to see you with your eyes open again.  I would hate for you to have to miss the start of Yule,” Dumbledore said with a smile.  “Doctor Sagittari will be right back, I expect.  He went to check and make sure Severus took the potion he brought for his nerves.  I dare say, I think you scared the wits out of him with the stunt you pulled last night.”

  “Last night?” Jennifer said, putting a hand to her head and sitting up.  “Have I been out that long?  Ow, my head.”

  “Have a cup of tea, Jennifer, it’ll help clear your head a bit, I think,” Dumbledore suggested.  She looked on her stand to see a tray sitting there, along with the sketch who was looking at her with concern.

  “I’m all right,” she told the sketch when she saw his face.  “At least, I think I am.”

  “How many of them do you remember?”  Dumbledore asked, and Jennifer glanced to the other side where the empty Pensieve still sat.

  “All of them, but they’re all garbled and fuzzy,” Jennifer admitted, holding her head again until she had to put it down to accept the cup that Dumbledore was holding out to her.

  “It’s really not all that surprising.  Some of those memories are well over fifteen years old,” he said.

  “And not even close to being complete,” Jennifer sighed.  “I want to know what happened after each of those.  And between…and what led up to them…and how I’m still here…and why did all those happen?  Why do so many people seem to want me hurt or dead?”

  “Those are definitely a lot of very good questions,” Dumbledore nodded.

  “And you’re not going to help me answer any of them, are you?” Jennifer frowned at him.  Dumbledore smiled gently at her.

  “No, Jennifer.  I suspect that in most of the instances that were in that Pensieve that I was not there, or at the very least, a third party.”

  “Come to think of it, a lot of them ended with you showing up,” Jennifer said with a frown.

  “You see?  Then perhaps I’m not the best to explain it to you, and besides, that’s not really the reason I’m here.”

  “I suppose that Severus called you and Sagittari here,” Jennifer said.

  “Well, he did come and get Sagittari, I just happened to tag along for support,” Dumbledore said, looking at her thoughtfully.  “Jennifer, I was wondering if I could ask you a favor.”

  “Of course, Albus,” Jennifer said, blinking a bit in surprise.

  “It is about Severus.  I am very worried about him right now,” Dumbledore admitted quietly.  “As you can imagine, he’s under a very great deal of pressure with everything that’s been going on.  His life has been turned upside down in so many ways, Jennifer.  He’s had to juggle pressure at work and the children as well as his loyalty to you and is in a very tough position at the moment.  So all that I ask is if you would be a bit more careful around him.  Especially now before the holidays.”

  Jennifer instantly felt a little guilty about what had happened in the Pensieve, not that she thought she had made the wrong decision, but she had acted merely out of defiance when she was sure that he was merely trying to save her from pain.  Had she been pushing him too hard?  She thought over her endless demands for questions and attempts to get close and realize that she had.  Of course, she was hardly trying to get her memories back for herself…or was she?  Jennifer wasn’t quite sure anymore, thinking of their argument again.  Why was she so unwilling to listen when he knew what was going on more than she did?  Perhaps that was it, Jennifer mused.  Perhaps in a way she was taking it out on him that she didn’t.

  “You’re right,” Jennifer said at last, putting down her cup.  “I’ve been behaving like a complete idiot.”  Dumbledore smiled sympathetically.

  “Do not be too hard on yourself, Jennifer.  We all have our moments, and you have definitely been facing a lot of pressure on your own.  And I’m afraid it will still be some time yet before this little crisis is over, I think,” he said.

  “Then you believe I’ll get my memories back?” she asked, studying his face with such intensity that Dumbledore smiled.

  “I may have wondered and worried about that when I first heard of this, Jennifer, but I don’t any longer.  The fact that you chose the worst rather than nothing proves that.  I have no idea how, or when, but between your determination and the love of Severus and your family, I am confident that there can be no other possible outcome.”  Jennifer leaned over and hugged him, getting a gentle pat on the back in return.  “That’s better.  Everything will turn out all right.  After all, just as you pointed out before, you are still here, despite those instances now in your memory.  I hardly think this setback will keep you at bay for too long,” he assured her, getting up.  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I had better let Sagittari know you are awake so he can instruct you on some potions he’d like you to take so he can get back to the castle.  It’s a lovely cottage, Jennifer.  But it wasn’t exactly built with Centaurs in mind, it seems.”

  Jennifer chuckled at that and nodded in agreement, attempting to imagine Sagittari trying to use any of the narrow stairs in the house.  It was a good thing their bedroom was on the main floor.

  Dumbledore slipped out the door and peered into the front living room where Severus was pacing around Sagittari, who was standing near the center of the room so not to bump into anything.  They both looked up when Dumbledore came in with expectant faces.

  “She’s awake and ready to see you, Sagittari,” Dumbledore said.

  “Is she all right?” Severus asked impatiently.

  “Of course, Severus.  But might I speak with you a moment before you go in?”  Severus squinted at Dumbledore warily.  “I merely want to ask you a favor.”  Severus let out a long sigh and reluctantly took a seat at Dumbledore’s insistence, but the look in his eyes was the look of someone who was still mentally pacing the floor.  “It is about Jennifer, of course.  I am very worried about how she’s adjusting.”

  “Yes?  And I’m not?” Severus said irritably.

  “I know you are, Severus, although you can’t blame me especially for being concerned about this latest event.  It was an act of pure desperation, and not, I think, so much an attempt to get back her memories.  No, what she truly longs for is the relationship she once had for you, and I dare think the desperation is caused by the fact that she doesn’t feel she’s ever going to get it back.  And I know you have been trying very hard to do what’s best for her, right now.  I only ask that you be a bit more careful around her.  Especially right now before the holidays.”

  Severus stared at him, almost in disbelief.  He had been anything but distant to her…in fact in some ways, he was certain that he had been more open to her now than he ever had been before.  Of course they hadn’t been too physically intimate, but that was different, and hardly what Dumbledore was talking about.  He had been grieving…no, tormenting himself…so constantly over what he had lost…but it was a grief he had faced alone, convinced that she would not be troubled by something when she had no idea what she lost.  But she did have some idea, he realized now, whether through his own eyes or something inside her…she knew exactly the depth of what was gone, and he had been forcing her to face it alone as well.  Severus rubbed his head, attempt at keeping the heavy wave of emotion hitting him at bay.

  “I’ve been acting like a fool again, haven’t I?” he said at last.

  “Oh, no more than usual,” Dumbledore said with a teasing smile.  “Really, Severus.  You are anything but a fool.  In fact, in many ways I think you’re probably wiser than I am.”  Severus snorted at that.  “And definitely a great deal braver, to take on such a strong commitment to your work, and Jennifer, and your family.  I passed up a few opportunities myself to be married to Hogwarts.  And you know for a while there I was afraid you were going to get into that line of thought as well, until Jennifer came along and turned everything around for all of us.  Of course, none of us are perfect, and I’m not sure you still quite trust yourself completely, Severus.”

  “How can I, when I can’t even see the obvious?” Severus murmured.

  “Goodness, Severus.  We all make mistakes.  You trust me, and I have been known to make a few on occasion.  You trust Jennifer too, I think, and as perfect as she is for you, she is hardly perfect either, or she wouldn’t have jumped feet first in that mess last night.  She is going to need your support now, more than ever, to try and sort those memories out, you know,” Dumbledore said.  Severus nodded slowly.  “But whatever happens, just try to remember that you’re not the only one this is affecting.  Which reminds me, I need to go down and speak with your children for a few moments if you don’t mind, and that’ll get me out of your hair long enough to talk with Jennifer,” he added with a smile.

  Downstairs, Corey had dragged out the Christmas boxes and a bundle of fresh garland and was busy decorating, while reciting A Christmas Carol to his siblings.  The four Snapes were sitting at the game table as they listened, painting small wooden figures that apparently went with a short street of model houses that were attached to a wooden board in front of them.  Spying Dumbledore coming down the stairs, Corey cut short the recitation, making the rest of them look up curiously.

  “I’m terribly sorry.  I hope I didn’t make you lose your place,” Dumbledore smiled.

  “Not at all.  Just trying to lighten the mood,” Corey said.  “Happy Yule, Professor.”

  “Thank you, Corey.  My, that’s an impressive model set.  Why, that’s main street in Hogsmeade, isn’t it?”

   “It’s a game.  Andrew invented it,” Alicia explained as Dumbledore came nearer, showing him the dragon she was touching up.

  “Really?” Dumbledore said, smiling at Andrew.

  “It’s called Stop the Dragon,” Andrew said, finishing his figure.  “The object of the game is to stop the dragon from destroying the town, and whichever figure stops the dragon fastest, wins.”

  “Sounds exciting.  Who’s winning?” the wizard asked politely. 

  “The dragon,” all four of them said at once.

  “My figure keeps disappearing,” Andrew complained.

  “Mine just runs into Pyther’s shop to hide,” Alicia muttered.

  “Mine keeps getting scorched every time she tries to talk to it,” Alex sighs.

  “At least he doesn’t keep eating yours,” Aurelius glowered.  “The dragon doesn’t like the straight forward approach.”

  “Might I try?” Dumbledore asked, and Andrew handed him one of the small figures, which started out as a simply carved sphere on top of a rectangle.

  “I have got to see this,” Corey said, setting aside the garland and coming over to grab a figure of his own.  He painted a quick smiley face on it and put the brush down.

  “What?  That’s all you’re going to do to it?” Aurelius asked.

  “Don’t think it looks like me?” Corey said.

  “No,” Aurelius said.  “Even though he seems to have more personality than you do.”

  “Nice.  Well, let’s see then, shall we?”  Corey said, putting the figure in the exact center of the road.

   “All right!  Alicia, send out the dragon!”  Andrew grinned, and she nodded and wound it up, raising it into the air and letting it go. 

  The figure suddenly raised wooden arms that appeared out of the block and flashed a little light at the descending dragon then took out a splinter for a sword.  But the as the dragon descended it snapped the sword in two and pushed the figure down, smashing it to bits with its tail as it flew over him, taking out one of the buildings at the end of town as well.

  “Dragon 5, us zero,” Alex said glumly.  Aurelius merely snickered, while Andrew solemnly got out another model to replace the one that had been broken. 

  “Care to go next, Professor?” Alicia grinned after catching the dragon again. 

  “Thank you,” Dumbledore said, setting down his figure.  The five others peered in amazement at the figure, which, among other things, had on the same gold robe that Dumbledore was wearing down to a tiny pair of spectacles hanging on its pointed nose.  The miniature Dumbledore was reading a book, as if completely unconcerned about the problem at hand.  “Very well, I think he his prepared,” Dumbledore said. 

  Alicia grinned evilly and wound up the dragon again and everyone else took a healthy step backward, not quite sure how explosive this was going to get.  Finally the dragon was let go and it spiraled down towards the town, everyone watching intently, waiting for Dumbledore to put down his book.  Finally at the last second a wand hidden by the book suddenly flashed out and aimed at the dragon and there was poofing noise as a large purple cloud appeared around it.  But as the cloud quickly dissipated, they all looked to see a clockwork rabbit sitting on the street where the dragon had been descending towards a moment before. 

  The Dumbledore figurine turned the page.

  “Professor, I never realized before how much of a showoff you are,” Corey said almost accusingly.  Dumbledore was about protest, when suddenly the rabbit sneezed, a burst of flame coming out and singing the figurine’s beard.

  “Hm, not enough twist in a wooden wrist, I think,” Dumbledore mused as the figure reluctantly abandoned his book.  The rest couldn’t help but chuckle at the figure’s appearance.  “Might I keep it?” Dumbledore asked, and after Andrew nodded put it in his pocket.

  “So, how is Mum doing?  Is she going to be all right?” Alex asked.

  “Yes, I do believe so,” Dumbledore smiled, sitting down.  “And I think it’s been wonderful how supportive and understanding you have been through all of this.  I know it hasn’t been easy.”

  “Corey told us about what the Pensieve was,” Alicia said.  “And I was wondering since she has those now, is she going to remember us?”

  “Your mother only kept her most terrible memories in the Pensieve, Alicia,” Dumbledore told her.  “In fact, nearly all of the incidents occurred before you were born, so no, I do not think she will.”

  “What makes you so sure?  Have you seen them?” Aurelius challenged him.  Dumbledore paused, looking at Aurelius thoughtfully.

  “If you are asking if I know exactly what memories she has put in there over time, no I do not, although I do know something of her personal trials over the years.  And I also know how proud your mother was of all of you, and I do mean all,” Dumbledore said, looking at Aurelius over the rim of his glasses.  “Exasperated sometimes, yes.  But that is merely part of being a parent,” he added sounding slightly amused.  “She is also very proud of you all as she is now.  I think that much is quite evident.”

  “Yes, it’s really strange.  Mum seems so much happier now than she was then,” Alex said quietly.

  “Happier?  No, that’s not the word I would use,” Dumbledore said.  “It is true that she didn’t have the burden she used to have before she lost her memory, but with the struggle of life there can be some very rich, very deep rewards from overcoming them.  Now, however, she has taken that burden back in attempt to regain those rewards, but it won’t be easy for her.”

  “So what should we do to help?” Alicia asked.

  “Just be yourselves,” Dumbledore smiled.  “Do as you have already been doing…getting to know her as she is now.  I think she appreciates that more than you may realize.  And do enjoy your holiday.  Think of all the fun things you might be able to show her that she may not remember.  It’ll be like doing them for the first time.”

  “We should get the biggest Yule log at Dagda’s Market!” Andrew said enthusiastically.

  “Oh, no!  Dad was positively annoyed when he saw the one we picked out last year,” Alicia said with a grin.

  “Does that mean the rest of you are going to stop being scrooges and help me hang up the rest of these decorations before tonight?” Corey hinted.  “We’re going to have a bit of a crowd here, I’d say.  Are you coming as well, Professor?”

  “Thank you, Corey, I have already made plans.  But I will see you all again soon enough.  I’m sure I’ll be dropping by on Christmas for a cup of cocoa or two,” Dumbledore promised them, getting up.  Aurelius got up as well, walking him to the stairs.

  “Professor, could you explain something for me?” Aurelius said in a low voice, glancing back to make sure none of the others heard.  But the others all seemed to be more interested in the fire-breathing rabbit.

  “If I can, I shall,” Dumbledore said quietly back with a smile.

  “Her dreams before were all about her close calls with death, so weren’t most of them in the Pensieve?”

  “I am not sure, Aurelius.  I’m afraid you would have to ask her that, although I think you should be careful on how you ask,” Dumbledore advised.

  “I only ask because I still don’t understand why I was in them.  I’m afraid I don’t quite believe you, sir, when you say we weren’t there in the memories at all.  Don’t you even have a guess at why it was me she dreamed of?” Aurelius asked.

  “What I said was that most of them occurred before you or the others were born, Aurelius,” Dumbledore said gently.  “As to why you, to be perfectly honest, I am still puzzling over that idea myself.  But I will make a deal with you…if I find out, you will be the first to know…and in turn, if you find out, then I can be the…well, fourth to know I suppose,” Dumbledore chuckled knowingly.  “Because I must admit that right now I’m just as curious to find the answer as you are.”

Chapter Thirty

A Tale of Burnt Gingerbread

 

  Jennifer didn’t talk to Severus long before the potions she had been given took effect and she fell asleep again.  But as Sagittari had already warned her, it would hardly be dreamless, for her subconscious needed to adapt to the bits and pieces she had seized for herself.

  She found herself wandering through the maze again as she had when she first started dreaming, knowing that around each turn was a new memory to explore.  But as she began to turn corners, she realized with quite a bit of frustration that she was back to the beginning, unable to get to any of the memories lurking there, no matter how she tried, even after walking backwards and sideways to try to trick the maze into letting her pass.  With little choice, Jennifer headed deeper in until she noticed a dark passage to one side.  Chewing her a lip a bit she got the courage to try again, and stepped through.

  She was in a memory then, she knew, but curiously enough, it didn’t seem as if she had left the maze at all, although the cavern around her was much darker, and it smelled of death.  The cavern also seemed unusually close, and she felt an intense pressure on her head that she tried to push away, knowing her fear would only hinder her.  She was looking for something…or someone…and it was important that she move quickly.  As she hurried deeper into the maze, her throat clenching any time there was a shower of debris, she realized that she was looking for Severus.  He was in here somewhere, and the words, ‘Mortal Peril’ clung to her from somewhere; she had seen them…it was a warning that somewhere in the darkness, Severus was dying.  How was she ever going to get through this maze of caverns in time to find him?

  “Severus?” she shouted, and then spied something odd on the ground.  It was some sort of gel, and she was sure from the texture that it was fairly fresh.  It was then that she noticed more down the corridor, but as she ran to meet it, a wave of fear hit her again as she spied the body of the largest snake she had ever seen, taking up most of the corridor.  Slipping past, she found herself facing an odd wall of bars.  “Severus?”

  “Jennifer?  What the devil are you doing down here?”  It was Severus, and Jennifer suddenly found herself with a phial of acid in her hand, pouring it over the gate and kicking it down, rushing to his side. 

  Never had she seen him quite this bad, so bloody it seemed unreal, his face unusually grey as she gave him the Healing Potion.

    “Jennifer, I don’t think the potion is going to be able to work fast enough to help me now,” Severus whispered softly.

  “Don’t say that!  You’ll make it.  You have to,” Jennifer said.  “I won’t let you go, Severus.  I need you.”  Jennifer said, working to bandage his chest.  Severus coughed slightly as if trying to laugh.

  “You don’t need me.  You never did.  Always so strong willed, so independent.  Always so willing to rush out and take on the world.  All I could do was stand there and watch.”

  “You can’t really believe that!  Of course I need you, I’ve needed you since the very day we met!  I’d have been dead my first year here if it hadn’t been for you!”  Jennifer said, tears streaking down her face.

  “You wouldn’t have faced death so many times at all if it weren’t for me,” Severus said weakly.  “But we don’t have the time to discuss it.  I only wish that we had,” he added softly.  “I have been happy these last few years, something I would never have thought possible in the past, and I will rest well, knowing you and our children will live on.”

  “Two, two!  You promised me four,” Jennifer said.  “I’m not going to let you die, there’s got to be some way to slow your body down enough to give you time to heal,” she said, patting herself down.  Suddenly she felt something in her cloak pocket, and a spark of hope as she realized it was the Spindle.  “Promise me you won’t give up.  Please, if you love me, promise you’ll hang on!”

  Suddenly, there was a loud, constant banging noise, and Jennifer jumped around in surprise.  This wasn’t right, this wasn’t part of the memory, she was sure.  The maze began to melt into black around her, but the banging still continued.  Pounding louder and louder in her head until she woke up with a start.

  “What on earth…”      Jennifer leapt out of bed and pop opened the door, looking around, the noise very loud now, and centered in the kitchen.  Cautiously she crept closer, realizing it was coming from the oven.  Surely one of the familiar’s hadn’t gotten trapped in there. 

  But as she popped open the door, she quickly learned her mistake as suddenly dozens of gingerbread heads suddenly lifted their heads from several large trays.

  “Now’s our chance, run!” One with bright candy soldier’s buttons yelled, and before Jennifer knew it they charged out.  Flailing and yelping out in surprise, Jennifer made a helpless grab, burning her fingers in the process.  Just then she heard the sound of someone running up stairs and the basement door burst open, Corey looking out with surprise.

  “Gad the gingerbread, I forgot!  Mercy!” Corey shouted.

  “Yes, beg for mercy!” The gingerbread general giggled.  “Fall out!”  As the army of gingerbread soldiers, beasts, wizards and witches began to fly in every direction including straight for them, Corey grabbed his Mom’s arm in one hand while letting out a freezing blast from the other, smashing several of the gingerbreads coming at them.  But several others charged in response, burning his arms and hands as he frantically shook them off and led her down the basement stairs, slamming and locking the door behind them.

  “What a mess!  We should never have let Alicia help decorate,” Corey panted.  “At least the front and garden doors are locked, so they’re contained to just the kitchen, bathroom and front room.”

  “And the bedroom, I forgot to close the door,” Jennifer said ruefully.  “And I think I saw the bookcase open before we got attacked.”

  “Wonderful.  Well, at least there aren’t any down here.  Mercy, where are you?”  Corey asked.

  “Master Corey!” Mercy said.  “Mercy is sorry!  Mercy must have dozed off,” she quivered.

  “It’s all right, just grab the other elves and see if you can round them up, will you?” Corey said.

  “But Mercy is all alone!  All others went to help Master Snape and the children with the Yule Log, sir!”

  “Perfect.  Well, I can’t possibly send you up there alone.  We’ll just have to wait until they cool down, and then we can go up together.” Corey said.

  “That’s right, they’ll start to get sleepy and less active then, right?” Jennifer said.

  “Right,” Corey said.  But as he looked back at her to nod, he thought he saw something run across the basement floor below them.  Alarmed, Corey hurried down them with his hand ready to cast a spell, spying the general standing by the fireplace, giggling.  “How did you get down here?”

  “Ready to surrender?” the gingerbread general asked.

  “Are you?” Corey asked in return.  The gingerbread general raised his hand then and a squadron biscuits dressed as commandos dropped out of the fireplace.  “Just great.  Come on, let’s get them!” 

  But as they charged down the steps blasting the gingerbread left and right, more and more began to come down, still obviously piping hot…in fact, many of them looked a tad burnt.

  “Help!  Mercy, do something!” Jennifer said when despite her freezing magic they began to gain on her.           Mercy, who seemed to have her own hands full suddenly poofed out of sight, and Jennifer and Corey found themselves wearing flowery padded hats and vests with long oven mitts with the same pattern on their hands. “Lovely,” Jennifer said dourly as the gingerbread launched a full-scale attack.

  Ten minutes later, Jennifer found herself looking towards the ceiling, her still mitted hands tied behind her and next to Corey’s, also still with mittens so he couldn’t possibly twitch a finger.  A roaring fire was going in the fireplace now, the gingerbread taking turns jumping in and out to get hot, and the more burned they got, the nastier their tempers seemed to become.  Mercy was also caught, trapped in the gingerbread house that had been specifically made to contain them.  An army of wizard gingerbread poked at the poor Elf while her hands were being soaked in hardening white icing, making it impossible for her to snap a finger even if she had wanted to.  The rest of the gingerbread were dancing around Corey and Jennifer’s chairs like headhunters celebrating their catch.

  “This has got to be the most embarrassing moment of my life,” Corey declared.  “I bet the Alchemist’s Society hears about this, they’ll be talking behind my back for sure… more than usual.  My sister Essie will laugh at me and probably deny I’m her brother.  I dare imagine they might even drum me out of the Musketeers for this humiliation.”

  “The what?”

  “Never mind, Mom,” Corey sighed.

  “I am sorry I got you both into this.  I should have never opened the oven like that,” Jennifer said sincerely.

  “No, it’s not your fault.  I should have been upstairs instead of dabbling in the lab,” Corey said.  Mercy burst into tears.

  “No, masters, it’s is my fault alone!  I should never have taken a nap like that.  I promise never to sleep again, Mistress, really!” Mercy said.

  “All right, so we’ve all been a bit silly,” Jennifer sighed.  “But now what do we do?”

  “Are you finally ready to hear our demands?”  The general asked.

  “Demands?” Corey repeated warily as the general took out a small corner of baking paper.  “What demands?”

  “First and foremost, we demand that there be no more talk of eating!  It is a nasty habit, and should not be applied to gingerbread under any circumstances!  You will therefore promise never to eat again…at least not gingerbread.  Secondly, you will all go back to the kitchen where you will provide a warm basket and fill it with enough gingerbread flying mounts and brooms to transport each and every one of us.”  The other gingerbread cheered.  “Third, you shall ship us and our transport via owl to a warm climate, preferably one without wolves or crocodiles.  Are you prepared to meet these demands?”

  “And if we don’t?” Corey challenged.

  “Then we put your dear House Elf in the oven, for about twelve minutes, or when the edges begin to brown,” the general said.

  “What?  You can’t seriously mean you’d put a living being in an oven like that!”  Jennifer said horrified.

  “Why not?  You did it to us,” the general said, getting an ‘ooooo’ from the crowd.

  But so intent were the gingerbread, so sure of their victory and the promise of escape…not to mention the fact that none of the children thought to create forward scouts…that none of the baked biscuits noticed or heard when the four other Snape children clambered out of the fireplace upstairs, just in front of Severus Snape.

  “I still cannot believe you talked me into buying that thing,” Severus scowled as he brushed himself off.

  “Don’t worry, the Elves will make it fit, they always do,” Alex said, sniffing the air thoughtfully.

  “Hmm smells like the gingerbread is done!” Andrew said, hurrying into the kitchen.

  “Smells like the gingerbread is burnt,” Aurelius said dourly.

  “I hope not after all the time we spent decorating them,” Alicia said worriedly, taking off her coat.

  “Odd,” Andrew said peering in the icebox.  “There’s nothing in here!  And the oven’s open!”

  “And there’s crumbs all over the floor,” Aurelius added.  Severus glanced in the bedroom to see it open and empty, suddenly getting suspicious, trying the handle to the basement and frowning when he discovered it was locked.

  “Wait in the living room,” he ordered them, taking out his wand.  “Alohamora!”  He intoned, the door suddenly snapping open as he charged down the stairs to see the army still tormenting their victims.  As the gingerbread looked up with surprise and the general began to scream for them to take cover, Severus pointed the wand at the curtain and violently pushed it aside, immediately casting another spell. 

  The gingerbread launched another attack but it was too late; Severus had called up a blizzard from the simple snowstorm outside, blasting through the room with such a cold wind that Jennifer and Corey found themselves wailing alongside of their captors, closing their eyes against the blinding snow.

  Finally it ceased, and Jennifer opened her eyes and looked over to see Severus with a hand on one hip, wand still in his hand, so much in disbelief of their predicament that he found himself just standing there looking at them.  A tremble and thunder behind him gave away the presence of the children coming down to see what had happened.  Aurelius risked a snigger while Alex laughed outright.  They were still bound and wearing the heat padding, sitting back to back in the middle of a ring of now normal seeming gingerbread.

  “I don’t suppose I could borrow Mum’s camera a moment?” Andrew offered.

  “No!” Corey and Jennifer both barked.   Mercy was busy freeing herself from the icing, breaking out of the house with a very somber look on her face that reminded Andrew of an abused puppy.  Severus’ lip twitched slightly as he thought about the request then took it out of his cloak, handing it to Andrew.

  “Oh, come on, have some heart, Dad.  If that gets out, I’ll never be able to live it down.  Worse, I’ll probably ruin any attempt at finding the right girl for me.  She’ll probably take one look at it, laugh, and never look at me again!” Corey said horrified.

  “I am not yet sure how you managed to get yourselves into this, but something tells me you deserve a little lasting humiliation.  You were being held hostage by our Christmas biscuits,” Severus said pointedly, both of them looking away with embarrassment as the camera flashed.  “One more just to make sure you get their good side, Andrew.  But you can take more if they don’t cooperate.”

  “Has he always had this sadistic side?” Jennifer asked Corey, looking over at Severus with annoyance.

  “Yah,” Corey said, reluctantly letting Andrew take his picture.  “I always figured that was why you fell for him in the first place.”  Jennifer looked over her shoulder to give Corey a dirty look.

  “Very well, Alex untie them please, while I get a look at these over aggressive gingerbread,” Severus said, his voice betraying a level of his exasperation as he picked a few of them up.  “And whose brilliant idea was it to dress these up like commandos?”  Alex headed over to the chairs, chuckling nervously at her father who rolled his eyes at her.  “And why, may I ask, did all the wizards holding Mercy hostage have black robes and hair?’

  “Licorice, father,” Alicia quipped, and then suddenly decided to make herself busy picking up the gingerbread.

  “Well, I know whom I can blame for the gingerbread jailhouse,” Severus said, Andrew avoiding his gaze.  “And what about this fellow?” Severus asked holding up the general.  Aurelius stared back at Severus innocently, but the look on Severus’ face let him know he hadn’t bought it for an instant.

  “Dad, can I have that one?” Corey asked.  He had taken off the mitts and was rubbing his wrists a bit.  Severus looked at him evenly for a long time before finally handing it to him.  Without hesitation, Corey chomped the head off.  “Thanks, I needed that.”

  “Held hostage by gingerbread,” Severus said murmured again, shaking his head.  Corey and Jennifer looked sheepishly at one another.  “Mercy, just see that the Elves try and figure out some miraculous way to get that Log into the fireplace and take a break.  I think the rest can manage getting the house in order before company arrives…” he glanced at his watch… “within ninety minutes.  I’ll be in my study,” he added, clearing out of the room.  The four Snapes couldn’t help but laugh again, cut short once more by the icy stares of Corey and Jennifer.

 

  A few minutes later as they finally began to get the gingerbread contained, Jennifer slipped down the stairs and peered in the door to Severus office.  He was standing by the desk, taking a potion of some sort, looking up thoughtfully when she came in.

  “So what’s that you’re taking?” Jennifer asked.

  “Call it insurance,” Severus said, finishing it and putting it down.  “And what have you been up to besides taste testing gingerbread the hard way?”

  “Actually, that happened right as I woke up,” Jennifer admitted.  “I was dreaming I was in a maze again, full of passages I couldn’t get past.”

  “Was Aurelius in it again?” Severus asked.

  “No, well, maybe he was in a way,” Jennifer murmured.  “I found a dark path through the maze where all the passages weren’t closed off, and then all the sudden I was in a memory of walking through a cavern that appeared half man-made and half natural or animal made, rather like the maze itself.  Anyhow there was a large dead serpent there, and you were there, only…well, you were badly hurt.”

  “Near death would have been more accurate,” Severus said with a nod.  “There were few who could have saved me at that point.”

  “But I had a spindle, and unless I miss my guess, the very Spindle cursed with Cosmic Sleep.”

  “Yes, family heirloom of yours as I recall.  It appears that Craws didn’t stay out of anything.”

  “But then I must have known, I mean, that I could wake you, before I would have tried anything that drastic,” Jennifer said insistently.  Severus gazed at her for a long time.  “Those odd dreams I’ve been having of being asleep and not waking up, it’s from being asleep myself, isn’t it?” Severus nodded gently.

  “It was I who originally took the chance, that first year you came to the school and it was obvious that Voldemort was going to stop at nothing until you were dead.  I was standing in his ranks that day, and considering you would have died any other way I thought it was worth the risk.”

  “So you knew even then?” Jennifer asked with a smile.

  “Hoped would be the better word, although part of me was afraid to believe that it would.  It did, obviously,” he added.

  “You know even if I hadn’t remembered the Spindle, I would have known you and I were soul mates,” Jennifer said in a voice barely above a whisper.  “I think I knew it when you first walked into the café that first day…something about you that I couldn’t put my finger on.  I suppose no amount of memory loss can ever change the fact we were destined to be together.  Nothing can,” she added, watching him a moment.

  Severus merely looked at her silently with a look on his face too deep for words until at last she kissed him…a gentle loving kiss that Severus hadn’t experienced since before Jacqueline came to be.  He drew her into his arms then, content to merely have her next to him.  It could have been so much worse in so many ways…and yet here she was.  He let out a long, quiet sigh.

  “I wish I could remember what happened the first time I woke up,” Jennifer said.  Severus winced.

  “You used the word again.”

   “But I do!  I want to remember things like this… us just standing here and holding each other, or the children being born, or even our wedding day.  Tell me about our wedding, Severus.  Was it small and intimate, or huge and pompous?”

  “Oh, I’d say it definitely tended towards the latter rather than the former,” Severus said, then suddenly became thoughtful.  “But perhaps I can show you rather than tell you.”

  “Show me?” Jennifer said, watching as Severus headed out of the office.

  “Come, I have something for you,” Severus said, heading up the stairs.  Eagerly Jennifer followed behind him, slightly surprised when he actually took her into the main bedroom.  It was, in fact, the first time he had stepped foot in there since they had arrived, balked, perhaps, by the same memoirs that had bothered her when she first entered it.  Slipping on his gloves, he opened the jewelry box, drawing out a gold chain with thirteen crystal spheres.  “These were a gift for you for our Pumpkin Anniversary,” he explained.  “They’re memories…my own, actually.  Careful not to touch them yet,” he warned, slipping it around her neck.  “Going clockwise from the clasp, there is one of every year of our marriage, the first being some of our wedding.”

  “Just the wedding?  Not after?” Jennifer teased.

  “Well…I did want it so that if the children ‘accidentally’ got a hold of one that they wouldn’t be put into too much trauma,” Severus murmured in her ear.

  “How unlucky for me,” Jennifer said with such a wry tone that Severus sighed.  Her eyes closed as she randomly touched one, finding herself looking at herself holding newborn baby Alexandria, smiling glowingly back towards Severus with sheer elation as Minerva came into view with a book in hand.  “These are wonderful!”  She said after a moment, backing to the next to view their wedding.  It was rather like a photo album, Jennifer realized, although quite a bit more intimate, the images appearing deeply in her head instead of in front of her.  “Why, Severus, I didn’t know you could dance!”

  “Yes, and so can you.  I taught you, as a matter of fact, to save my aching feet,” he added.

  “Thank you for showing me these,” Jennifer said, gazing at him lovingly.  As he leaned over and kissed her gently, Severus heard a knock at the front door, reluctantly turning away while Jennifer paused a moment to touch the next sphere, smiling.

   Essie and Doug were the first to arrive, and then Zoë and Zack charged in, followed by their parents.  Last came Taylor and Danny Brittle, Danny lingering behind with Severus, while Jennifer showed Taylor downstairs.

  “Minerva told me before we left that you requested to referee the two spring Gryffindor games,” Danny said to him once the two of them were gone.

  “I requested to referee two spring games on certain dates convenient to me, yes,” Severus said casually.

  “Oh, no, it was intentional, and I know why,” Danny said with a sigh.  “I was hardly myself last game…or maybe the problem was I was more myself than usual last game.  But in either case, since I have a chance now, I wanted to apologize for how I behaved when you tried to talk to me about it that day.”

  “There is hardly any need,” Severus said.  “However might I suggest in the future if you’re going to bias someone on a team, bias the whole team.  I myself find it’s less obvious that way.  Did you ever explain to Donavan what that was all about?”

  “No,” Danny said with a flash in her eyes, “And don’t bother asking me to.  Not even Dumbledore could do that,” she said evenly.  “This is hardly over yet.”

  “He’s still a student,” Severus pointed out thoughtfully.

  “Who better to teach a lesson?” Danny said, heading downstairs.  Severus sighed, making a mental note to keep an eye on her.  Not that she would ever take things too far on her own, he mused, but that didn’t mean the situation wasn’t likely to get out of hand.

  Downstairs, Alex was in the middle of telling Zoë and Zack for the third time her version of what had happened that afternoon, Corey looking quite unamused about the whole thing, especially considering the rest of his friends couldn’t help but break into grins and ask for the photos to be passed around again.

  “We had better put them away before they get ruined or accidentally lost,” Andrew said, reaching up above the mantel to get down the album.

  “Trust me, if I get a hold of them, it won’t be an accident,” Corey glowered.

  “Rather odd place for a photo album, why do we keep it up there?” Jennifer asked.

  “From what I was told, it was because you were insisting on putting photos on the mantle and Dad wanted them in the album and neither of you wanted to budge on it,” Corey chuckled, looking up at Severus as he and Danny came down the stairs.  “Isn’t that right, Dad?”

  “That’s the short version, yes,” Severus said.  “I had the shelf made as a sort of present just before summer,” he said, peering over Jennifer’s shoulder as Andrew pointed out different pictures to her.

  “And how come you’re not in any of these?” Jennifer wanted to know as Severus stepped to the fireplace, getting out his wand.

  “He’s probably aware that breaking cameras in that way is not part of the warrantee,” Sirius joked.

  “Two pictures of me in the house is more than enough,” Severus said, glaring at him.

  “What, there’s more than one?” Alicia asked curiously.  “But I thought there was just the Chocolate Frog card in the living room.  Where’s the other?”

  “There’s a sketch by Pyther in the bedroom,” Jennifer said, Alicia immediately getting excited.

  “Can I see it?”

  “No,” Severus snapped.  “Now do you want me to do this, or not?”

  “Oh, quit stalling and light it,” Anna added as the rest of the kids started insisting.

  “Very well.  As you know, the tradition is to light a log at the beginning of Yule, which is of course tonight, the winter solstice, and if it burns for the twelve days of celebration it will mean good fortune for the family in the year to come.  Of course, considering the size of the log that Andrew picked out this year, it’ll be our luck that it’ll succeed only in burning the house down,” Severus said dryly, looking at Andrew who stood long enough to take a bow.  “The only other thing I would like to say is that I find, in lieu of the events over the last few months, that I am grateful that the entire family could be here tonight,” he said quietly, gazing over at Jennifer, “and of the support given by every one of you, regardless of how unwanted it was,” he said, glancing at Sirius who gave him a knowing smile.  “There, I’m done with my sentiment for the year, don’t expect any more,” he added, turning around and lighting the log with a flick of the wand.

   Everyone cheered as the fire flickered to life, and trays of food, drink, and burnt gingerbread appeared on the coffee and end tables as Severus reached for his glass of anise wine, pulling back the curtain so that everyone could look out past the balcony at the glistening water and snow-filled air.

  “Now this is my idea of a Christmas party,” Doug said appreciatively.  “It wants for nothing, except maybe a bit of music.  Too bad I left my drums at home,” he added wickedly.

  “Hey, what about that guitar we gave you that one year, Corey?  You ever touch it anymore?” Sirius asked, ignoring Taylor and Danny’s attempts to wave him off.

  “Sure, now and then.  Should I go get it?” Corey asked.

  “There’s hardly any need, perhaps I can come up with something,” Severus said, heading towards the lower stairs.

  “No!  No, that’s okay, I can run home,” Corey said quickly, getting up, the rest of the Snape children agreeing whole-heartedly, while Sirius sat snickering.  But Severus ignored them, slipping in to get where his violin was waiting and headed back upstairs, Taylor and Danny watching warily as Alicia and Aurelius covered their ears and winced expectantly.

  It was then that a sweet note drifted by that took them all by surprise, especially Jennifer, who stared at him with amazement at the beautiful rendition of Silent Night that cascaded out of the violin, Severus not even looking in their direction as he played it with such flawlessness that all four children were gaping at him.  But as the piece drew to a close, Corey chuckled knowingly.

  “So, someone finally broke down and made up some Liquid Inspiration, I see,” Corey challenged.

  “The year’s been enough of a trial without torturing all of you to listen to my normal level of playing.  Let’s start the year with making some lighter memories, shall we?” Severus suggested.

  “I’m all for that,” Jennifer agreed as Danny and Taylor danced by. 

  “Is it just me, or has Severus changed since I last talked to him?” Taylor asked Danny in a low voice.

  “It’s not just you, I think,” Danny agreed, “But not necessarily in a bad way.”

  Corey walked over to stand before where Jennifer sat with the album, bowing low and giving his most irresistible smile, putting out his hand.

  “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be out helping gather mistletoe?” Severus complained as Corey went around for his fifth dance with Jennifer.

  “That’s what you get for not letting me get my guitar,” Corey grinned at him.

  “No, no, that’s not what you should have said, Corey,” Alex said mischievously as she watched them from the couch.

  “Alex, don’t you dare say it,” Jennifer said with a chuckle.

  “Why not?  After all, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles, isn’t it?” Alex grinned.  Aurelius, Andrew, and Alicia all grabbed cushions off the couches and chairs and threw them at her.

Chapter Thirty-One

Christmas Coffee

 

  Andrew stood with the other three Snapes staring at the contraption on the bar when they woke up on Christmas morning, viewing it with suspicion.

  “What is it?” Alicia asked.

  “Well, it’s not breakfast,” Andrew said.

   “It’s a Muggle coffee maker, at least, I think so.  Although this one doesn’t look much like the one in my Muggle Studies book,” Alex said.

  “Muggle coffee maker?” Aurelius repeated with disdain.  “What, don’t they have stoves and regular old coffee pots?”

  “I don’t know, they like gadgets,” Alex shrugged, wandering to the other side of the bar.  “I wonder where the plug is?”

   The four of them looked up as the door to the bedroom opened and Jennifer peered out letting out such a squeal that the kids took several healthy steps away from the counter.

  “I don’t believe it!  Even Kingler’s doesn’t have one this fancy, look it’s even got a built in coffee grinder,” Jennifer declared to them, opening the lid to look in, the others standing on their tip toes a bit to look as well.  “Two burners, for those long shifts, of course…look, the coffee bin is even full!  Oh I have got to try it.”  Even Aurelius came back over to the counter from curiosity as she filled one of the pots with water, but ended up jumping back again when a horrible loud noise came out of it as she put a fringed white paper in place and pushed a button.  “Oh, don’t be alarmed, it’s just the grinder.  Goodness, what’s got you all spooked?  This isn’t like any of you.”

  Before of any of them could think of an answer the basement door opened and Severus stepped into the kitchen, glancing at the children before turning his attention to Jennifer.

  “Coffee isn’t done yet?” he asked casually.  An instant later, the Snapes all watched in complete disgust and horror as Jennifer nearly leapt into his arms, giving him a passionate kiss.

  “Never mind the breakfast, I’m not sure I’m hungry,” Andrew said.

  “Hungry?  I am going to be ill,” Aurelius said, Alex grimacing as if she felt the same.

   “Well, it is Christmas, even parents deserve to let their hair down now and again, don’t they?” Alicia declared.

  “If Mum let her hair down any more I think it’d fall off,” Alex murmured. 

  Severus gently coaxed her Jennifer back a bit, getting lost in her green eyes in spite of himself.

  “You know, we don’t normally do this sort of thing in front of the children, although I am glad you like your gift,” he murmured.

  “Really we don’t?  Why not?” Jennifer said with surprise.

  “Well for one thing, that,” Jennifer said, turning her around to see their expressions, “And for another I’m not into public displays.  And neither are you,” he added.

  “Oh,” Jennifer said.  “Well, I suppose I had better finish the coffee,” she grinned flirtatiously as Severus let out an exasperated sigh.  “It is absolutely perfect.”

  “Where did you get it?” Andrew asked curiously.

  “Harrod’s Knightbridge, not that it’s really any of your concern,” Severus said, taking another step into the kitchen to make sure it was working right.

  “But that’s a Muggle shop, that means it’d be electric.  But we don’t have electric,” Alex said, still looking for a plug.

  “As to that, I had Sirius convert it to a magic power source, which seems to be holding quite nicely,” he said with a nod, sitting down as it began to drip.

  “But Father, I thought you’ve always told us you don’t approve of that sort of tampering of Muggle things!  That’s what you always said about Uncle Sirius’ motorbike,” Alex said.

  “That’s entirely different,” Severus said, giving her a warning look.

  “It’s illegal to do it, though isn’t it?” Aurelius put in.

  “I hardly think the Ministry is going to be concerned with a Muggle coffee machine that works in a magic house,” Severus told them.  “Now go get dressed if you expect to get any of your presents today.”

  “Can we have coffee too?” Alex asked hopefully.

  “Get dressed,” Severus snapped again.  “And Aurelius, no lingering in the family room without an adult present.”  Reluctantly the kids turned around and headed to their rooms, Andrew opening up the bookcase for the girls then following behind them.

  “Ever feel like someone’s trying to get rid of us?” Alex said sarcastically.

  “What do you suppose has gotten into them?” Alicia asked worriedly.  “Zoë and Zacchius were telling me a movie they saw where aliens from another planet came and replaced everyone in a whole town and ate the originals.”

  “Alicia, those Muggle movies are just like plays, you know.  None of that stuff really happens,” Alex sighed at her.  “They’re just teasing you.”

  “You can always try reaching them from the paintings to be sure,” Andrew suggested.

  “I still have to make a new one of Mum, the old ones don’t work,” Alicia said.  “Think she’d sit for a new one?”

  “I’m sure she would,” Alex agreed.  “She does seem to like us.  But I admit it does seem strange she never scolds any more.  In fact in some ways she doesn’t act like a parent at all.  Father’s the one who’s been doing all the ordering and yelling and scolding lately.”

  “Well, that’s understandable, isn’t it?  I mean, we’re still next to strangers to her.  Maybe she doesn’t feel like she has a right to,” Andrew said.

  “But she’s acting more like the big sister type and less the Mum type,” Alex said.  “And really, Father’s been acting all different as well.  He completely dotes on her and never says the slightest thing out of line around her.”

  “Father’s always doted on Mum.  It’s just that Mum’s always been more reserved, that’s all, although I do agree with the big sister bit,” Andrew admitted.

  “Yes, so do I,” Alicia said.  “She’s almost too nice to us.  I’m not sure how much more of it I can stand.  I want my Mum back.  Right now it almost feels like we had an overly sympathetic step-mother or something.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what it feels like, Alicia,” Andrew agreed, Alex nodding right along with them.  “Don’t forget to dress warm, I imagine we’ll be heading to Azkaban before noon if Father wants us dressed now,” he advised, heading to the door of his room.

  “Think Mum’s coming?” Alicia asked.  Andrew shrugged unknowingly.  “She’s never met him before.  Does she even know?”

  “I seriously doubt that Father would keep him a secret,” Andrew said.

  “I seriously doubt that Grandfather would let him,” Alex grinned, heading into her room.

 

  As Andrew suspected, just before noon as the excitement of their gifts had begun to wear and they had started actually breaking them all open, Severus was ready to get going, frowning at them when they didn’t instantly get up from what they were doing.

  “Come on, there’ll be plenty of time for that, this stuff is hardly going away, you know how your Grandfather gets when we’re late,” Severus said impatiently.

  “Are we going to be long?” Alex said, glancing at her new broom wistfully.

  “Depends on if Boltin’s there,” Severus said tersely.  “Get your coats on,” he said again, heading up the stairs.

   “You think Boltin is the Warden?” Andrew asked, Alex immediately nodding.  “Everyone thinks he is.”

  “Then maybe he isn’t,” Alicia said, pulling on her coat thoughtfully.  “I mean, perhaps he’s too obvious.”

  “How do you suppose Grandfather is going to react to Mum?” Alex wondered.  “You know how he can be sometimes.  I hope he’s in a good mood.”

  “He’s always in a good mood when I’m there,” Aurelius said.  Alex rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything.  It was hardly a secret to any of them which grandchild he had favored, although it did annoy Aurelius a little bit that none of his other siblings seemed to care.  “Well, let’s go then.”

  Upstairs, Severus was waiting impatiently with his arms folded, tapping his fingers as they arrived, glancing over at the bedroom door until it finally opened and Jennifer came out in her forest green coat looking a little on edge. 

  “So, how do I look?” She asked.

  “As beautiful as always, but we must get going.  You could be dressed in handspun silk or nothing at all and your father would still comment first that we were late,” Severus said impatiently nudging the children to get their floo powder, each disappearing in fire as they spoke out their destination of Azkaban Prison.

  Andrew dusted himself off and waved to the guard standing boredly in the entryway.  They were hardly unexpected, nor were they even remotely detained, being waved towards the next post and beyond without even a casual search.

  “Not much on security, are they?” Jennifer murmured to Severus behind them.

  “Oh, this is hardly normal procedure,” Severus said calmly back.  “You’ll find very quickly that there are few doors closed to you… perhaps the Malfoy residence,” he added dryly.

  “We’re cutting it close, aren’t we?  Two minutes to spare at the most,” Alex said as they past the last post.

  “I hope the clock in the visitation room isn’t early,” Andrew agreed.  Just then a door opened and Thatcher Boltin looked out, grinning a bit when he saw them.

  “There you are, I was beginning to wonder if we’d have to hear him bellow again,” he said.  “Good thing I turned the clock back five minutes.”

  “Does he bellow a lot?” Jennifer asked in a low voice.

  “From time to time,” Severus admitted, stepping up to the door.  “Jennifer, this is Thatcher Boltin, Head Guard of Azkaban, as well as one of your father’s personal guards.”

  “I just can’t keep away from the old fool,” Thatcher grinned.  “Good to see you all.  Happy Christmas,” he said, showing them in.

  Thomas Craw was sitting on the other side of the table drumming his fingers when they came in, immediately standing with a thin smile on his face.

  “On time for a change I see.  Come here, boy, let me look at you!  You don’t visit enough!” Thomas immediately said, waving Aurelius over.  “I’ve been hearing some disturbing things about some of the things you’ve been doing in school, hmm, and Quidditch?”  He glanced over at Severus who shook his head slightly with a frown, instantly regretting that he’d mentioned the incident to him.  “That’s the way to stack the deck in your favor!  Always expose every advantage as they come, well done!”  Thomas said, shaking Aurelius’ hand and completely ignoring Severus’ fixed gaze.  “Come, sit in front of me.  Alex, Alicia, getting prettier by the year, I see…” he said, his gaze lingering on Alicia thoughtfully.  “You know, I believe your hair is darkening a bit.  Look more like your grandmother every time I see you.  Makes me miss her all the more.”

  “Happy Christmas Grandfather,” Andrew said putting the presents down cheerfully.

  “Andrew, I see you’re sporting Gryffindor colors.  Does nothing for you.  Makes you look lankier than ever.  Never had a Gryffindor in the family before,” Thomas added looking back up at Severus.  “I doubt there’s been many in the Snape line, either.  Maybe it’s the name…”

  “Feel free to pick up and put away those presents at will, Andrew,” Severus said evenly.  “I’m sure we have other things to do today.”

  “Oh, sit down and stop being so stuffy.  It’s Christmas,” Thomas grumped, eyeing where Jennifer was standing near the door watching him warily.  “What’s wrong, Jen-girl?  Don’t recognize me, eh?  Can’t see the family resemblance?  Or are you trying hard not to?”

  “Actually, I do recognize you,” Jennifer said slowly.  “I think I might have accidentally spelled you off of a mausoleum once.  You tried to kill Severus.”

  “No, I merely tried to kill Voldemort and every bastard and bitch foolish or twisted enough to support him.  Severus merely happened to be one of them,” Thomas said bluntly.

  “Thomas, the children,” Severus said tiredly.

  “Thomas, please try to be civil,” Boltin warned.  “Just because you had a bit of a tiff with Harry doesn’t mean you have to take it out on someone else.”

  “Very well, Thatcher,” Thomas sighed.  “Well, let’s see what we have then.  You can come closer you know, Jen-girl.  I’m not allowed to bite, I checked.”

  “So he did.  Recently,” Boltin said dryly.

  “What did you fight with Harry about?” Severus asked, slightly surprised.

   “Oh, the blasted Baylor thing.  He’s angry at me because I signed my name to support Thurspire’s movement within the Council to request he get expedited,” Boltin said.

  “What?  Has this prison finally made you go completely insane?” Severus said in such a tone that the children and Jennifer stare at him.

  “Now you’re starting to sound like Harry.  The penalties are stiffer over here, Severus.”

  “Penalties be damned, he needs to be tried on Vallid’s home ground where I can be sure he gets what’s coming to him.  Don’t you realize if he comes over here he’ll probably plead for Malfoy’s aid and turn the trial into a literal circus?”

  “You know, Severus, for someone now sitting on that side of the table instead of this side you show very little faith for the justice system,” Thomas said calmly.  “As to Malfoy, he’d be a fool to get involved in this case because quite a number of wizards out there would see that as an admission that he was involved somehow.  There is also the advantage that if the trial is here, the person responsible will be in the courtroom during the hearing, they won’t be able to resist for one thing, and for another to insure that Baylor doesn’t even attempt to squeal.”

  “Yes, but I’m sure that’s not what this is about.  You just want him here, don’t you?  In this prison, where you can have some control over him.  Admit it!” Severus said.

  “Severus, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Thomas said calmly.  “Thank you for the socks, Andrew.  You’ve been talking to Dumbledore again, haven’t you?”

  “Yes, I’m sure you don’t,” Severus said in a cold, sarcastic voice.

  “Where he can have some control over him?  You can’t possibly mean he’s the Warden?” Alexandria blurted out.  “But he’s a prisoner!”

  “Quick mind, that one.  Too bad her tongue is quicker,” Thomas said, his eyes darting over to Alex.  Alex blushed bright red.

  “Aurelius!  Pact it,” Severus snapped.

  “Done, sir,” Aurelius said, glaring at his sister.

  “And for your information, I am just as much a prisoner as I always have been, but when Boltin and the Ministry came to me about it under the circumstance that Boltin be in charge of making sure I followed my own rules, I accepted.  I hardly have anything better to do,” Thomas said acidly, looking over at Boltin who merely smiled at him in return.  “They know I won’t take bribes short of someone offering me Malfoy’s head on a stick, which unfortunately no one has done yet.  Although I highly suspect that part of the reason my parole hearing keeps getting delayed is because they don’t want to replace me.”

  “Now, Thomas, you know that’s not true,” Boltin said with a sigh, accepting an offered gingerbread from Alicia.  “Yes, I have testified about your constant threats against Malfoy, how couldn’t I?  You tell everyone who will listen.”

  “No, no…the parole hearing specifically says that I need to prove that I am not an endangerment to the public.  I am not.  Just, leave out the part that I’m an endangerment to one man and we’ll be set,” Thomas reasoned.  Boltin looked almost pleadingly towards Severus.

  “Have some coffee, Thomas, Jennifer made it herself,” Severus said, getting a few cups out of the larder basket.

  “Oh, really,” Thomas said dubiously, taking a sip, his expression changing a bit.  “Hm.  Not bad, better than what they give me here in any case.  Why did you make it, what happened to your Head Elf whatsitsname?”

  “Nothing, Mercy’s fine,” Jennifer said defensively.  “I’m not sure she’d be able to figure out the machine, though, and I like making it anyhow.”  Thomas choked a bit on his drink.

  “Machine?”  Thomas stared at her.

  “Yes, Father got it for Mum for Christmas!  It’s from Harrod’s,” Alex said, Severus winced slightly, gripping Alex firmly in the arm.

  “It’s been magically updated of course…”

  “Son, are you trying to tell me that my own flesh and blood picked up a nasty Muggle habit and you are actually encouraging her?” Thomas said, his voice so calm and low that Andrew knew he was probably going to erupt again.

  “Yes, on several habits in fact,” Severus said evenly, holding his ground.  “It’s called being supportive.  You should try it some time.”

  “So kids, how would you like a tour of the Fourth Quarter?” Boltin said quickly.  “Pretty scary stuff, I’m sure you’d enjoy it.”

  “Wait for me, I’ve heard enough,” Jennifer said, getting up.  “You are the most horrible, beastliest person I ever remember meeting, and I can’t believe anyone is insane enough to put you in charge of anything, let alone consider actually releasing you.  And honestly, I think I liked it better when I thought my parents had both died in Connecticut.”  Boltin looked at her thoughtfully as she stepped out the door, looking at Severus questioningly.  Severus waved it off, deciding it would be best to let her cool down with the kids at hand.

  “I see she hasn’t really changed all that much, has she?” Thomas said with a chuckle.  “Oh don’t look at me like that, Severus.  I’m not going to walk around on my tip toes because Jen-girl’s forgotten what it means to be a Craw, and I am not going to be less than myself for anyone.”

  “Yes, which is one of the reasons you are probably still in here, Thomas,” Severus said with a thin forced smile.  “Try one of the commando gingerbread.”

  “Bah, but they’re burnt,” Thomas said, scowling critically at the backs.

  “Yes, and they did it to themselves intentionally,” Severus said.  “I wonder who that reminds me of,” he added, dunking a biscuit in his coffee before biting into it thoughtfully.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Andrew in the Ring

 

  They hadn’t been back on the train long before Andrew excused himself to go find Halbert and tell them about everything that had happened over the holiday.  Halbert was eager to hear all the news, listening so intently that Andrew, normally the quiet one in the family, found him extremely easy to talk to.

  “So she remembered him, then?” Halbert said thoughtfully.

  “Apparently Grandfather was in one of the memories that was in the Pensieve,” Andrew explained.  “And I can’t really get into what happened after that, but basically things just sort of blew up and Mum and us left for awhile so that Father could talk to him alone, I suppose.  After we got back he was much calmer and acting like nothing happened.  But Mum didn’t even talk to him after that, not once.  You should have seen her face when Dumbledore stopped in to drop his present off, though.”

  “Why would she care about that?” Halbert asked puzzledly.

  “I don’t know, I guess it’s easier to believe someone’s a bad person when Dumbledore doesn’t like them,” Andrew shrugged.  “I think Grandfather merely acts as he was taught.  He is a Craw after all.”

  “Yes, but, your mother never acts like that, does she?  Or did she?” Halbert asked, not sure which tense to use.

  “Well, only when she gets mad,” Andrew grinned.  “Not that she gets mad much anymore.  She’s been unbelievably nice to all of us, even Aurelius, and she used to fight with him all the time.”

  “Ever find out why he’s the only one she dreams about?” Halbert asked.

  “You know, I don’t think she does dream of him any more, not since she got those other memories,” Andrew said thoughtfully.  “She’s mentioned dreams at breakfast before, asking Father to fill in some blanks, but Aurelius hasn’t been brought up again.  I’d think she would have said something if she had.”

  “All the dreams with Aurelius were pretty much before she came here, weren’t they?” Halbert mused.

  “Yes, I think so,” Andrew nodded.

  “Maybe it wasn’t a memory then, not a real one,” Halbert said with a shrug.  “Maybe her subconscious just pulled on his image as a sort of messenger to let her know there was a lot more going on than she knew of then.”

  “Of course, that still makes one wonder why Aurelius,” Andrew said.  “What does he have that we don’t?”

  “Class for one thing,” Aurelius said from the doorway, “At least most of us aren’t sitting near baggage.  What’s wrong, Andrew, the rest of us too good for you?”

  “I’ll be right along,” Andrew said, Aurelius gazing at Halbert a moment before rolling his eyes, heading back towards the front.

  “Well we know it wasn’t his charm,” Halbert murmured to Andrew, who merely grinned before joining his siblings.

 

  It felt great to get back to Hogwarts again, and for Andrew the best part of it was without a doubt the food.  He had filled himself to bursting after they got off the train, and was up bright and early to do it all over again, contentedly sitting down to breakfast the next morning.

  “It’s times like these when I would like to go to school forever,” he said cheerfully to Halbert, who grinned.

  “I think your mother and father would get tired of you after awhile.  Hm, I wonder what’s going on down there with the in crowd?” Halbert said thoughtfully.  Andrew peered over to near the other end of the table where the Quidditch team were huddled together, barely touching their food and looking more and more concerned by the minute.  Suddenly, Rose looked up and straight in their direction.  She then said something to the group and then Stewart glanced over then got up.  “I wonder what you did now?”

  “Me?” Andrew said with surprise.  “You haven’t been sneaking your pets into the dorm room again, have you?”

  “All in the barn,” Halbert assured him.  They both nodded as Rose, Stewart and Conner came and took seats beside them.

  “Andrew, have you heard anything about your father planning to referee some games this spring?” Rose asked.

  “Father can referee?” Andrew said with surprise.

  “I’ll take that as a no,” Stewart said wryly, leaning on the table.  “We’ll never get the cup this year.”

  “Look, don’t give up yet, all they have to do to is lose their last one…”

  “Rose, they’re playing Hufflepuff next.  Hufflepuff hasn’t won a game with Slytherin in nearly fifteen years.  And you’re also assuming we win our two games, and now with Snape referring it doesn’t look good.  No offense, Andrew, but as I’m sure you’ve seen from Defense class, Snape doesn’t give Gryffindor many breaks,” Stewart said.

  “Oh, come on, you are exaggerating a bit,” Halbert jumped in defending his friend.  “So long as you do everything he tells you and get perfect scores and don’t talk too much or doodle or look dazed, disinterested, distracted and you don’t breathe too heavy, it’s not a bad class.”  Andrew looked over at him knowingly.  “What?”

  “Exactly,” Rose sighed.  “And what’s more is we’re already well behind in points, and if Slytherin dominates Quidditch, we don’t have any prayer of recovering, even if everyone at the table actually became perfect angels so that we didn’t lose any more,” she said, glancing over at Conner.  Stewart looked in his direction as well.

  “Hey, I gain more than I lose,” Conner grumbled.  “Look, it’s as I was saying before, our chances of Quidditch points are slim, so we should put our concentration in the sparring tournament,”

  “Conner, we would have to win nearly every year for it to make a difference,” Stewart said.  “Do you really think anyone could beat Xavier Platt?”

  “Well, I’d rule second and third years out too,” Andrew put in.  “From what I hear we don’t have anyone capable of beating them, not even your brother, Stewart, although from what I’ve seen passing through he doesn’t seem all that bad,” he said, concentrating on his breakfast.  But Halbert noticed the exchange of glances passing between the others and saw what was coming.

  “So ‘Drew, how come you didn’t join Sparring Club?” Conner asked.

  “Me?  I’m just not into that sort of thing, I guess,” Andrew shrugged.  “I don’t like pointing my wand at people.  Besides, the Bridle Club takes up most of my free time, not to mention our night cleaning the stables.”

  “But you don’t get points for any of that,” Conner said impatiently.  Andrew blinked at him.

  “I don’t do things for points, Conner.  I do them because I want to help out,” Andrew said.

  “What if I said it would be a big help to Gryffindor house if you participated in the tournament, would you?” Stewart asked.  Andrew looked between them, Rose giving him her best pleading look.

  “I hate violence,” Andrew said at last with a sigh.

  “All you have to do is disarm them,” Rose said with a nod.

  “All right, fine, as long as Father lets me, seeing that I haven’t been in the club all year,” Andrew said.

  “Thanks Andrew,” Stewart grinned, patting his shoulder a bit.  “Finally we have a Snape on our side.”

  “You always have,” Andrew assured him as they got off.  “I just prefer to be on the spectator side of the support spectrum.”

  “Don’t worry, Andrew, the tournament is by year.  You don’t have to worry about having to face Aurelius or Alex at all,” Rose said, gathering her books.  “I know you’ll do splendid.  I haven’t met a Snape yet that hasn’t had some fight in them,” she grinned, heading out the main doors.

  “Halbert, remind me that I really need to work on learning to say no.  Hopefully before they ask me to do something really horrible.  Like Quidditch,” Andrew said.  Halbert smiled sympathetically at Andrew, although he couldn’t help think to himself that he wouldn’t mind being asked to play Quidditch himself.

  “Look, if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll join too,” Halbert said.  “That way when I mess up, you’ll really look good.”  Andrew grinned at his friend and the two of them got up, still joking as they headed to class.

  But the tournament was still a week away, and Andrew had other things to think about as classes began again, each with a brief review of their tests before heading into their next chapters.  Halbert’s face fell when he got back his Transfiguration test.  Well at least he passed, but barely, he thought, peering over enviously at Andrew’s nearly perfect paper as they went over it.  He glanced back at Ginger, who was sitting with her hands folded and what was sure to be an exceptional mark, her eyes flicking in their direction before looking back at McGonagall who was going over the most commonly missed questions on the board.

  Andrew hadn’t missed the exchange, and also hadn’t missed the fact that some of the questions Halbert had missed where unbelievably easy first week stuff.  He sighed a bit, knowing he couldn’t go without saying something about it any longer.

  “Not doing too well in Transfiguration right now?  Do you want me to help you study?” Andrew offered when they stepped out of class.

  “Uh, sure, thanks,” Halbert said.  “I don’t know, I guess changing stuff around doesn’t make sense to me.  I mean, when am I going to change a desk into a pig in my adult life, huh?  Can’t eat it, it’d taste like wood.”

  “Come to think of it, you’re not doing so well in Herbology, either.  Didn’t your mother teach Herbology for awhile?” Andrew said.

  “I guess I just don’t have her green thumb,” Halbert shrugged.  “I take more after my father.”

  “Yes, I suppose.  I don’t know either well enough to judge.  You do well enough in father’s class though.”

  “Well, sure!  It’s very interesting the way he goes on about everything out there that’s going to kill us whenever we miss something on a quiz,” Halbert grinned.

  “Yeah.  And the class is with Ravenclaw, and not Hufflepuff,” Andrew said.  Halbert stopped short then, staring at him.

  “And what do you mean to imply by that?”

  “I don’t mean to imply anything, I just thought it strange that the only two classes you do poorly in are the ones we have with Hufflepuff, that’s all.  Perhaps your mind isn’t on your work,” Andrew said.

  “That’s just stupid, who we have class with has nothing to do with it,” Halbert said defensively.

  “That’s too bad, because I heard from another girl that Ginger likes your accent,” Andrew said casually.

  “Really?” Halbert said with surprise.  “I mean, I have an accent?”

  “Girls really go for that French accent stuff, I hear,” Andrew nodded.

  “Girls!  Girls are nothing but trouble!  Never trust them, they’re nothing but bad news.  Besides, everyone knows who Ginger’s been eyeing since the first of the year,” Halbert said miserably.  “You.”

  “Me?” Andrew said with surprise, glancing at his reflection in a display case as they passed by.  “With this face?  Oh, come now, you must be joking.”

  “Nope,” Halbert said with a sigh.  “It’s a complete tragedy in the making.”

  “Yeah,” Andrew agreed whole-heartedly as they stepped into their next class.

 

  Andrew took to intentionally avoiding Ginger after that, and for the most part succeeded since they only had the two classes together.  But the week was quickly charging towards the first day of the tournament, and Andrew gratefully sought the solace of the Bridle Club, the most uncomplicated part of his life…or it had been, until the point that Aurelius came out of the stable with Colossus.

  “What do you think you’re doing, Wart?”  Conner demanded, quickly tying his hippogriff to the tether.  “Where is his saddle?”

  “Doctor Sagittari said I could start learning how to ride bareback now that Colossus and I have gotten to know one another better,” Aurelius said calmly.

  “What?  Not on my horse, you don’t.  He’s not trained for that!” Conner snapped, walking over to him.

  “Well, neither am I, so that puts us on even ground, doesn’t it?”  Aurelius said.

  “No, because there is no way I’m going to let you ride my horse like this!”  Conner said.  “Doctor!  I want Colossus taken out of the club.  He’s my horse, and I don’t like the way he’s being treated.”

  “Really?” Sagittari said with surprise.  “He has hardly been neglected, Conner, by myself or Aurelius.  In fact I would go so far as to say that Mr. Snape has been treating him with the utmost respect.”

  “You call this respect?” Conner said.  “Riding it saddleless like a common animal?”

  “Much more respect, I think, than strapping hard leather to a beast’s back and treating it like a slave,” Sagittari said curtly, leaving Conner momentarily speechless.  “Need a hand up, Aurelius?”

  “No, thank you, Doctor,” Aurelius said, using the fence to get a foot up, sliding awkwardly onto the horse’s back.

  “The horse is too big for him to try this,” Conner said.  “He’s going to fall off and break his neck.  Hasn’t that family had enough tragedies recently?”

  “I would not have allowed Aurelius to start if I didn’t think Colossus and he were both ready, Conner,” Sagittari said.  “Now, what of you?  Are you ready to fly without the tether?”

  “Without the tether?” Conner repeated, looking at Ginseng with renewed uncertainly.  Ginseng unconcernedly cleaned between her claws.

  “We will be practicing inside the Quidditch Pitch today,” Sagittari said to everyone, nodding to Conner.  “Everyone with flying mounts will be allowed to ride without a tether, with the only restriction that they stay within the Pitch area following normal Quidditch boundaries.  I trust everyone here knows what those are?”

  Sagittari stayed by Aurelius’ side as they walked, correcting his seating and reminding him not to clench his knees or heels, which Aurelius found quite quickly was easier said than done.  Never once did Aurelius think at the irony of a Centaur teaching him to ride as he concentrated on what he was doing, although he thought of it often enough when he woke up the next morning and tried to step out of bed.   While the others on ground mounts were allowed to trot around the field, Sagittari had him in the center, making figure 8’s both wide and tight while overhead the flyers swooped as if almost taunting those below them.  He was concentrating on his balance so much that he had completely missed what Alex and Andrew had seen from overhead; their father standing in the door of the open gate with his arms folded, watching.

  He had come, in fact, when he had heard Sagittari mention that he was planning to let the flyers loose that day, wanting to make double sure that the three mounts they owned and those on them didn’t get out of hand.  What he hadn’t expected was finding his full attention on Aurelius, staring in bewilderment what he alone of all of them was learning, wondering what exactly had prompted him to do such a thing.  He could have perhaps seen Andrew being talked into it, or even Alex.  He was just about to step over to have a word with Sagittari about it when her heard his name called.  Glancing back towards Jennifer and then back to the field again indecisively, Severus finally turned to join her.

 

  Both Jennifer and Severus seemed quite scarce over the next few days, showing up for their classes but not really seen at any other time…not even during meals.  So curious it seemed to Andrew that he stepped into the library that night to ask Aurelius, who was studying with his classmates.

  “They’ve been holed up in the indoor gym for some reason,” Aurelius said.  “Xavier mentioned that he and Boulderdash ran into them there yesterday, they were working on forms.  My guess is that father wants her to help judge the tournament.  They always have extra judges the first few rounds to get everyone done, and he’s probably trying to break her back into it.”

  “Good, I hope I get her ring then,” Heph grinned.  “I’ll bet we’ll be able to pull a lot.”

  “I wouldn’t count on that.  I mean, she doesn’t exactly let us get away with much in Potion’s class.  In fact lately I think she’s been teaching more than Professor Witolf,” Andrew said.  “Although I don’t think I’d mind so much getting her as a judge myself.”

  “You?  You’re not even in sparring club, what would you care?” Aurelius asked.

  “Oh, I know, but I signed up.  Father said it was alright,” Andrew said.

  “What?  But you don’t like that sort of thing!  I’ve heard you say it I don’t know how many times!  Now all the sudden you just join the tournament without doing any of the work?”

  “My housemates asked me.  Just showing a bit of support for Gryffindor, that’s all.  That such a crime?”

  “They brought you in for a ringer, did they?” Stock said, glancing over at Aurelius.  “Is he as good as you are?”

  “Of course not,” Aurelius said, “Although he’ll probably wipe most the field, except maybe our Meyers, of course, and then there’s Davidson to worry about.”

  “Davidson?” Andrew said with surprise.  “You mean she’s in it too?”

  “Not as quick on spells as Meyers is,” Heph said, “But she’s a lot smaller and quicker.  It’s been giving her quite an advantage.  Rather like Aurelius in that.”  Aurelius gave him a dirty look.  “What?  I was only giving you a compliment.”

  “Thanks for the advice,” Andrew grinned, “I’d better go find Halbert, it’s our night to clean the barn and I don’t want to be late,” he said, turning and heading out.

  “Clean the barn, and excited about it?  Are you positive you’re related?” Stock asked with disgust.

  “Well at least this proves one thing,” Heph said with a slight grin, “Gryffindor must be a bit worried about our lead over the field this year.”

  “Too bad for them.  It’s not like they have a chance,” Aurelius snorted.  “One thing is certain, and that is we’re not going to be winning in every year this tournament.”

  “Why do you say that?” Stock asked.

  “Because no Snapes are dropping out this year, that’s why not,” Aurelius said, turning back to the books.  “And if they do I’m going to hurt them.”

 

  Andrew was a bit surprised at exactly how many students were there, and as Xavier Platt passed to look at the board with a face of dead seriousness he was more than a little glad that they would only be pitted against students of his own class.   Ted and Stewart called he and Hagrid over to where the rest of them were standing, welcoming them warmly.

  “We got a regular rough night ahead of us,” Stewart said with a wry grin.  “They paired Xavier with Conner.  And wait until you hear who they paired you with, Andrew.”

  “Who?” Andrew said worriedly.  “Davidson?”

  “No, Garret Meyers, Slytherin.  Cracking good; he’ll be a good test for you.  Until now it’s been a contest between him and Ginger, so odds are, if you can beat him, you don’t have to worry about her.”

  “What about me?” Halbert asked.

  “Oh, June MacKay, Hufflepuff.  She’s hardly competition, in fact before this year, she’s never sparred before,” Stewart explained.

  “Well, then she’s had more than me,” Halbert said cheerfully.  “I’ve never done this in my life.”  Stewart and Conner glanced at each other and before Andrew knew it, he was pulled into a huddle and into a very intense conversation attempting to explain to Halbert what to do when he got out there.

  In turn, Professor Snape was busy consulting the matches with the three other judges; Professor Weasley, Madame Craw and Madame Brittle.  Only Jennifer among them was blissfully unaware of the fact that Severus was hording all the most interesting matches for himself.  She had, of course, been pleased that she was who was chosen to do Alex’s match.  But she did become rather disappointed when it ended before she had time to even blink, Alex swiftly knocking Ted off balance with her very first spell, the rest of the Gryffindors wincing in sympathy pain.

   “This is completely intentional, I just know it,” Conner muttered.  “He’s lined us all up with the best sparrers in school.  I bet he’s hoping to eliminate the majority of Gryffindors by the end of next week.”

  “What?  My father would hardly do anything like that,” Andrew said with surprise.

  “Andrew, I don’t know what Snape is like at home, but I think it’s time you woke up to the fact that here he’s a Slytherin,” Stewart said.  “Conner’s right, this was intentional, but we’re going to do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t ruin us.”

  Andrew stepped away from them unsurely, his friend looking at him with concern, trying to judge his reactions.  Glancing around, Andrew spotted Rose sitting with Mandria and Alex, who seemed to be taking her clean victory in stride, talking instead about a book she had been reading in Muggle class instead of anything that had to do with the club itself.  They stopped talking when he came over though, Alex grinning from ear to ear at him as he approached.

  “There you are!  Have you gone yet?” Alex asked.  “Did you see mine?”

  “Briefly,” Andrew said distractedly.

  “That’s all there was,” Rose grinned.

  “Alex, have you noticed anything, well, odd about the way the matches are arranged?”  Andrew asked.

  “You mean about how all the best matches being in Snapes’ ring?” Alex said.  “He always does that.”

  “I meant, well, some of the other Gryffindors think that they’re set against the best sparrers right off the bat intentionally,” Andrew said.

  “Yes, I’ve noticed that as well,” Rose sighed.  “I’m up against Stewart though.  I suppose either way Snape thinks he’s closer to eliminating one of us at least.”

  “Andrew, haven’t I warned you before about separating the father from Professor Snape?” Alex chuckled.  “Here, he’s the Slytherin housemaster.  It’s practically his job to take every advantage he can.  If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be right for Slytherin house.  Besides, the truth of the matter is that sooner or later those who pass the first few rounds will have to face the leaders anyhow.  He’s just trying to get the kids who annoy him the most out of the way…namely, Gryffindors.  Well, except you, of course.”

  “Don’t be too sure,” Andrew said, looking troubled.  “Apparently I’m up against Meyers.”  Alex, Rose and Mandria looked at each other thoughtfully as Andrew walked away.

  Conner was still dusting off his bruised ego when Andrew paused to get his wand and step up to the ring, glancing over at Professor Snape who merely gestured him into the ring.  Instantly, Andrew offered his hand and warily Garret shook it before bowing and pacing three long strides away.

  Immediately as they turned, Garret fired with a loud, “Expelliarmus!”  But Andrew has somehow managed to dodge with a quick sidestep, standing calmly with his wand pointed in front of him but making no move to counter attack.

  “I don’t suppose I could talk you into just setting down your wand?” Andrew said cordially.

  “Yes, quite funny,” Garret said in complete disbelief of the boy’s ego, taking a step forward and preparing to cast again.  But just as he aimed, Andrew looked strangely blurry, and his spell sped passed him making several students have to duck the spell as it splashed harmlessly against the wall.  Still, Andrew didn’t try to counter, and Garret, getting a bit warm now, began throwing at him ever single spell they had been taught in sparring that year, some of them Andrew dodging with a step and even once with a neat tumble, while other times he merely stood still as it went past.

  “Don’t just stand there like a ninny, blast him!” Aurelius barked.  Xavier hit him in the chest with the back of his hand

  “Let’s not forget whose side we’re on,” Xavier reminded him.

  “Andrew, these are timed matches, if you don’t do something soon I am going to call it in Meyer’s favor,” Severus said boredly.  Andrew shrugged.

  “I suppose it’s your last chance to put down your wand then,” Andrew said.  “Sure you want to hold onto it?”

  “Just do something!” Garret panted angrily.

  “Respemem!”  Andrew suddenly shouted, pointing it directly at Garret’s wand.  Before he could react, Garret suddenly felt his hand twist, and another second later his feet was over his head as he begun spinning around like a pinwheel, his wand being the spoke, wailing loudly for help while Severus leapt to his feet and the rest of the students gaped in surprise.  “You’d better let go,” Andrew advised in a voice loud enough Garret could hear over his own shouts for help.

  Finally the boy let go landing very hard on the mat with a groan, the wand he was holding still spinning madly in the air until suddenly it dropped as well, rolling around the ring until finally coming to a stop.

  “And just where, and who may I ask, did that spell come from, Mr. Snape?” Severus asked, his voice tense and dangerous.

  “Actually, to be honest sir, it came from me,” Andrew said meekly.  Severus squinted at him, not quite understanding.  “I made it up over the holidays.”

  “You did what?”

  “Yes.  It’s R.P.M. in Latin.  Didn’t think it’d work so well, though.  I got the idea from…”

  “Never mind, I can well guess at who you got the idea from,” Severus snapped, his eyes flashing murderously.  “And you can bet that I’ll be speaking to your uncle about this.”

  “Zack actually, but all he said was…”

  “It hardly matters, the point is it’s the same source!” Severus said, growing even angrier as he stepped closer to the ring.  “I thought I told you that if you were allowed in this club you were not to take any liberties, Mr. Snape!”

  “No, you told me that the rules said I couldn’t use any dark magic, you didn’t say I couldn’t use one of my own.”

  “Using unpracticed magic is strictly against school policy, not to mention Ministry regulations!”

  “Well if that’s so, then how come so many spell books get revised every year?  The new spells must have come about somehow,” Andrew reasoned.

  “That’s more than enough!  You’ll march straight to Dumbledore’s office this very instant and explain to him why you’re there!  And twenty points off Gryffindor for talking back to a professor!  Out!”

  “But Sir, what about…”

  “Now, Mr. Snape!”  Severus barked again.  Andrew nodded silently then and turned towards the door, suddenly aware that all the eyes in the room were on them.  Severus was just as aware of Jennifer, Danny and Hermione’s eyes on him as he turned to face the tournament board with a long, deep sigh, tapping his wand irritably against his arm as he attempted to decide what to do.

  “You know, I agree with you a hundred percent, Professor Snape,” Danny put in.  “He does need to understand the seriousness of practicing experimental magic without a license.  Although I don’t think that spinning a wand rapidly could possibly be considered a dark spell.”

  “Yes, I definitely agree,” Hermione put in with a serious nod.  “After all, he did warn Mr. Meyers not to hold onto the wand, and perhaps if he hadn’t been gripping it so tightly it wouldn’t have resulted in such an... er …dramatic event.  It’s almost as if he defeated himself by holding onto it.  Rather clever, really, Andrew has a gift for charms.”

  “I will make my own judgment without unsolicited opinions, if you don’t mind, thank you,” Severus told them coolly. 

  “He tried so hard not to fight at all before he acted,” Jennifer said.

  “Jennifer, this is a sparring club, the entire point of it is defeating your opponent,” Severus said.

  “The other day when I asked why there was a club at all, you told me the sparring club was put together to teach students how defend themselves.”  Jennifer said.  “All Andrew was doing was trying to convince his opponent to a different solution other than violence while still quite effectively defending himself up to the point he felt he had no choice.  How can we possibly discourage that?”

  Severus let out another long sigh, looking at Jennifer for a long time before finally moving his wand to point at the board, Andrew’s name appearing as the victor.  A cheer of relief swept through the Gryffindor’s side of the crowd, while the Slytherin were busy murmuring to each other, gazing at Severus almost accusingly.

  “Next time I’ll take my own advice, if you don’t mind,” Severus said irritably before turning back to the ring and calling the next pair.

Thirty-Three

Lures

 

  “Aurelius!”

  Jennifer sat straight up in bed immediately awake, hearing a quick knock on the door before Severus peered in concernedly, glancing at her only a moment before coming nearer, opening the window just above her.

  “Nightmare?” Severus asked.

  “I was walking in the Forest,” Jennifer murmured.  “The very one behind this castle, I’m sure of it, because I remember going in.”

  “With Aurelius?” Severus asked.

  “No, I was alone,” Jennifer said with certainty as Severus sat down on the edge of the bed.  “But I was going in for a reason, but I don’t know what.  I think it was to follow the ghost.”

  “Ghost?” Severus asked curiously.

  “Yes, Keki’s ghost,” Jennifer said.  “I’ve seen it before…in nearly ever dream I’ve had involving the Forest, actually…if she wasn’t in it alive, her ghost is always there.  Anyhow, I was following her for a while when I suddenly saw Aurelius.  He just stood there for a moment, and then suddenly he just…took off.  I tried to follow him, but then I got lost, every direction looked all alike and everything turned dark, I couldn’t even see the sky or the trees at all, just blackness.  And then I saw the ghost for a moment, looking at me as if waiting for me to do something, but I didn’t know what, I just stared at her for the longest time until finally she walked a few steps and turned into mist.  Then I realized suddenly that I’d forgotten all about Aurelius being in there too.  I felt so guilty, really, forgetting he was out there, perhaps in danger, and yet there I was stuck, so I started shouting, hoping he’d find me.  Severus, does Keki have a ghost?”

  “No…at least not except within you,” Severus said slowly.  “Unicorns are too pure, too guiltless to become ghosts.”  Jennifer laid back slowly with a sigh.

  “I felt so terrible not remembering that he was in danger, that for a moment I lost everything that was important to me.  Is that how I’m going to feel if I do get my memories back?” She asked softly.

  “This is hardly your fault, Jennifer.  And whether you realize it or not, the incident that part of you dealt with in that dream wasn’t your fault either,” he said quietly.  Jennifer shook her head slightly, not understanding.  “You see, for a brief time during the battle after the Azkaban Revolt, you for all intents and purposes became a part of Keki.  To do so meant that every part of you that was impure or attached to anyone else had to be abandoned during the connection, completely separate from your bond with her.  While this was going on, the situation rather inadvertently and unintentionally brought danger to someone who you were…well, beginning to feel a connection to,” he said, smirking slightly.

  “You?”

  “Yes, well, I had been keeping tabs on Voldemort for Dumbledore and ended up taking the brunt of his wrath when he was defeated.  Strangely enough however, at the time I was being punished I found myself thinking of you,” he said quietly.  “All the while, I kept thinking of what you had gone through because of me already, and that for your sake I couldn’t allow it to destroy me.  I knew you’d be kicking yourself afterwards, just as I had when Voldemort did it to you, and I would be damned if you woke up to find me a corpse.  I suppose that’s when I realized that you did actually care about me the way I had grown to feel about you.  Before that I passed it off as merely some crush that you would eventually get over.”

  “A crush?  You make me sound like I was an infatuated school girl,” Jennifer chuckled at him.

  “Five years younger and you would have been,” Severus agreed dryly.  “Not that age matters much anymore, although in some ways you’re just as naïve as you were then.”

  “What?  Because of my losing my memories?”

  “Partially, although I can safely say that even when you had your memories your still had that annoyingly persistent innocence about you.  Five children and fifteen years at Hogwarts and still in some ways you see the world through rose colored glasses,” Severus murmured, getting lost in her green eyes.

  “Perhaps that’s true,” Jennifer said thoughtfully,  “But if it is, it’s because you wanted it kept that way.  I bet you’ve spent a large portion of your time over the years straightening, polishing and shielding those glasses to make sure they didn’t get broken, afraid that I’d just end up turning into another bitter old school marm or something I suppose.  You’ve probably pulled out every pedestal, sheltered every rainstorm before it hit and covered both my eyes whenever necessary, and I bet with me fighting every moment of it.  Admit it, Professor, despite all those horrible times I do remember now… perhaps even because of them in fact, you have gone out of your way to make sure that there’s always some semblance of the girl you fell in love with in the woman you grew to love,” she challenged, Severus struck speechless, merely blinking at her in response.  “Isn’t that one of the reasons you wouldn’t stay with me now if I asked, afraid what it might blemish if I do get my memories back?  I mean, I don’t think it’s because you’ve lost interest in me, although I’m not sure if you’d tell me if I was wrong.  Are you still interested in me, Severus?”

  “Then again,” Severus said, quickly standing up.  “Perhaps you aren’t as naïve now as you used to be after all.  Not quite as subtle either.  Try a smaller hook next time,” he suggested with a thin smile as he hurried towards the door.  “Good night.  Leave the window open, it may help keep the nightmares away,” he suggested as he shut the door behind him.  Smiling softly, Jennifer bundled back up in the blankets, the cold air from the window lulling her to sleep.

 

  It became even colder as the week wore on and February dawned in a nasty ice storm that lasted the entire first day.  Trees were weighed down with icicles, and as the sun of the second morning of February peeked into view, the students were treated to a glistening crystal wonderland.  Between classes, many of the boys took turns sliding through the courtyard, trying to impress some of the girls who merely rolled their eyes and commented how juvenile they all were. 

  But Andrew and Halbert were too busy for all that, for right after dinner they spent their time helping Sagittari de-ice the barn roof so it wouldn’t cave in and conjure up ashes to blanket the inside of the pens with.  Back at the Greenhouses, Rose, Mandria and Alex were busy as well as Professor Sprout fussed over the saplings and then walked to see what sort of damage was done to the Willow, several of its weaker limbs giving under the pressure.

  “What a nasty storm!”  Alex declared when she met up with her brothers in the Great Hall.  Andrew agreed as he and Halbert grabbed a snack, Aurelius sitting to the other side of them looking with disinterest at his History book.  “It’s times like these when it feels like winter will never end!”

  “Cheer up, sis, only six more weeks to go,” Andrew reminded her, getting out some paper.  “You want me to ask Alicia to draw you a nice painting of flowers in the countryside?”

  “Oh, no, I’d be much too tempted to get her to take us there,” Alex said.

  “Count me in,” Mandria agreed, gratefully reaching for a pot of hot chocolate that had appeared on the tables in front of them.

  “Sagittari says if the weather stays like this he’ll probably cancel bridle club for a week or two,” Andrew said.

  “What?” Aurelius said.  “But they need exercise, the weather doesn’t change that,” he complained.

  “Well not all of the students are yet as skilled as you or we are on mounts, Rel.  Not for these sort of conditions.  What if they were to lose their footing?” Andrew said.  “We’ll just have to walk them is all.  This ice cover is terrible, it’s not something any beast should be out in.”

  “Well, since we’re stuck here, we could actually use the time to get caught up on our homework,” Mandria suggested.  “I swear I’ve been staying up late every night to get it done.”

  “Wait until you’re in fifth year,” Rose sighed.  “Push push push.  O.W.L.S.  O.W.L.S. O.W.L.S.  Doesn’t matter if you’re going on in a particular subject or not, the Professors expect us to pass them all.  I only really need to pass Potions and get high marks in Herbology.”

  “So you’re really going to be a Herbologist?” Andrew asked.

  “What else would she be?  She’s the only student in school who has a tree following her around,” Aurelius said eyeing the Elfwillow, which was standing at the end of the table pretending to be nothing but a part of the décor.  Of course, none of the students now bought it for a moment, veering well around it, making sure to give enough berth for its excellent range.

  “Have any of you thought about what you want to be yet?” Rose asked.

  “I could live with being a taste tester for Honeydukes,” Andrew said, earning several chuckles as he nibbled on a chocolate biscuit.

  “I haven’t decided if I want to be a writer or a politician or an actress,” Alex said thoughtfully.

  “All the same thing these days, really,” Mandria chuckled.

  “But what I’d really like to do is work with Muggles.  Maybe I’ll get a job in Muggle London in a regular Muggle job, although I’m not sure what I’m qualified for,” Alex mused.

  “Well you won’t be applying to be a mime, will you?” Aurelius said with annoyance.  “What sort of job are you going to get when you can’t keep quiet longer than two minutes outside of a classroom?  And not only that, explain how you could possibly function in the Muggle world when at any instant someone might say something in a foreign language you don’t know you’re speaking and you get yourself listed as some sort of freak or something?”

  “A translator!  That’s it, Aurelius, you’re brilliant!  It’s the perfect job for me, and the best part is I don’t need any O.W.L.S. to do it, do I?” Alex said smugly.

  “Yes, assuming you let them get a word in edgewise for you to translate,” Aurelius said, getting up.  “I need to go feed Achilles.  Night, all.”  Alex and Andrew watched him go thoughtfully, before Andrew turned back to his letter.

  “What do you suppose is eating him this time?” Alex mused.

  “Maybe he’s just sore that he can’t go riding,” Andrew shrugged.

  “You know, I have to admit this, but your brother was actually one of the last people I expected to get involved in the Bridle Club.  He doesn’t really seem the type that’d be into that sort of thing,” Mandria said.

  “He also doesn’t seem to be the type who’d get himself in a position that’d make him be that type,” Halbert grunted, Andrew jabbing him lightly with his elbow while the rest looked slightly bewildered.  “Never mind.  It lost something in the translation,” he muttered.

  “Really?  Say it in French then, maybe I can start practicing now,” Alex put in, getting only a dirty look for the suggestion.

  But Aurelius had other things on his mind as he headed down to his dorm.  Hephaestus was at the table studying for their history exam, while Stock seemed to be composing a letter.

  “Oh, good you’re here,” Stock said, “I was just about to read Heph my letter to my mother,” he said, Heph rolling his eyes behind his back.

  “Not another one,” Aurelius sighed, opening up his trunk and pulling his sleepy snake out.

  “’Dear Mum and Dad, how are you?  It is cold as hell here, but I am in good health.  Hope you’re enjoying your winter abroad and keeping yourselves from spending as much of my money as possible.  In reference to your recent appeal against my appeal against the judgment in your favor, I think it’s damned indecent of you, and are only trying to stall because someone, not naming any names at all, probably bought off the first judge.  Fortunately, your attempts at having my lawyer reassigned came to naught so this case isn’t hardly over, but I think you’d give your own son a break and drop the last appeal since it’ll only cause another courtroom circus.  Anyhow, see you in a few months, love George.  P.S.  Remember that if the appeal goes my way that every coin you spend has to be paid back to me so let’s not go crazy on your expense accounts.’  There, what do you think?”

  “Love George?  See you in a few months?” Aurelius said dubiously.

  “Well, since I still have to live with them because of that stupid court order, so I need to be a little diplomatic,” Stock explained, folding it.

  “You know what I think?” Heph said expressionlessly.  “I think you should let your lawyer write your personal letters.”

  “Not a bad idea, it has merit,” Stock said, Heph rolling his eyes again.  “It’d save me some time, definitely, since they both get in a snit if I don’t write every now and then.”  Heph glanced over to see what Aurelius’ reaction was, but Aurelius was busy putting on his cloak.

  “Are you going somewhere?”

  “I’m going to go check on Pali,” Aurelius said.

  “What?  In this weather, are you mad?” Heph said.

  “Yes, and Pali has to live out in it.  Cover for me, will you?  I’ll try not to be long,” Aurelius said.

  “Oh, no, even I’m not insane enough to let you go out in this sort of weather alone, even if you do really have a Unicorn out there,” Heph said getting up and grabbing his shoes.

  “I’m not going alone.  Achilles is with me.”

  “And what’s he going to do?  Hardly weather for snakes either, you know.  We’re going,” Heph said stubbornly.  Stock looked up in surprise.

  “We?  When did I volunteer?  I’m not going out there,” he protested but ended up with a coat in his face.

  “It’s not a debate,” Heph said.  “But we’d better hurry if we’re going to slip back in before final curfew.”

  Aurelius nodded reluctantly.  He didn’t really want them along, best friends or not, he had always considered the matter between Pali and himself private.  Would Pali even come near if they were with him?  Still, even a glimpse would be better than nothing, he decided.  All he really wanted to do was make sure he was all right, and Aurelius did see the sense in Heph not wanting him to go out there alone.  So quietly the three of them slipped out and into the secret passages and out near the lake cavern, pausing long enough to charm their boots against slipping on the ice before following the shadows towards the Forest.

 

  Jennifer slipped into Severus’ office with a large tome in hand, placing it on his desk before tending to the fire.

  “Thank you.  This has got to be the one I was looking for,” Severus said with a scowl, pushing the rest of the books aside before pouring into the one in front of him.  “They keep adding and adding on to what they have to know on these insane aptitude tests.  At this rate in ten years they’ll be preparing for them starting in second or third year and be taught nothing else until they’re over.”

  “I wonder if the students realize that the staff hates those tests as much as they do,” Jennifer grinned.  “Who comes up with those silly tests anyhow?”

  “British board based on the European board which compares their test with everyone else’s, so if one fool wizard halfway across the globe thinks the students should know a particular thing by fifth year they all feel compelled to add it so they don’t get some stupid media report that they’re ‘inadequate’ compared to everyone else,” Severus grumbled.  “They never throw out anything either regardless of how out of date it is, merely add on.  This on top of pressuring us to expand curriculum of subjects not even covered it’s no wonder that the majority of students are basket cases before their seventh year.  This entire system needs serious revision.”  Jennifer smiled sympathetically at him and went over to him, gently kneading his bunched up shoulders.

  “Then why don’t you revise it?” Jennifer suggested.

  “Me?  Jennifer, I appreciate your faith in me but I hardly qualify to revise the entire OWL and NEWT systems.”

  “Then just do the Defense part.  Get some of the other teacher’s involved in some of the other subjects.  I’m sure they’re going through the same thing you are on this.  Why sit here frustrated over something you don’t feel you can control, Severus, do something about it!” she said, rubbing his back almost coaxingly.

  “What you’re talking about, Jennifer, is hours of hard work and research which will be just thrown out the moment that it reaches the board table,” Severus sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

  “You don’t know that,” Jennifer said gently.  “After all you said yourself Hogwarts is the most famous and most respected school in the world.”

  “Not because of my efforts, I assure you.”

  “Perhaps you could mention it to Albus and see what he thinks,” Jennifer said.

  “No,” Severus said, reaching back to adjust her hands a bit.  “Would you mind not getting so close to my neck?  I don’t like having it touched, thank you.  Arms about are all right, just please, don’t touch it.”

  “Why not?” Jennifer asked puzzledly.

  “Just a hang up, we all have them,” Severus murmured, “but thank you, I’m feeling better now.”

  “But you’re still so tense.  And I can’t imagine anyone being married for as long as we have and not having ever given you one neck massage,” she complained.

  “No, and not now either,” Severus said.

  “Well you’ll just have to tell me the real reason why then, because memories or not I can’t possibly spend the rest of my life with you without avoiding something and not having a clue as to why,” Jennifer said.  “Does it have something to do with you not liking your neck uncovered?”

  “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

  “No,” Jennifer grinned, moving around to face him.  “Why, did I used to?”

  “Yes, actually, on occasion, although granted not as much in recent years.  You did respect my privacy to some extent.”

  “If you wanted privacy, you should have never gotten married,” Jennifer said, ignoring his look of protest as she turned down his collar.  She gazed at the scars expressionlessly for a long time before looking back up at him.  “There, that’s no so bad, is it?”  She said softly.  “Does it hurt?”

  “Only to think of it,” Severus admitted slowly.  “Once as an act of revenge I agreed to kill a man and sold my soul to darkness to do so.  My hatred however, was merely a tool that Voldemort used to get to me, and when I failed his punishment was to use me to seal an Alliance he had made with a pack of Black Forest vampires.  Of course in some ways the entire incident made me hate the person I had felt responsible for my seeking revenge in the first place even more than before.  In fact I still don’t like him,” he added.

  “It was Sirius, wasn’t it?” Jennifer asked softly as Severus nodded to her, putting a hand on his neck as if trying to cover it.

  “I could have had them removed, of course, but I had kept it to remind myself how close I had come to turning, how close my quest for revenge came to destroying me,” he murmured.

  “Oh, Severus,” Jennifer sighed, gently drawing his hand back away and gazing into his eyes, shaking her head a bit.  “It may have been your intent for it to be a reminder, but it’s not what this has become.  Memories are to cherish and to learn from, even the worst of them.  But they’re not there to give you ammunition to torture yourself with.  You know what revenge can do.  In fact you said we changed our family motto to reflect that.  You know how evil can lure someone in and have gone to many lengths to help others from falling into it.  But this, this I won’t let you do.  I won’t let you torture yourself with the past.  You are who you are because of it, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all of this is that we’re all better off with memories than without them.  Now keep your hands down, because I’m going to help you whether you want me to or not,” Jennifer told him, going back around and gently began to knead his shoulders again, working her way closer to his neck until she gently began to rub it, feeling him bunch up again.  “Don’t think about it,” she whispered softly in his ear.  “You lived through it once already and you don’t have to relive something to respect it.  Live for the present, where right now you are merely taking a moment away from your work so that the woman you love can help you relax a bit.”

  Severus let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate solely on not tensing up when she touched his neck.  But little by little he began to relax, the discomfort replaced by a warm tingle, growing ever more aware of the loving gentleness of her touch.  Then almost abruptly the caress stopped, and Severus nearly leapt out of his seat when he felt it replaced by soft kisses.

  The feeling was followed by a sudden stomach drop that had nothing to do with fear as a different sort of discomfort began to settle in.  What a fool he had been, he realized, to have let it still haunt him all these years… his decisions then had still been following him like a dark shadow, threatening to appear at any moment…a part of himself he had no control over.  What strange events had occurred to make Jennifer challenge them!  She had always shied away before; afraid of hurting him, afraid of stepping past the wall that he had sometimes thrown up between them, perhaps afraid of rejection if she tried.  And yet now here she was, her courage only a reflection of her love for him, with no preconceived notions to clutter her thinking or make her act in any other way other than who she truly was.  And when she finally stopped and wrapped her arms around him, it did truly seem that nothing else mattered in that moment except how near to him she was.

  “There that wasn’t so bad, was it?” she asked lovingly, then slipped away when he didn’t answer so that she could sit on the desk to face him.  He opened his eyes to see her looking at him with concern, noting the sweat developing on his forehead.  “Are you terribly angry with me?”

  As she moved a hand to straighten his collar, Severus suddenly came to life, grabbing her hand and kissing her wrist and then her palm, knowing full well how quickly Jennifer would melt.  It was without a doubt Jennifer he was drawing into his arms, and in some ways a woman who was more Jennifer now that she ever had allowed herself to be before, accepting his kiss with surprise but a passion to match his own.  There was no fight this time, only desperate surrender, so overwhelming that it was Jennifer who finally broke off the kiss, intent on reading his face.  Nothing was hidden from her now, and yet she barely believed what she was seeing.

  “Don’t pull away, Jennifer,” Severus whispered.  “Don’t pull away when your victory is assured.  I will not deny us now, I don’t think I could if I wanted to.”

  “I wasn’t really trying…I mean, I was merely just trying to help you,” Jennifer whispered back, closing her eyes as he kissed her cheek and neck.

  “Yes, I know, which is probably why I couldn’t resist.  You disarmed me before I even thought of defending myself.  And you are right about living for the present, although I’m quite in favor of turning this moment into a memory we’ll both cherish forever,” he murmured, kissing her again.

  “Here?” she asked as his hand moved behind her.

  “Why not?  We’ve done it before,” Severus said wickedly, backing her into the desk.

  “Oh really, anywhere else I should know about?” Jennifer asked flirtatiously before following the edge of his collar down to the next button and unbuttoning it.

  “The parapets, under the castle…perhaps a few places in between,” he growled softly.

  “I’m not even going to ask how we pulled that off,” Jennifer chuckled, kissing his chin.

  “No please don’t ask, it’d be much more interesting to just show you,” he said drawing her into another passionate kiss.

  There was a knock on the door, loud and insistent.

  Severus immediately broke away from the kiss to glare at it, wondering who had the audacity to put a door in the room anyhow.  Jennifer leaned against him, only hearing the sound of his heart pounding.  They were both holding their breaths, she realized, as the knock came persistently back.

  “Why me,” Severus sighed.

  “Maybe they’ll go away,” Jennifer suggested.

  “No, it’s too late to be a student, and staff wouldn’t be bothering unless it were important,” Severus said wrenching himself away and quickly made an attempt at straightening his robe and buttoning his collar, glancing back at Jennifer who had quickly gotten herself back into some order and threw a few books back on the hastily cleared desk just before he opened the door.

  “Oh, good, you’re both here,” Minerva said looking quickly between them.  “Oh…I do apologize, but it’s about Aurelius.  He, Mr. Grey and Stockton weren’t in their room at curfew.  I caught Xavier in the hall, he had gone to look for them.”

  Severus quickly scrambled for his cloak and got out his watch, rolling his eyes and then letting out an exasperated sigh.

  “Apparently for some unknown God forsaken reason they’ve gone on another Dark Forest excursion,” Severus snarled.  “We’ll go after them,” he said, glancing at Jennifer who was already getting her cloak on.

  “Do be careful.  Goodness, I hope they’re all right,” Minerva said.

  “Even if they are, they won’t be when I get a hold of them,” Severus grumbled, leading them out of the room.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Snakes and Unicorns

 

  “Are you sure you know where you are going?” Heph asked.

  “Yes of course.  I can sense where he is… I’m not sure how,” Aurelius said, “Although I admit he’s never made me go in quite this far before.  In fact this is the first time I’ve been past the brook.”

  “I swear, Aurelius, this had better be no sort of joke.  If I find out you’ve been making this Unicorn business up, I swear I’ll hire someone to kill you,” Stock said.

  “Never mind that, I’ll kill him,” Heph volunteered.

  “Why is your wand doing that, Aurelius?” Stock asked, glancing at the shimmering wand.  “You have a spell ready on it?”

  “Oh, no it always does that when we’re getting close,” Aurelius said.  “I guess it’s because of the Unicorn Horn in it.”

  “What?  You never told us that!” Heph said.  “A Slytherin with a Unicorn Horn wand?”

  “Your parents let you go to school with that?” Stock stared.  “That settles it, divorce them.”

  “It’s not like they picked it out,” Aurelius sighed.  “And despite how much of a pain in the ass it is to have them as parents, I certainly don’t want to divorce them.  Besides, I don’t mind the wand so much anymore.  You’ll understand why when you see Pali, there’s nothing pansy about him.”  But as they walked, Aurelius couldn’t help but notice that his wand was glowing much more brightly then it ever had before, growing more intense with each step until suddenly he stopped to stare at it in amazement.

  “Okay, what’s going on now?” Heph demanded, staring at Aurelius’ obviously puzzled expression.

  “I’m not sure,” Aurelius murmured.  Then he heard a neigh and looked up, the neigh followed by a series of other neighs like the answer to a call, and Aurelius’ eyes widened in realization, backing up a bit as Pali appeared for a moment to gaze at him before turning back into the Forest.  “Come on,” Aurelius said.

  “So there really is a Unicorn,” Heph whispered to Stock, impressed in spite of himself.

  “A lot scruffier looking than I had imagined,” Stock murmured back.

  The two of them then saw there was a break in the trees up ahead and stepped into a meadow, covered with sparkling snow and ice that glittered in the moonlight.  But that was hardly the only thing that was sparkling, for standing gathered in a herd before them was a group of over a dozen Unicorns, watching Pali intently as he led Aurelius over to them.

  “Coming?” Heph asked, eager to get a closer look.  But Stock had a strange, grey look in his face, his feet feeling like lead in his boots.

  “Coming where?  I’ll stay right here, thank you,” Stock said, his voice sounding shaky and perhaps a little angry.  “It’s just a bunch of nags with horns.  I hate animals,” he said with distain.  Heph shrugged, even though he had a strange feeling there was more to it than that as he cautiously walked forward.

  They were beautiful, every one, and oddly enough even Pali seemed regal standing with the rest of them.  He was nearly a full hand taller, standing over them like a revered Prince, shaking his mane a bit as he let out a low, short neigh.  In response the rest of the Unicorns came forward to meet Aurelius, holding out their heads to him companionably as he reached out to touch each one in turn.

  “So this is your family?” Heph heard Aurelius say when he got close.  Pali neighed a bit as if in response.  “My family?  Oh, well, they’re not all here yet.  Next year we will be, why?”

  “Don’t tell me you talk Unicorn as well?” Heph asked skeptically.

  “No,” Aurelius said, turning towards him with a distant hazy expression and an intense look as if having to concentrate to answer at all.  “It’s, well, it’s more inside than outside.  Almost as if the meaning has to travel through me before it reaches my head.”

  “Do you think one would let me touch them?” Heph asked nervously.

  “Ask one,” Aurelius shrugged.

  “All right,” Heph said, picking the one with the least threatening looking horn.  “Mind if I pet you?” he asked.  Shyly the young filly took a step away, whinnying softly.  The Unicorn beside her seemed to respond to the foal and she timidly moved forward again, lowering her nose just long enough for Heph to get in a gentle nose pat before shying away again.

  “That’s Jule,” Aurelius murmured, still petting Pali.  “She’s Pali’s niece.  Esta there is her mother.  The one with the long mane on the other side is Codi, Pali’s younger brother.  I don’t really know any of the extended family yet.”

  “Stock!  Come on over, it’s all right, really!” Heph coaxed.  Frisky little Jule, who hadn’t noticed the other boy until then, took a few curious steps over to look at him.  Then she suddenly neighed and put her head down, baring her horn as she backed away from him and then ran to hide behind her mother.

  “Thanks but no thanks,” Stock said, watching them warily.  “Come on, we saw the Unicorns.  Time to get back to the school before we get caught.  It’s freezing out here.”

  “Use that warm spell Professor Weasley taught us,” Heph said with a sigh.  But there was no denying that neither the Unicorns nor Stock wanted to have anything to do with one another.  Reluctantly, Heph turned to Aurelius, who still had that strangely distant look on his face.  “He’s probably right, actually.  We should be getting back.”

  “I can’t,” Aurelius said.  “Pali wants me to go with him.  Stay here, you’ll be safe.”

  “What?”

  Pali suddenly knelt and Aurelius climbed on board and a strange change came over his expression, not even looking at Heph as Pali quickly stood and bolted off into the Forest.  The rest of the Unicorns seemed unconcerned with their leaving as well as Heph’s presence among them as they all broke out of the line, grouped like a normal herd of beasts as if nothing had happened at all.

  “What is going on?  Why did you let him do that?” Stock shouted at Heph.

  “What did you expect me to do about it?” Heph shouted back, walking towards him.

  “Stop him, of course!  Who knows what he’s going to do to him!  This is not normal Unicorn behavior, you know.  They’re loners, they avoid us, and if we had any sense, we’d avoid them.  I can’t believe you talked me into this.  And now he’s out there totally bewitched, heading to his death most likely.”

  “The way you talk you sound like they’re Nightmares or something,” Heph said, eyeing him.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were actually afraid of them.”

  “I’m not afraid of anything,” Stock said, “But you seem to be completely oblivious to our current situation.  Didn’t you see Rel’s eyes when he got on that thing?  It’s like he wasn’t even there, that thing stole his soul!”  Heph sighed and looked at the others, who were gathered strangely together, pawing at the icy meadow almost experimentally.

  “You’re right, he was acting a little odd,” Heph admitted.  “But it seems to me if they meant any harm they could have done worse.  We’ll just have to wait here until he gets back.”

  “Not bloody likely.  I’m going back to bed,” Stock said.

  “What and just leave him out here alone?” Heph said with alarm.

  “He’s not alone, he’s with that mongrel Unicorn of his.  Have you ever seen such an ugly creature?  Not exactly pure, was he?  No wonder Rel can ride him,” Stock snorted.

  “Um, Stock, I think they understand you,” Heph murmured, looking nervously at the herd.  Stock looked over to see that the Unicorn’s heads were raised and looking in their direction, their ears perked almost attentively.  Suddenly they began to move forward and Stock and Heph began to back up unsurely.

  “I didn’t mean it, I was only joking!”  Stock protested loudly when he suddenly bumped into something behind him.  Turning around in surprise he suddenly broke into a scream of horror, Heph following suit as he realized what…or who it was.

  Severus grabbed them both by the shoulders, pulling them harshly away from the herd and glaring at them with a look ready to kill.

  “What exactly did you three think you were doing?  Have you any idea how many rules you’ve broken, what danger you could be in here, the consequences of putting a professor at risk having to come and fetch you?  Where is Aurelius?” Severus demanded.  Heph was still trying to come up with some sort of diplomatic answer when Stock blurted it out.

  “He got a funny look and took off, Sir,” he said, pointing back at the herd.  “Riding one of them!” Stock said.  Severus stared at him for a long time.

  “I’m sorry but I’m sure I misheard you.  Do you mean to tell me…” Severus became distracted as the Unicorns came closer again, looking over to see that the entire pack were now cautiously moving toward the other figure that had been standing beside him a few moments before.

  Jennifer couldn’t believe it…real Unicorns!  And so many of them!  She couldn’t help but hold her breath as little by little they inched their way towards her as a group until they all paused just a few feet away.  Then slowly one by one each one lowered their head and knelt in front of her in an act of such reverence that she was completely overwhelmed.

  “Oh please, don’t do that!” she pleaded softly.  “Nothing as beautiful as any of you should kneel to anyone, certainly not me.  Did any of you know Keki?”  Suddenly Esta and Codi took steps forward, and Jennifer cautiously put a hand out and touched Esta’s neck, a warmth spreading through her.  “You’re Keki’s daughter!” Jennifer wasn’t sure how she knew it…something in the touch had told her.  “And you’re her son!” she realized touching Codi.  “And you’ve an older brother, but where is he?”  Suddenly a filly sidled up between Codi and Jennifer as Esta’s daughter demanded attention, and Jennifer wrapped her arms around her while the rest gathered around curiously.

  “Oh, God, what did I almost do?” Severus murmured to himself, Heph and Stock glancing at each other with equally puzzled expressions as they watched the exchange between the herd and Jennifer.

  “She has that same funny look on her face that Rel had,” Heph said after a moment.  “Is she going to take off on us too?”

  “No,” Severus said.  “There can only be one Unicorn, and she is gone,” Severus said, sounding a bit strange.  Suddenly he seemed to be aware of the two boys again.  “Which way did the Unicorn take Aurelius?”

  “Across the hill, towards Hogsmeade,” Stock said.

  “Then there can be only one place they can be going,” Severus said, suddenly letting them go.  “Stay here until I return.  If either of you leave Madame Craw for one instant and I find out, I’ll have you both expelled,” he snarled at them threateningly.  A moment later, he was gone.

  “Think he was serious?” Stock asked thoughtfully.  Heph nodded firmly, turning a rock he found into a bench and sitting down, Stock taking a seat beside them while Jennifer stood with the herd, completely oblivious to both of them.  “By the way, the next time you want to follow Aurelius, I’m not going.”

 

  The scent of pine and frost was in the air as Pali raced through the Forest and literally through the trees as if they weren’t even there with a grace that made Colossus seem clumsy in comparison.  Nothing else seemed to exist but Pali and himself, and Aurelius could barely believe the intense thrill that was going through them as they galloped at a pace he had never ridden before with such sure footing he nearly forgot about the ice underneath them.  As they finally began to slow, a tingle went through him that he couldn’t explain as they entered a grove of majestic trees, perfectly spaced along cobbled paths.  There was a timelessness there, and a feeling of safety like Aurelius had never felt before.  Reluctantly at Pali’s suggestion, Aurelius slipped off of his back, noticing then a feeling that he hadn’t before, a strange familiarity that he couldn’t place at that moment.  It was important, he knew, but what could possibly be important besides himself and Pali, Aurelius couldn’t fathom. 

  Pali paused then and neighed, and Aurelius knew then that Pali was thinking of his mother.  Aurelius patted him comfortingly.  He knew what it was like to lose a mother.  But strangely, Pali didn’t seem to feel any remorse.  Why that was so, Aurelius didn’t think he quite understood.  It had something to do with the grove, he knew.  He should know this, why couldn’t he remember?  All he truly understood was that it was very important to Pali to be with his mother tonight, and that the Unicorn had chosen to share that moment with him.  He wasn’t even aware when someone else came up the path and paused there, watching the two of them for a long time as they stood where the paths met…where the horn had been buried.

  “Aurelius,” Severus said at last, reluctantly coming a step closer hesitating as Pali looked over.  But Pali seemed to understand, bobbing his head slightly and backing up out of respect to allow Severus to put a hand on the boy.  Aurelius turned with surprise, giving his father a long hard look as if trying to remember who he was.  “Come on, Aurelius, time to go back to school.  And in the morning, you and I are going to have to have a long talk.” 

 

  Jennifer woke the next morning to bright rays of sunshine peering through the window, breaking through the layer of grey that had been prevalent over the last week.  She glanced to the other side of the bed, but as usual no one was there.  She got up and peeked into Severus’ study, but apparently he wasn’t there either.  Glancing at the clock she got cleaned up and dressed for class, hurrying down the staircases already filled with students going to breakfast or their early doubles.  As she got to the main floor, she couldn’t help but notice the large amount of students outside of the Great Hall looking at the main point counters for the school, viewing them with complete bewilderment and in the case of Slytherin house sheer horror.

  Camille and Xavier, in fact, cussed outright when they saw that their two hundred point lead had dropped a hundred and fifty points overnight.  To make matters worse, the Gryffindor’s points had gone up forty, making them only ten points behind the leaders.

  “What the hell is this?” Camille said after the shock began to wear off.

  “No one has come to me about it yet,” Xavier said.  Stock and Heph, who had been lingering in the back took a step nearer.

  “Call a meeting, tonight,” Camille snapped.  “Wait until I get a hold of who’s responsible for this.  There are going to be some heads rolling for sure.”  Stock and Heph looked at each other again, then turned down the corridor as quickly as they could, deciding it might be wiser to let Camille cool off a bit first.

  Jennifer’s eyes followed them knowingly, shaking her head with a slight smile before continuing across and over to the main classrooms, passing a very glum Aurelius in the hallway.  She slipped into the Defense room then seeing Severus’ office door slightly open and headed inside to find him staring into a cup.

  “Bad coffee?” Jennifer asked.

  “Not as good as yours,” Severus said, earning a warm smile.  “I’m afraid I’ll have to skip lunch today, I have an appointment with Dumbledore.”

  “About Aurelius?” Jennifer asked.  Severus nodded, looking slightly irritated.

  “Aurelius seems to have been bonded since the Halloween before last, well before Dumbledore left for his little sabbatical.  Strange that he didn’t tell us that Aurelius was bonded then when he was nearly killed by a Manticore.”

  “A Manticore?” Jennifer repeated, slightly startled.

  “Yes, our son got it into his head to dare another student to spend the night in the Forest.  Now I am beginning to see why we’ve had so much trouble keeping him out of it since.”

  “But Severus, what are we going to do?  I mean, I agree that students shouldn’t be allowed in there considering how wild it is, but how could we possibly keep him out of it?  Even if we sat on him, shackled him to his bed…whatever.  If Pali calls him, he’ll have to go, he wouldn’t be able to help himself.”

  “Yes, I know,” Severus sighed, getting up to organize his books for the day.  “That’s one of the things I plan to talk to Dumbledore about.  Perhaps he’ll have some sort of solution.  I’ll talk to you about it at dinner.”

  “Actually, would you object to seeing me sooner?” Jennifer said, Severus looking at her puzzledly.  “I have a conference today, and I was wondering if perhaps you’d let me sit in on one of your classes.”

  Severus stared at her.

  “Why on earth would you want to do that?”

  “Oh, well, you know Minerva and Albus have been trying to get me more used to teaching and all…they want me to teach a normal class again next year, you know, and I was thinking that maybe observing some other classes might be useful?” Jennifer said with a grin, Severus’ gaze looking less than enthusiastic about the idea.  “Oh, come on, Severus, you know I’ve been just dying to see you teach.”

  “No,” Severus said firmly.  “I don’t want you or anyone else in my classroom when I teach.  I’m not going to have you or anyone else criticizing my teaching styles and I am not going to subject myself to any condition where it looks like it’s being observed.”

  “Why are you getting so defensive?  I thought it’d be fun,” Jennifer said with exasperation.

  “Under no circumstances.  I prefer to work without an audience!” Severus snapped.

  “And what’s the class itself if not an audience?” Jennifer asked him.

  “That is hardly what I meant.  I don’t want you or anyone else in my classroom when I’m teaching.  I’m sure there’s plenty of more useful things you could be doing instead.  Now, if you don’t mind, I do have an early class,” he said, motioning her to do the door.  She stood and stared at him with a frown as he waved her out over and over again until she finally left.

  The Great Hall was bustling with activity, but no more then at the end of the Gryffindor table where students had gathered around Andrew and Halbert, adding scones and other tidbits to their breakfast plates in a sort of strange homage that seemed quite appreciated by both of them.  Jennifer went over to the table curiously, smiling at them.

  “And what’s all this about?  I hope I didn’t miss a birthday,” Jennifer asked.

  “Doctor Sagittari gave Halbert and I fifteen points each for helping him take care of the animals after the ice storm!” Andrew said cheerfully.  “And Rose got ten yesterday afternoon for helping Professor Sprout, and now we’re almost tied with Slytherin!”

  “Alex and Mandria got points for their house too,” Rose put in.  Jennifer glanced behind her at the other table where Alex was chatting excitedly to Mandria.

  “Madame Craw, do you have any idea what happened to tank Slytherin’s points last night?” Ted Gaffney asked curiously.

  “Oh, I think you can just ask the one Snape not in a good mood today about that one,” Jennifer said before moving on towards the staff room.  Andrew turned around to look at the Slytherin table where Stock, Heph and Aurelius were poking at their breakfast.

  In the break room, Minerva and Hermione were talking quietly over their coffee when Jennifer came in, greeting her and offering a seat.

  “Hello, Jennifer!  Are you and Glen ready for the big test crunch?” Hermione asked.

  “Oh, Glen thinks that if they don’t know what they need to pass their tests by now they never will,” Jennifer said with a grin as she got herself a cup.  “But I’m making up a study guide for them.”

  “From what I’ve been hearing you’ve been doing a splendid job getting reacquainted,” Minerva smiled.  “And I am so glad.  It just wasn’t the same here when you were gone.”

  “Minerva, I was wondering something,” Jennifer said, sitting down in the offered chair beside them.  “Is it completely unheard of for someone on staff to want to observe some of the other classes?”

  “Not at all.  I rather like to encourage it for some of our newer teachers.  In fact, Hermione here started out as a librarian and observed quite a bit with Filius before she got her position.”

  “It was much different watching the class as a staff member than it was sitting in it as a student,” Hermione agreed.  “Rather like the first time I had a chance to talk to Severus on this side of the staff room, boy was that an experience,” she chuckled thinking back.

  “You know it’s interesting that you mention that,” Jennifer said with a sigh.  “I asked Severus this morning if I it’d be all right if I observed his class and he nearly bit my head off.  What do suppose is wrong that he’d snap like that?  He’s never really done it before.”

  “Oh, did he?” Minerva said, exchanging a knowing glance with Hermione.  “Well, we’ll just have to see about that.  You know, I think you are right, doing a few class observations would be good for you, and do you know, I most especially think that Severus would benefit from the experience as well and I’m also sure Dumbledore would agree.  I think I’ll go talk to the Headmaster about it, as a matter of fact,” she said getting up, Hermione quickly moving to follow.

  “Oh, please don’t bother.  I don’t want him upset with me over this thing, it really doesn’t matter, really,” Jennifer protested.

  “Oh no, I insist.  Besides, I hardly think it’ll be you he’ll be mad at.  But we will give him a few days warning to prepare his class, so I’ll let you know later this afternoon which day to schedule it,” Minerva smiled at her, “Have a good day, Jennifer.”

  “You are absolutely wicked sometimes, you know that Minerva?” Hermione murmured when they were out the door.

  “Would you have passed up an opportunity like that?” Minerva asked her with an enigmatic smile.

  “Definitely not,” Hermione grinned.  “Boy would I like to be a student again just for a day so I could sit in that class,” she chuckled before breaking off to head to her classroom.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Introspections

 

  That evening after the Slytherin meeting, Aurelius wandered back down to the library alone, his friends both rather angry at him.  But it was just as well for he was hardly in the mood for outsiders.  When he stepped into the library, Andrew immediately looked up from his table and excused himself from his classmates, and as they chose an empty table near the front, Alex noticed them as well, cutting short her latest explanation of her Muggle homework to Mandria to go and sit with them.  Mandria breathed a sighed relief, burying her nose in her book while she had the chance.

  “Are you all right, Rel?” she asked in a low voice.

  “No, not really,” Aurelius admitted.  “Father and Mum found out about Pali.  He caught me when Pali took me to the Grove last night.”

  “Really?  What did they say about it?” Andrew asked anxiously.

  “Well, Mum didn’t say much of anything.  Father was angrier that we’d been in the Forest more than what we were doing, really.  And of course he demanded that I tell him the whole story this morning, and then told me that I wasn’t to go sneaking into the Forest again.  I might as well have been told to cut off my arm and leave it somewhere and told not to fetch it.  He can’t possibly expect me to stay away if Pali needs me.  He just doesn’t understand!”

  Andrew and Alex looked at one another thoughtfully.

  “Look, it’s not so bad as all of that,” Alex said gently.  “Next year you’ll get to go to Hogsmeade, and students are allowed to go to the Grove while we’re there.”

  “And what am I supposed to do until then?  Pretend he doesn’t exist?  I might as well pretend I don’t exist.  You don’t know what it’s like.  When you’re riding one, it’s like a part of yourself gets moved to him and he to you, and you don’t get it back.  And for a while when it’s going on, it’s just you and him and no one else seems to matter…just the Forest and the trees and how fast you can gallop through them.  Of course, Father spent most of his time reminding me that this sort of thing doesn’t last and that sooner or later I’ll need to let it go and maybe that’s true, but right now he’s the best thing I’ve got going in my life, and the only person I can talk to that actually seems to care, even if he doesn’t always understand me.”

  “You can always talk to us, Aurelius,” Alex said gently.  “That hasn’t ever changed.”

  “It’s starting to, Alex, whether you realize it or not,” Aurelius said, gazing at her steadily.  “This is the first time we’ve gotten together alone since Christmas.  You’ve got your friends, Andrew’s got Halbert and I…well, I don’t know exactly what I have actually.  Heph and Stock can be a real pain sometimes.  Alicia still spends her time with the twins of course, but let’s face it, we’re growing up, and the older we get, the more we’re going to want to do things with them and not with each other.  I need someone I can count on.”

  “Aurelius, just because we’re getting older doesn’t make us any less your brother and sisters,” Andrew said.  “We’re still going to stick by you through thick and thin, growing up doesn’t change the fact we’re family.”

  “Right, if you can’t count on us, who can you count on?” Alex asked.

  “The only person anyone can count on when it comes right down to it,” Aurelius said.  “Me, myself and I, and right now, that includes Pali.”

  Andrew couldn’t help but grow even more worried about his brother then, telling Halbert about their conversation as the headed back up to their dorm rooms.

  “You know, I may not have any siblings, but it almost sounds to me if he’s still angry about what happened to your mother,” Halbert said. 

  “Yes, you’re probably right about that,” Andrew sighed.  “But I hate it when he gets this way.   He gets so caught up in his own fears and feeling sorry for himself that he’s blind to the fact that we’re right there trying to support him.”

  “So what do you normally do when he gets like this?” Halbert asked.

  “We grit our teeth and wait until he comes around again, normally,” Andrew sighed.  “Not much can talk a Snape out of a foul mood if they’re set on having one.”

  “I’m not sure I’d want to try to talk a Snape out of much of anything,” Halbert grinned.  “Talk into things, maybe.”

  “At that, you’re an expert,” Andrew grinned, telling the Fat Lady the password and stepping inside.

 

  From the moment that Severus stepped into his sitting room, he knew he was in trouble.  A tall braided candle was lit on the table covered with cloth and silver trays had been laid carefully out upon it.

  “There you are,” Jennifer said, getting up from where she was reading by the fireplace.  She was wearing a filmy, light green dress, her hair only lightly pinned so that most of it fell over her shoulders.  “For a while there I thought you didn’t get my note.”  Severus merely nodded at first, not trusting his own voice.

  “I had to stop by the library to get some research material.  I happened to mention to Dumbledore during our meeting this afternoon your suggestion to revise the OWLS and NEWTS,” Severus admitted, setting his books down near the door, making no move to come away from it.

  “Really?  And he liked the idea?” Jennifer asked brightly, walking over to him.

  “I am to organize a team of volunteer staff to help me begin work on the project.  Hermione has already signed on to help.  I met her in the hall on the way over here.”  Jennifer hugged him warmly, kissing him lovingly.

  “I am so glad you changed your mind!   I’m not sure what help I can be, but I’ll do everything I can too, just name it,” she said, gazing intently at him.

  “There is one thing you could do for me,” Severus said in a low voice, raising her chin a tad.  “You could let me talk you out of observing my class next week.”  Jennifer immediately began to pout.

  “But I’m so looking forward to it!  I’ve been wanting to see you teach since before I even came to Hogwarts,” Jennifer whispered.

  “Really, Defense isn’t as interesting a subject as it sounds, in fact I’m sure Humanities would have even been more exciting,” he murmured, well aware that Jennifer was anything but convinced.  He sighed softly.  “Isn’t there any way I can talk you out of it?”

   “No,” Jennifer admitted.  “Out of other things, perhaps,” she added slyly.  “Can’t we put school matters aside for one evening?”

  “Jennifer, I’m afraid I’ve planned a meeting tonight with a few people concerning these tests, but I do have time for dinner,” he said apologetically.

  “Break it,” Jennifer said firmly.

  “I cannot do that, I’m the one that organized it,” Severus said gently.

  “Isn’t there a single moment we can have that can’t be interrupted?” Jennifer said.

  “My dear, this whole thing of revising the tests was your idea.”

  “Yes, but I wasn’t expecting you to get gung ho about it.  I had something important to ask you tonight.”

  “You can ask me anything at any time, you need not make any sort of fuss about it,” he murmured.

  “Oh, I have to this time,” Jennifer said miserably, glancing back at the table.  “Well, I suppose it can wait.  Come eat, Severus.”

  “I’d rather hear whatever it was you wanted to ask me,” Severus frowned.  “Why don’t you just come out with it so it isn’t nagging me the entire evening?”

  “No really, Severus, please drop it and eat.  I cooked it myself, even, and for the record it isn’t exactly easy trying to convince a dozen kitchen House Elves to let me use the stove.”

  “You certainly seem to have gone through a lot of trouble,” Severus sighed, sitting down.  “Won’t you tell me what this is all about?”

  “Try the wine, I had Rosmerta pick it out for me,” Jennifer insisted.

  “You’re going to make me break out a Telepathy potion, aren’t you?” Severus said, humoring her by taking a sip while his other hand drummed impatiently.

  “You wouldn’t do that, would you?” Jennifer asked with a frown.

  “Well, it isn’t as if you don’t have an advantage in that department, you do it all the time to me without potions,” Severus pointed out.  “I’d much rather you just said what was on your mind so both of us can stop fretting about it.”

  “You’re not making this easy,” Jennifer said irritably, getting up and looking out the frosty window.  Severus let out a long sigh and got up, stepping behind her.

  “Does it have something to do with what happened yesterday?” He asked softly.

  “No, not exactly,” Jennifer murmured.

  “Good, because I know I never got around to apologizing for the way I behaved before we went after Aurelius, and I probably should have.”  Jennifer turned around and stared at him.  “I was swept up in the moment, and if I offended you in any way…”

  “Severus!” Jennifer said, rolling her eyes and kissing him with exasperation.  “I can’t believe you’re trying to apologize for that!  It was hardly one-sided.”

  “Yes, I know,” he said quietly.  “But that was before we got to the glen.  I saw a part of you in that moment that I haven’t seen since before we were married.”

  “Yes,” Jennifer agreed softly, “Oh, Severus, it was so reassuring to see Keki’s children, to feel what it was like to touch a Unicorn again, and to know that one of our own children shares that feeling too.  It was like in that instant a part of me that never quite wanted to heal after she died that started to mend again.  There was so much of Keki in them, Severus, and in some ways she’ll live through them and the Forest she loved for all time, I know that now.  But there is another part of my life that I yearn for so much more, and that’s the one with you in it, fully and completely and without regret or reasons to hold back.  Severus, will you marry me?”

  Severus blinked at her, stunned by the question and not quite sure at first how to answer.

  “We are already married, Jennifer,” he said quietly.

  “No, we’re not, not really,” Jennifer said.  “We’re just going through the motions, pretending to be married, saying it and sometimes acting it but not actually being it, and I’m not just talking about lack of intimacy, either, Severus.  We spend time together but it’s more like casual dates than anything.  You wear a ring, and I don’t.  You make all the decisions for the children while I merely stand there for your moral support, and as close as I get to you, I’m still the outsider in your life, whom you don’t think knows you well enough to come to when you need someone to talk to.  In the meantime I feel like you tiptoe around me as if I’m going to break, and you insist our relationship go no farther until I know you better while at the same time putting up walls to keep me from doing just that.  I had enough pretending with Mark.  To play this game with someone I truly love and know loves me is nothing short of a tragedy.  Yes, we were married, and perhaps we still are, legally, but I think we’ve both proven by our actions that we can’t possibly ever feel like it again unless we do it over.  Will you not even consider it?”

  Severus gazed at her for a long time, the love and sincerity so prevalent in her eyes, just as his passion and dedication to her poured through his.

  “It will have to be small,” he said at last.

  “As small as you like,” Jennifer smiled.

  “And as quiet as possible, I’d rather it not turned into a spectacle.”

  “No spectacles or fiascos allowed,” Jennifer agreed.

  “And if you don’t mind, I’d rather wait until then…”

  “Yes, I knew that one was coming,” Jennifer admitted dryly.  “Look, all that’s really important is whether or not we’re ready to commit to each other again, and I know I am.  Are you?”

  “Yes,” Severus said simply, and Jennifer found herself taking another roller coaster in his thoughts, and she broke into a joyous smile as he leaned over to kiss her.

 

  The students couldn’t help but notice the change to Madame Craw the next day as she came into the classroom in such an extremely good mood that Aurelius began to brood all the more when she stopped to help them with their formulas for the experiment that day.  There was an energy in her movements that there hadn’t been before, and such enthusiasm in her work that even the other staff members turned their heads wondering over the change.

  Andrew also noticed subtle changes in his father as well.  As stern as he was in class, his snapping didn’t seem to have its normal bite, and when they turned to their reading and he sat at his desk he seemed more relaxed than he had been, even tolerating Rasputin lumbering around the classroom whenever he felt like instead of tucking him out of sight.  Of course, most of the class didn’t seem keen on the addition of the Professor’s rather dangerous familiar stalking around the classroom, but Andrew knew the lizard well enough to know not to fear him, even when Rasputin decided to come and lay underneath their desk for a quick nap, Halbert having a hard time keeping his eyes on his paper so curious he was about the basilisk under their feet.

  “My familiar is not a foot stool, Mr. Snape,” Professor Snape said, Andrew sheepishly pulling his feet back.

  “Sorry, Sir,” Andrew said quietly.  The Professor put down his quill as he checked the time, standing up to get the class’s undivided attention.

  “Tomorrow we’ll have a guest in this classroom.  Madame Craw has requested to observe some of the other classes in order to perfect her teaching techniques,” he announced, Andrew and Halbert exchanging a glance at that.  “Therefore, I’ll be holding a lecture and small demonstration.  I will be keeping a paper tally of point additions and deductions during the class, which I will report to you our next class period together.  Anyone who ends up on that list can expect double the normal point deduction for any offenses there may be, so I suggest unless you really want to get on my bad side that all of you try very hard not to get on that list,” he warned them with a flash in his black eyes.  “Class dismissed.”

  “Sounds as if your father doesn’t want your mother to know just how many points he deducts during a class,” Halbert couldn’t help but comment on their way out.  “Think he’ll be his rotten…er…I mean his strict old self with her in the classroom?”

  “It’s all right, Halbert, you can say rotten,” Andrew sighed.  “I admit he’s not the easiest teacher to get along with, although it is obvious he knows what he’s doing.”

  “He’s not the easiest sparring judge either from what I’ve seen,” Halbert added.  “I hope I don’t end up in his ring tonight, not that I’m not likely to be out of the tournament after tonight anyhow.”

  “You just need more practice,” Andrew said.  “I thought you did rather well that match considering you never sparred before.”

  “Really?” Halbert said wistfully.  “You know, maybe I’ll join the sparring club for real next year.  I think I kind of like it.”

  Andrew merely sighed and shook his head with a smile.  He wasn’t in any way looking forward to the evening, and sure enough when they went to look at the board that night he was paired with the one he had been dreading; Ginger Davidson.  But he wasn’t the only one less than enthusiastic about the tournament board.  Stewart shook his head when he saw he was paired with Xavier.

  “Well, this is going to be the shortest tournament I’ve ever been in,” he sighed as he came back over to the bench. 

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be out with you,” Halbert said, patting his back comfortingly.  Stewart gave Halbert a look indicating just how completely he failed at the attempt to cheer him up.

  “Well, at least I’ll be free to study, I suppose.  Andrew, you did fantastic last week, you’ll be fine, don’t worry.  Conner, who are you paired with?”

  “Thomas Weller,” Conner grumbled, “Another Slytherin.”

  “Well at least he didn’t pair you with Rose, that’s what I was half expecting,” Stewart sighed.

  “I have Carey Minster,” Rose said, “and I’m in Snape’s ring again.”

  “Same,” Stewart nodded.

  “Not I,” Conner said dourly.  “Lucky me.  I’m in Brittle’s ring.”  Stewart looked over at his solemn face thoughtfully.

  “You ever find out what all that was all about?” Stewart asked him in a low voice.  Conner shook his head.  “Well hopefully whatever chip was on her shoulder she’s forgotten about by now.  Either way, I’d be extra careful if I were you.”

  “What exactly happened that Quidditch game, anyhow?” Andrew asked curiously.  But before he got an answer his name was called, and reluctantly Andrew grabbed his wand and headed towards the ring.  Ginger was already there in the ring, testing some wand moves with complete confidence when he stepped up, watching her warily.

  “Let’s not be all night about it this time Mr. Snape?  I’m not likely to be so lenient this time,” Professor Snape warned in a bored tone, not even looking at him as he said it.  Grimacing slightly, Andrew climbed in, smiling shyly at Ginger who grinned back at him full force, nodding politely.

  Andrew tried to relax as they took their positions, already mulling over the short list of spells that his father had approved him to use for the match.  Any one of them well placed would easily take out his opponent depending on the situation, and he knew each one of them quite well.  But as he turned and took the defensive position ready for her to cast, she didn’t.  Instead she took on the same defensive position as he had with a slight smile, nodding to him to make the first move.  Andrew had no intention of being the first to shoot at a girl, and dared her away, shifting his feet a bit to try to entice her into making move.

  “All right, that’s enough from both of you!” Severus snapped, standing right next to the ring, glaring at them.  “Let’s start again, shall we?  On the count of three you will both cast your spells.  If either of you doesn’t cast, you will take an automatic loss, and if neither of you cast I’ll disqualify you both and it’ll count as one of your losses.  Is that clear?  Now one, two three!”

  Stuck with little choice, Andrew threw off a disarm spell while easily dodging her blast, his own spell causing her to break off and roll aside.  But as she came up from the roll a spell was already in the works, casting it as she nimbly got to her feet watching him easily step aside again.  How was he doing that?  Every time she looked at him he blurred dramatically, making it very difficult to focus on.  She was sure whatever it was he was doing was probably not covered in the rules, but she was damned if she was going to let him cheat on a technicality.  Suspecting it was some sort of speed potion, Ginger snapped off another spell, but as he dodged she charged him, casting slow spell with her wand barely a foot away from him, and dropping him down on the mat.  But Andrew still had his wand in hand and forced himself to his feet, realizing at once he was at a severe disadvantage now.  There was no way he would be able to blur himself without outing what he was actually doing.  Bravely deciding his only choice now was to take a stand, Andrew rose and cast his spell again with all the power he could muster.  But Ginger’s slow spell was working against him and she easily saw it coming, twisting out of the way and hitting him full force with a spell that knocked him off his feet and sent him sprawling to the mat, his wand rolling off to the side.

  The entire room was silent for a moment, although Andrew wasn’t quite sure why.  He only noticed the cringe on his father’s face, following by a brief but obvious look of disappointment as he nodded to Ginger.

  Suddenly the Hufflepuffs began to cheer and talk all at once, mostly chanting, “She beat a Snape!  She beat a Snape!”

  Ginger shyly offered him a hand up.  With as much dignity as he could muster, Andrew took it and shook her hand, bowing graciously to her as he stepped out behind her. 

  “Ginger!  How perfect!  No one’s ever beat a Snape in the ring, ever!”  June MacKay told her as they joined the crowd.

  “I know, I can’t wait to tell my grandmother,” she grinned,  “She’ll be positively thrilled!” 

  Not daring to look anywhere but straight ahead, Andrew made his way towards the Gryffindor side of the room, trying to avoid the expressions on his siblings faces right now.  Halbert and the rest of his classmates welcomed him back supportively along with a few, “Good matches,” and “Tough lucks,” but Andrew was painfully aware he had let his house down just as much as his own family.

  “I knew I should have never let myself get talked into joining,” Andrew murmured, Halbert glancing at him.

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Andrew, it’s only a game.  It’s about having fun and learning how to spar, not about winning,” Halbert reminded him.

  “That’s just it, Halbert.  I didn’t join for the fun or to learn, I came to win for Gryffindor, and now I’ve only succeeded in letting everyone down,” Andrew sighed.

  “Nonsense, Andrew, everyone is caught off guard every now and then,” Stewart said gently.  “All that matters is you do your best, that’s support enough.  Besides, you’re not out until you lose two matches, and with a bit of luck you’ll stay in until the rematch at the end.  I think you’ll be ready for her then,” he said encouragingly.  Just then Stewart heard his name called.  “Time for me to get splatted,” Stewart grinned cheerfully.  “But maybe I can give him a sting to remember me by, eh?”

  Andrew and Halbert were getting ready to go over when they heard Brittle announcing Donavan and Weller.  Stewart paused a moment, looking over worriedly.  He had so wanted to see that match.  Hearing his name barked again, he quickly went to join Xavier in the ring.  Andrew, torn between matches, finally picked to stand near Conner’s, while Halbert went to see if Stewart could pull off a miracle. 

  If either Weller or Donavan was nervous about the match, they didn’t show it as they bowed to each other and took their places.

  “This should be a good match,” Rose whispered to Andrew.  “Conner is a bit aggressive sometimes though, I hope he’s careful.”

  Andrew quickly saw what she meant as the match started and Conner tried to blast him from the start, pushing an entourage of spells at him while Weller, quite a bit more reserved, neatly blocked each spell with perfect poise, his expression emotionless and methodic as he considered the problem at hand.  Nerves of steel that one, Andrew mused, watching as he finally moved in with a precisely cast spell.  Conner, although perhaps a bit less refined in technique than his opponent was still an able sparrer, leaping out of the way like a cat as he cast his next spell.  The spell, meant to pin its victim to the floor, very nearly succeeded, catching a part of Weller’s robe which he quickly had to release before it pulled him down too.  Conner smirked with satisfaction but Weller was hardly going to take the near miss easily, casting back a dazzling light spell to momentarily blind Conner. 

  Immediately he heard a murmur of voices in his head, coming from all around him.  Put it down - put it down - put the wand down now.

  “Hey!” Conner said with surprise, shaking the spots out of his eyes.  “You’re not allowed to do that!”

  “What?  A simple light spell?” Weller asked innocently.

  “That wasn’t a simple light spell, that was a suggestion spell!  Surely you saw it, Madame Brittle!” Conner complained.  “What did you just cast?” He demanded.

  “Donovan, you’re out of line.  You’re not judging this match,” Brittle told him.  “Stop being such a whiner and try to be a good sport.”

  A chill went down Donovan’s back when he heard that, remembering quite clearly her words at the Quidditch match.  It wasn’t the first time she had used that tone with him, and it too had been geared towards his sportsmanship.  What had he done that had gotten her so against him?  It was personal, he was quite sure, but unlike the Quidditch game where the team seemed to be in on it, Weller seemed unaware of the bias, merely thinking himself clever enough to pull the wool over the unsuspecting referee.  That meant he would be unlikely push his luck, Conner reasoned, but he knew now that he personally couldn’t step one foot out of line.  To do so would most undoubtedly cause him to lose the match.

  The crowd watched with surprise then as Conner’s stance straightened and took on a much more standard approach.  His normal tactic of wearing down his opponent was brought to an abrupt end in favor of a more conservative routine of blocks and single strikes.  Even though his opponents’ spells became more and more creative ranging from slippery and clumsiness spells to illusions of scorpions that crawled over his arms (Andrew was quite certain he would have dropped his own wand after that one,) Conner stayed with the most basic of spells; in fact every one of them was on the short list that Andrew’s father had handed him before agreeing to let him back into the tournament.  At last, as Weller was weaving a rather complicated entanglement spell, Conner took a step forward and shouted, “Expelliarmus!” Weller hadn’t had the time to break off the spell to block, his own spell landing harmlessly towards the ceiling as he staggered backward with a surprised look on his face and dropped his wand.

  A cheer went up as Brittle reluctantly announced him the winner, but then a thin smile played on her lips as the two of them came out of the ring.

  “Well done, Donovan,” she murmured as he passed her.  “Sometimes you can win by their rules.”

  “Thank you, Madame Brittle, but I think I deserve an explanation as to why you’re doing this,” Conner said.  She nodded thoughtfully at that, putting his name up on the board and noting the surprise on Severus’ face when he saw the name, gazing at her questioningly.  She shrugged slightly at him, turning back to Conner.

  “My father was a sportsman, Donovan,” Brittle said in a voice so low that only Conner could hear.  But even in the murmur he didn’t miss the distain in her tone when she said the words ‘father’ and ‘sportsman.’  “Of course his ideas of sport were ones that he couldn’t lose, no matter who or what was hurt in the process.  What is it like walking into a game that you know you can’t win?  Perhaps a game that you didn’t want to play at all, toyed with…like a cat before a kill.  You know what is going to happen to the mouse, but does the cat ever feel remorse?  Have you ever wondered, Conner, what it would feel like to be that mouse?”

  “No, Madame.  But I’m not sure what you’re getting at,” Conner said.

  “Stay for the rest of the tournament,” Brittle said.  “And when you leave here tonight, take a little detour to the front courtyard before you head up,” she said, excusing herself to go over and talk to Weller, putting an arm around him as she led him away from some of the other Slytherin.  “Good match, Weller, I thought you had it there for a moment,” Brittle said supportively.  “But if I catch you casting the Coaxing Light curse again, I’m taking it to Dumbledore,” she smiled thinly, patting his back.  He chuckled nervously and then grew solemn, nodding slowly.

  Danny Brittle went back to judging the rest of the matches with the complete unbiased fairness she had once been known for.  Finally her last match was at an end, and with only a quick word to Severus she slipped away, easily beating out the small group of Gryffindors who had stayed; Stewart, Ted, Rose, Andrew, Halbert and Conner, consoling each other’s losses and Conner’s win companionably while already making plans for a stronger comeback for next year.

  “Where are you going, Conner?” Stewart asked curiously when he turned down the stairs instead of up them.

  “Just a quick breath of air, I’ll only be a moment,” he improvised, heading down the stairs.  The group stood there puzzledly looking after him a moment.

  “You think he’s all right?” Halbert asked thoughtfully.

  “Considering he’s the only one of us that won tonight I think he deserves a bit of slack,” Rose said dryly.  “Come on, we’d better head up.”  Stewart nodded for them to go on and then went down the stairs to catch up with his friend.  He found Conner standing just outside the door, gazing at a small shadow in the snow.  Stewart took a step up beside him, squinting as his eyes began to adjust to the moonlight.

  “Well, would you look at that, it’s a fox!” Stewart said with surprise.  “Never seen one of those near the castle before.  Probably been put off by the weather poor thing,” he said, glancing at Conner who was still gazing at it, unusually quiet.  “I hope you’re not going to get any funny ideas of taking the Bridle Club out for hunts now,” he joked lightly.

  “No,” Conner said, his voice sounding a bit strange as he put his hands in his pockets, looking over his friend.  “All the sudden hunting just doesn’t seem like much of a sport anymore.”

  “I’m sure you’ll change you mind,” Stewart said companionably, “the moment summer rolls around you’ll be back into it again.”

  “Actually, maybe I’ll see what Colossus thinks of Polo this year,” Conner said at last, turning towards the door.

  “Polo?” Stewart laughed at him following behind.  “Is there any sport you don’t play?”

  “There is now,” Conner said enigmatically, glancing back to see the fox disappear into the shadows before closing the door behind them.

 

Chapter Thirty-Six

Breaking the Rules

 

  Halbert glared openly at the Hufflepuffs tittering in the halls as they headed to class, Andrew wincing a bit every time he heard it, knowing full well whom it was aimed at.

  “Just ignore them, Andrew.  The novelty of it will wear off in a few days,” Halbert told him.  “You’re not the first person to ever lose a match.  I lost both of mine.”

  “No, just the first Snape,” Andrew sighed.  “Let’s face it, I’m not like anyone else in my family.”

  “Well, from what I’ve seen so far not any of you seem much alike,” Halbert said.  “Your brother is quiet and broods a lot, but your sister talks a mile a minute and she’s always into things.  And you’re quiet too, but not like your brother…more like you spend too much time thinking instead of enjoying what the world has to offer!”

  “Not everything in the world needs an active hand to enjoy it,” Andrew protested.  “What about watching a sunrise, or studying the stars, or sitting by the ocean and listening to the waves crash along the beach?”  Halbert looked thoughtful for a moment.

  “I think I’d rather have breakfast, go for a night ride or go swimming,” he decided.  Andrew merely grinned at him and turned into the classroom.

  Madame Craw was already sitting in the back of the class, smiling warmly at them as they came in.  It was strange how her presence seemed to make the classroom seem more cheerful than normal, or perhaps it was merely because it wasn’t so stuffy; the tops of several of the windows had been opened, letting in a frosty breeze and a dab of sunlight.  Strangely enough, Professor Snape didn’t even comment when he came in a moment later, giving it merely a cursory look as he headed to the front of the class, making eye contact with several of the students with a rather cross look on his face as if daring them to step out of line.

  “Pass up your homework to the front please,” he said evenly.  As Andrew opened his scroll case and unrolled the right one, he happened to glance over beside him and Halbert’s, wincing a bit.  It was tattered, crumpled, smudged and taped in places, and he was spreading it out as evenly as he could before handing it to Andrew who quickly covered it with his before passing it up, gazing over questioningly at his friend.

  “I didn’t have time to recopy it,” Halbert whispered softly.  But Snape’s quick ears immediately picked it up, looking towards the back row as if trying to pinpoint its source.

  “Did someone have a question?” he asked in a polite but dangerous tone.  When no one spoke up he began to gather up the papers, stacking them up neatly and attempting to roll them on his way over to his desk. He stopped short then, frowning when they refused to roll properly, then with two fingers pulled out Halbert’s paper and held it up with a look of complete distaste.  Several of the students sniggered outright while Halbert sunk in his seat, and even Craw was having a very hard time keeping a straight face.

  “Mr. Hagrid,” Snape said after a long pause, a forced thin smile on his face.  “May I inquire as to what, exactly, happened to your assignment?”

  “Er, well I was doing my homework in the barn this morning and I when I laid it down a moment the Cu Sith tried to eat it.  Actually, he did eat part of it,” he murmured, slightly embarrassed.  “But I did get it back!” he added brightly.  Andrew covered his face and shook his head.

  “Mr. Hagrid, are you trying to tell me that a fairy dog ate your homework?” Snape said dangerously, glancing warningly over at several Ravenclaws who literally were having to hold their noses and cover their mouths to keep from laughing.

  “Yes, Professor,” Halbert said meekly.

  “And you got it back.”

  “Yes, Professor,” Halbert said.

  “I think perhaps you should do it again, Mr. Hagrid, on neat clean paper and not a single smudge on it, and for your own benefit as a reminder you’ll write it out five times, and unless you want to lose marks for it being late, I suggest you find some way to have that ready for me before my last class today.  Do you think you can manage that, Mr. Hagrid?” Snape asked with a smile so forced it looked as if it were going to shatter.

  “Yes, Professor,” Hagrid said again.

  “Good,” Snape said. The paper burst into flames in his hand before he tossed it into the fireplace.  “Now, today we’re going to discuss a spell that has only recently been added back into spell books, lost for several hundred years, in fact, and used by the four founders themselves on occasions when they needed to work together without the Flux Effect.  I trust you know what that is by now,” he said, his eyes darting over towards one of the Ravenclaw students and nodding.

  “When more than one wizard casts the same spell at once, a small part of the spell power is cancelled out due to not being perfectly timed, therefore their combined effort is always less then if you were to add their combined power together,” the boy said.

  “It’s nice to know you at least listen in Granger’s class, Hayle,” Snape said with another thin smile, a couple of the Gryffindors chuckling silently at that.  Hayle had quite often been at the brunt of one of Snape’s tempers for not keeping his eyes forward during lectures.  “And yes, although the combined effort is of course more with added wands, the more wands added, the more Flux Effect occurs, and therefore theoretically could actually reverse the benefit of having help, although of course that has never been proven considering it would take a number greater than the current witch and wizard population of the planet participating for it to actually occur.  But regardless of that, the spell we’re covering today is a simple spell that even this class can handle that cancels out the Flux Effect completely by synchronizing a group’s spell timing.  There are, however, some drawbacks, since it is something that would need to be organized beforehand.  Those involved must have physical contact with the caster of the Synchronous spell for it to work, and then all must know what spell they are expected to cast after which you want to add the combined power towards.  Despite these drawbacks, the spell has been used very effectively in matters of defending these very grounds when the power of one wizard was not enough.  Only a fool would try to take on some dark forces alone, and this spell may help you in direct situations.  Madame Craw, if you don’t mind assisting me a moment please, I will demonstrate.”

  Madame Craw broke into such a beguiling smile that it got several of the boys’ attention until she stepped forward and they were abruptly reminded who she was married to.  They shook their heads a bit as she came to stand by his side.

   “As you can see, I have that crystal ball set up to a Flux meter.  We shall cast a simple light spell at it without the Synchronous spell and then with it.  I trust you will see the difference,” he said, nodding to Jennifer who got out her wand, readying it as he counted to three, the two of them calling out “Lumos!” as one.  The crystal flashed blindingly to life, slowly decreasing until everyone could see again, although no one tried to look at it directly.   “Yes, obviously, the spell is definitely stronger with our combined efforts, but at a power loss compared to…”  Severus frowned at the long metal needle on the metal cased device, tapping it a bit.  “A .015 loss to power…odd, is that all?” He murmured, frowning at it.  “It should be reading between four and six percent.  Well, be that as it may, there is always a chance for decent timing, but still you should see that after casting this next spell, the meter will be just shy of a 0% loss,” he explained, taking Jennifer’s hand.  “Verbatum synchronium!”

  Jennifer felt a strange, almost familiar tingle as the spell took hold of her, guiding her movements as if she were moving through liquid.  As he raised his wand she did too, and as the two of them cast the light spell once more.  But as the spell hit, the blinding flash was even more intense than it had been before, like a flash of lightning piercing into the crystal ball.  Instantly it shattered, but fortunately the class had already been shielding their eyes from the light and nobody was hurt by the explosion.

  Jennifer, who had been propelled backwards and onto her backside shook her head slightly stunned as the light returned to normal, Severus somehow had managed to catch himself but was no less surprised than she was as he went to check the meter.

  “Impossible,” he said at last as he stared at it.  The arrow had past the meter’s highest mark of zero, pushing itself well past it as to indicate there had been a positive result. 

  “What is it?” Jennifer asked him in a low voice.

  “Well, the meter seems to think there was a positive amount of flux, meaning that more than our combined energy actually ended up going into the spell,” Severus said, frowning at it.  “The meter must be too sensitive or set too high,” he decided.  “Fetch another crystal off the shelf over there.”

  Curiously the class watched as the two teachers set the experiment up again, and Severus gestured over to Andrew and Halbert, having them come up to try.  Snape tinkered with the meter for quite some time before instructing them both to try it, standing fairly close by to get a reading the moment the light subsided.

  “.044,” Severus reported, nodding slightly.  “There, I believe I have it now.”  He quickly instructed Andrew to take his hand and cast the spell, a soft glow spreading them over momentarily before Andrew raised his wand again nervously, a bit reluctant to cast afraid that it would shatter again.  But the crystal acted the same as their first spell attempt except that it stayed brighter much longer, and as the light returned to normal, Andrew saw his Father standing eagerly over it again, nodding with satisfaction.  “.009.  Well done, although with less hesitation you could probably get it lower,” he mused.

  Andrew actually had fun as Snape arranged and rearranged them all in groups, some in twos, some in threes and fours, so they could see the growing amount of Flux loss with the bigger numbers and how effectively the spell negated it.  But no one missed how intently he watched the arrow, writing each one down thoughtfully, until at the end of the class he couldn’t resist attempting the first experiment again.  Craw eagerly agreed very curious now to see it done the right way. 

  This time, however, Snape took the precaution of backing the class against the wall just in case the crystal shattered a second time, and it was a good thing that he had, for the bits of glass sprayed out in every direction, pelting Snape and Craw’s backs as they instinctively turned away.  Cautiously Snape went over again to peer at the meter.  The metal arrow was not only past zero again, but oddly bent, as if some great force had been pulling it down.

  “And that concludes our class,” Snape said, putting away his wand resignedly.  “It isn’t every day one has the opportunity to break one of the basic laws of physical magic, is it?  Anyhow, I want all of you to write five instances on where the Synchronous spell may come in handy, and please, at least twenty four inches of parchment this time, no one liners, Mr. Hayle.  And I had better never see another taped crumbled dog bile infested ink smeared parchment in here again either,” he added as they began to leave, making full eye contact with Halbert who giggled nervously on his way out.

  “I must admit, that was anything but a boring class, Professor,” Jennifer chuckled softly when the last of the students finally disappeared past the door.

  “Just don’t ask me what on earth went wrong with that spell because I have no idea what it means yet,” Severus said, frowning at the meter once more.

  “Well, I’m still too busy wondering what it’s like to sit through a regular class with you,” Jennifer said challengingly.  “You were as stiff as a board and behaving like a teenager sitting with his girlfriend’s parents at the table for the first time.  At least you loosened up near the end,” she added.  “Any chance I can come back again when you’re being yourself?”

  “You had to be a Truth-seeker, didn’t you?” Severus said flatly.

  “Well, someone has to be around to keep you honest, Severus,” Jennifer smiled warmly at him before helping him clean up the experiment.

 

  There was nothing that Dumbledore liked more than finding a quiet hour to share a cup of tea or cocoa with a dear old friend, and none were quite so dear or old as Glen Witolf.  Of course, Glen did have an agenda today, but Dumbledore was politely ignoring it, despite several attempts already to change the subject.

  “Come, now, Albus, you can’t hide it from me forever,” Glen grumped.

  “Have some honey,” Albus smiled at him, offering the jar.

  “They say confession is good for the soul,” Glen prodded again.

  “And confections are even better,” Albus added, reaching for the candy dish and holding it out to him.  “Have some candy?”

  “You wouldn’t be doing this, I think, if you didn’t still have it,” Glen said persistently.  “Come, now, tell me the truth.  Tell me you haven’t broken the promise you made us make.”

  “I have not broken the promise, Glen,” Albus said sincerely.  “And before you ask, no one else on staff knows anything about this.  No one knows anything, except perhaps Pyther, of course, and perhaps one young boy whom I shared a bit of confidence with.”

   “A young boy?” Glen repeated with surprise.  “Who?”

   “I might have mentioned a single piece of the puzzle when I caught a young boy exploring the castle before it was his time to,” Albus admitted, “but I assure you, Glen, I wouldn’t have done so if I didn’t find him completely trustworthy.  Have some candy.”

  Glen nudged the candy dish to one side with a finger.

  “Albus, who?” Glen insisted firmly.

  “Andrew Albus Snape,” Albus smiled.  Glen gazed at him with surprise, finally accepting a piece of cinnamon candy.

  “May I at least ask exactly why you clued a Snape in to the Secret, Albus?” Glen asked with a fixed stare.

  “Well, it was the only way I could think of to keep the Secret from his parents until I was ready to tell them the truth,” Albus admitted with a smile.  “Especially Severus, considering he knows…” he paused then, catching sight of something as he set the candy dish back on his desk.  “Goodness, I do believe he’s on his way up.”

  Sure enough just a moment later, Dumbledore waved the doors opened just before Severus reached it, going over a paper in hand.  He glanced up when the doors open not even blinking from the fact that he was expected, walking right in.

  “Professor, I finished conducting some rather puzzling preliminary research…I beg your pardon, am I interrupting?” Severus said, belatedly seeing Glen curled up in the high-back chair with a tea in his hands and a look of complete interest in his eyes.

  “Not at all, Severus, what is it?”

  “Jennifer and I seemed to have inadvertently broken the Third Law of Physical Magic,” Severus said with bewilderment, frowning at his numbers again before handing it over.

  “What, again?” Dumbledore said teasingly, taking the parchment.

  “That is hardly funny,” Severus scowled.

  “You shouldn’t break physical laws, Severus, it gets messy,” Glen advised.  “And if you tell anyone about it, they expect you to write new laws.  No, it’s best just to cover it up before there’s a big scandal,” he added wickedly.

  “Apparently they made a Flux meter register above zero,” Dumbledore said, musing at the numbers.

  “That does take talent,” Glen agreed, “considering the meter only goes to zero.”

  “I had Granger help me retune the meter so that the arrow pointed to ten percent at actual zero and we relabeled it for the tests,” Severus explained impatiently.  “The results were fairly consistent.  If we were to believe this, it would indicate that it’s possible for a group of wizards to exceed the sum of their total power with the Synchronous spell.  But where is that extra magic coming from?  Hardly the spell itself, it’s only designed for timing,” Severus brooded.

  “Severus,” Dumbledore said with an almost exasperated smile, “Haven’t you admitted to me on occasion that you tend to work better with Jennifer than without her?”

  “That’s hardly the same thing.  That’s personal, this is magical theory,” Severus sighed.

  “Why is it that young people always seem to think that the obvious answer is never the scientific one?” Glen asked with complete amusement.

  “I may not be ancient, but I’m hardly young,” Severus said dryly.  “I am merely pointing out that since power can not be created out of nothing that there must be some unknown source involved.”

  “Assuming, of course, that the third law is correct, and power cannot be created or destroyed at all,” Glen pointed out.  “Are you so intimidated by challenging a law, Severus?”

  “When it comes to a law of magical theory, yes, considering it’s the foundation of all magic knowledge as we know it,” Severus snapped.

  “How old are you again?” Glen asked with interest.

  “Fifty one, although I hardly think…”

  “Really?  You don’t look it.  How old is Jennifer?” Glen asked, looking at Dumbledore.

  “The study is quite interesting, Severus, and I’m all in favor of you continuing the research,” Dumbledore said, ignoring the question.  “Although don’t you think you may be getting over your head a bit with this, considering the work you and the faculty are doing already on NEWTS and OWLS…”

  “That will take months of research to complete, Professor, it’ll hardly be ready by the end of the year,” Severus admitted.

  “That you have undertaken it all is astounding, Severus.  I merely do not want you to get yourself buried again when your family still needs your utmost attention right now.  And Severus, if at any time you feel you must take some time off to attend to family affairs, do not hesitate to ask, or any other requests you might have for me as a friend for that matter,” Dumbledore added.

  “Ah, well, perhaps now that you mention it, there may be one small thing,” Severus said, hesitating only briefly as he looked towards Glen, but then decided it didn’t matter.  “Jennifer and I were considering a rather small private affair for this spring, merely a symbolic sort of ceremony in the Grove to reinforce our past commitments, perhaps on one of the last Hogsmeade weekends before the end of term.  We were hoping that you would be so inclined to officiate again.”

   “Severus, you know I have no idea what you just said, but it sounded impressive,” Glen said in a teasing, amused tone.

  “Severus, I would be quite happy to help you and Jennifer renew your vows,” Dumbledore smiled.  “I cannot even think of a better place to do so.”

  “Thank you, Sir,” Severus said, accepting his paper back from Dumbledore, frowning at it again.

  “Oh, and Severus, one other thing?” Dumbledore said, waiting until he looked up again.  “As your friend, I think I should warn you that you need to be very careful on how you explain this ceremony to your children,” he said his eyes quite serious.  Severus gazed at him puzzledly.

  “I hardly think they’ll think much of it, except perhaps for the fact they’ll be free to go to Hogsmeade that week,” Severus said rolling up the paper.

  “Severus, I understand why you and Jennifer need to do this,” Dumbledore said quietly.  “What happened to her wounded you both terribly, and despite the fact there is much we still do not understand, there is a great need for closure so that you can move on.  But the children were just as wounded, Severus, in some ways less, but in some ways more, and it would be unwise to think that all of them will be ready for this yet.”

  “Fine, I’ll talk to them at some point,” Severus said briskly, nodding to them both before heading out the door.  Dumbledore’s eyes followed him out, his face still lined with concern.

  “I’m sure he heard you, Albus, he’ll talk to them,” Glen said, noting his friend’s worried gaze.

  “Yes, I only hope they listen better to him than he listened to me,” Albus said thoughtfully.

 

  Spring burst into life with the force of a season in sheer defiance of the grueling winter, and as always that time of year the students grew more and more restless as time went on, despite attempts by all of the staff the pummel in all the information they were going to need by the end of term.

  Andrew saw very little of Rose, Conner and Stewart during the next few months between their Quidditch practices and preparations for OWLS, and even less of Aurelius, who had abruptly dropped out of Bridle class in February.  Only in sparring club did he get to see any of them any more.  Not that Aurelius spoke much even there, hardly ever stepping away from the Slytherin bench except occasionally to watch his brother and sister’s matches, both still in the running, although Andrew did have the one match against him.  Often he kept to himself, speaking only about the now tense competition of points that was going on between Slytherin and Gryffindor, which swayed from day to day between one and the other.  Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were busy for their own race for third, but neither of them were anywhere close to the leaders.  Right now it was sharply weighed on the Slytherin side, for not only were they pulling out leads in five of the seven years in sparring, but they had succeeded in securing the Quidditch cup with a loss free season.

  So even though Andrew knew that the Slytherins had already been eliminated from his year (Meyers, after winning one match with Davidson, ended up losing in the rematch) he knew the pressure was far from over.  Gryffindor needed every point they could get.  Stewart still came every week, although Andrew suspected it had as much to do with the fact that Kath Dunn as any other reason; the seventh year prefect for Gryffindor still had a slender chance, even though she was down one match.  Regardless, it was a comfort to know he was there to root him on, for Stewart was ever the one for the go get ‘em speeches. 

  But as the weeks went on and Andrew’s victories finally began to add up, the moment that he was dreading was soon upon him.  He didn’t have to look at the board to see who he was facing that day; Stewart, Conner and Kath were heading straight over to him the moment he walked on the door, Stewart putting his hands on his shoulders.

  “Andrew, you can do this,” Stewart said firmly.  “You’re not only a Gryffindor, but you’re a Snape, and I can’t think of a more dangerous combination.  I know you don’t think you’re as good at this as your brother and sister, but I’ve watched you enough to know you’re more than a match for anyone on the field, and that includes Davidson.  Just don’t let her unnerve you.  We need this one, Andrew.”

  “Yeah, ‘Drew, don’t choke, will you?” Conner put in, getting a dirty look from Kath.  “No pressure, or anything,” he added, folding his arms almost defensively.  “By the way, you’re in Snape’s ring again.”

  “Of course I am,” Andrew said, hearing his name being barked out at that very moment.

  “Bon chance,” Halbert said, patting his back.  “And if it helps, don’t do it for Gryffindor.  Just do it for all men, everywhere.  Girls have it too easy.”  Kath nudged him hard.

  “Considering you got beat by two girls, you’ve hardly room to talk,” she said.

  “That’s what I mean, they were up against me, they had it easy,” Halbert said, walking with the others to the side of the ring.

  Professor Snape didn’t say a single word when Andrew stepped in the ring, his face completely expressionless as if judging any other typical match.  Andrew, however, felt it anything but typical as Ginger bowed almost mockingly to him, and he returned with a stiff one of his own.  But as he turned to pace he happened to catch sight of his housemates, standing there looking even more nervous than he did, their faces full of hope.  It was then in that moment that he once again remembered that he wasn’t doing this for himself.  Suddenly he relaxed.  It wasn’t about himself, and he really had nothing to prove to anyone.  He had been so let down that match he lost, for his team and his family, but did he really let down anyone but himself in that moment?  Stewart had been right, it was the support that mattered more than the outcome.  In the instant it had taken him to realize that and turn around, he felt a renewed determination to do that to the best of his ability.

  Severus, who had been looking as if was about to doze off a moment before had caught the spark that flashed in Andrew’s eye and suddenly sat up straight, quite alert as he made the final countdown.

  As they both fired the spells smashed together dead on, Andrew’s pushing forward with just a bit more snap making Ginger dodge to the side as it came in.  Looking a bit surprised, she hesitated just enough to allow him a second shot.  She was on guard this time, rolling away and blasting him with the Petrification spell, which had worked so well on Meyers just a few weeks before.  But the spell fell a few millimeters away and he didn’t even flinch as it passed him.  The calm look on his face chilled her to the bone as he cast his next spell, and then she was literally chilled as the freeze spell took hold, the wand falling to the ground as the Gryffindors began to cheer.

  Quickly Andrew released her from the spell, going over to check on her with open concern.  But as she shook off the shivers from the spell she smiled and accepted her wand back, shaking his hand before stepping out of the ring.  He glanced over at Severus who merely nodded quickly at him, writing it on the board and turning his attention to the next match.  Over at the Ravenclaw corner, Alex and Mandria were clapping loudly.  As he went to join his friends, Andrew began to look for Aurelius but didn’t see him at all.  Had he left already, Andrew wondered?  Sure enough, Aurelius’ name had already been added to the board as a victor.  Andrew sighed, a bit disappointed that he hadn’t been there.  But soon he allowed himself to get swept up in the excitement of his house’s victory and joined them ringside to watch the next match.

 

  It was at breakfast a few days later when Dodger the family owl dropped a note in Andrew’s plate: Lunch in the Defense office, 12:00 pm.  It was most undoubtedly in his father’s handwriting, but cautiously he looked up at the main table at his father, who nodded to him.  Severus then turned to look at the Slytherin table, waiting for Aurelius’ eye to nod to him then to Alex as well.

  “Guess there’s a family meeting today,” Andrew said when Halbert peered curiously over his shoulder.  “We’ll need to take care of our mount duties early, I guess.  Best we get shoveling,” he advised.

  “Right,” Halbert agreed.

  “Well, whatever you two do, don’t be late for your first class,” Stewart said.  “We’re only ten behind Slytherin now, and we can’t afford to take any chances, especially considering they’ll probably finish out ahead of us in the sparring.”

  “Minus first years,” Halbert said indignantly, patting Andrew on the shoulder.

  “Well, that goes without saying,” Stewart said, grinning at Andrew.  “But the point is that we really need to be careful and hope for some good points to be thrown our way.”

  “Or hope for Slytherin to royally screw up,” his younger brother put in with a grin.

  “Yes, but I doubt they will.  Even they’ve been on their best behavior lately,” Stewart said.

  “You want me to taunt them a bit to see if one of them trips up?” Conner suggested.

  “Let’s not stoop to their tactics if we can help it, please,” Rose pleaded.  “We’ve gotten this far by playing it straight.”

  “Yes and they keep winning every year because they don’t,” Conner pointed out.

  “There are some things worse than losing, Conner,” Stewart said.  “I can’t think of any at the moment, but there are.”

   Reluctantly Andrew took the last bite and he and Halbert hurried out to the pens, splashing unconcernedly through the puddles at a quick pace as they talked about their upcoming tests, vaulting over the fence energetically.  But as they stepped in they realized they were not alone, for Sagittari was there brushing Colossus as they stepped in, rewarding them both with a smile.

  “Good morning boys!  Out early, I see,” he said.

  “Something came up for lunch,” Andrew explained, “and we’ve been practicing sparring at night.”

  “Ah yes, I heard you were doing well,” Sagittari said sagely.  “But it is good that you are here.  There has been something I have been meaning to speak to you both about.  I have been quite impressed with the way you boys have conducted yourselves after that unfortunate incident at the beginning of term, and how you have kept on through the year with your obligations.”

  “It was the least we could do, Doctor,” Andrew protested.  “Besides, I’ve learned a lot from you and Halbert taking care of them.”

  “Yes, and there is something to be said about knowledge for knowledge’s sake,” Sagittari agreed.  “The two of you also were a help to me organizing the Bridle Club.”

  “It was my sister’s idea, really,” Andrew said.  “She missed riding.”

  “So it was, but it was the two of you that helped me pull enough mounts together for twenty as well as bring them out and get them ready those first few weeks.  I know how close the points are this year, and I cannot possibly watch them be tallied without knowing that the two of you were acknowledged for your work in some way.  So, I have decided to reward you thirty points each for your contributions this year.  Have a good day, gentlemen,” he said as they turned to each other, Andrew with a stunned look and Halbert beaming with joy.

  “Sixty points!  We got sixty points for something we’d have done anyhow!”  Halbert said.

  “Yes, why do you think you got so many?” Sagittari remarked with a thin smile as he headed back out of the barn.

  Andrew loved heading to Herbology after that, for telling his classmates about it had resulted in a round of cheers, even if Halbert had done most of the talking.  They were the heroes of the moment, and Professor Sprout had a very hard time settling them down.  From her side of the room, Ginger looked over and smiled warmly at them both as the class came to order and they took out their herb identification homework, and he and Halbert exchanged a sheepish grin.  But they were a little surprised when after class she called for them to wait up, coming up beside them.

  “Congratulations on the points,” she said, having to run a bit to keep up with the long strides of the other two.

  “Oh, thanks, we would have done it anyhow,” Andrew admitted, “Wouldn’t we have, Halbert?”  Halbert suddenly tried to talk but nothing came out, so he quickly grinned and nodded a bit.

  “Well good job anyhow,” she said.  “By the way, how exactly do you do that in the ring?”

  “Do what?”

  “You know, that blur thing you do,” she said.  “And however you do it, you sure you’re not breaking any rules?”

  “As far as I know I’m not,” Andrew said enigmatically, shrugging off the question.

  “Well, keep it to yourself, then, but I will find out how you do it,” Ginger said with a determined smile.  “Next year for sure,” she promised.

  “Actually, I might not be in sparring next year.  But we’ll see,” Andrew said.  Ginger frowned a bit at that but covered it quickly with a smile, waving to him before running to catch up with June.

  “Not spar next year?  Are you out of your mind?” Halbert hissed when he left.

  “Sure.  How else am I going to convince her to look at you instead of me?  Poetry?” Andrew asked with a grin, patting his friend in the back grinned at his flustered face as they hurried down the hall.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The Plight and Flight of Aurelius

 

  Aurelius entered quietly and slumped in one of the chairs put out in the office, petting Rasputin absently until he heard Alex’s voice coming closer.  A moment later she entered with Andrew close behind, waving at him.

  “So all that slopping about in the barn paid off, did it?” Aurelius said grumpily.

  “You aren’t sore at me, are you?” Andrew asked.

  “No, but Camille was positively livid.  I’d watch your backside for the rest of the year.  Not that we still won’t beat you anyhow, we still have sparring points to think of.”

  “Oh, then you didn’t hear?” Andrew said almost innocently.  “Rose got fifty points too.”

  “What?” Aurelius said, sitting up straight in his seat.

  “Yes, that Elf Willow of hers, it bloomed, and Sprout got the best crop of Elfnip she says she’s ever had!  She got points for nurturing it through all these years.”

  “That damn tree!” Aurelius snapped.  “You know if we lose this year everyone’s going to be positively blaming me for it!  I’ll never hear the end of it!”

  “Is that what’s been bothering you lately, Rel?  Are your housemates giving you a hard time about Pali?”

  “They don’t need to,” Aurelius said acidly.  “I know what they’re saying behind my back.  And I don’t care how much Gryffindor brown noses this year, it’ll still be our colors flying at the feast, mark my words.”

  “Well it’s not like we asked to be given points,” Andrew told him gently.  “Look, if it means that much to you, I hope you win.  Really.  Just don’t be this way, Rel.”

  “I haven’t been any way,” Aurelius glowered.

  “Andrew’s right.  You’ve been shutting us out.  You’ve never been like this so long before,” Alex said worriedly.  “Isn’t there anything we can do?”

  “Yes,” Aurelius said.  “You can both stop acting like everything is to bloody hell right!  What the craters is the matter with you?  School this, club that, gossip this, buddy buddy that.  Have you both completely forgotten what happened to Mum?  Are you just as oblivious as she is?”

  “Aurelius, we’ve hardly forgotten,” Andrew said softly.  “But we can’t really do anything but make the best of things.”

  “Make the best of what?” Aurelius asked.  “That automaton doll that everyone keeps pampering and pretending to be our Mum?  She’s nothing but a shell of what she was, and I refuse to be sucked in by the rest of your attempts to say everything’s all right when it’s not.  It’s bad enough she has Father following her around like a puppy to have the two of you to not see this for what it is.  Don’t you get it?  Nobody’s even trying to find Mum anymore!  And I refuse to let this supplanter take her place!”

  The silence that followed was so long and deadening as Aurelius took his seat again that they clearly heard the sound of footsteps and the door open, not bothering to look up when Severus and Jennifer came in.

  “Good, you’re all here, I see, and yes, we are running behind.  I had to run up to McGonagall’s office for something,” Severus said, nodding for Jennifer to close the door as he headed to his desk.  “Why do you three look as if you were attending a funeral?  Have you been into something I don’t know about yet?” he asked suspiciously, and Andrew and Alex shook their heads, Aurelius merely crossing his arms.  “I had planned on some good news for you, but if you’re not going to tell me what’s up maybe I’ll withhold it and let you find out the hard way tomorrow.”

  “Don’t forget, you promised Dumbledore,” Jennifer reminded him with a smile, walking up to stand beside him.  It was then she looked up to see her portrait, but it was acting very strangely.  A worried look was on her face, and Jennifer found herself distracted by it.

  “Very well,” he sighed, pulling out a chair.  “As you know, the school will be having one more trip to Hogsmeade before we begin the final review push for end of term.  I’m sure you’ll be happy to know then that you’ll all be going.”

  “All of us?  Alicia too?” Andrew asked.

  “What about that third year rule and all of that?” Alex said.

  “We’re not going so much as a school function as a family function, and yes, Alicia as well, and Zoë and Zacchius,” Severus said, although it was obvious from his expression he was less thrilled by the last two additions.  “I know this hasn’t been an easy year on any of us.  All of our lives have been turned around in ways some of us didn’t think possible.  In other ways, they’ve been changed forever,” he said softly, glancing momentarily at Jennifer.  Jennifer nodded but glanced back up at the picture, which looked as if it were trying to knock on the glass to get Severus’ attention, mouthing a name.  Jennifer looked over at Aurelius thoughtfully.  He was still sitting with his arms folded, but was listening intently.  How she wished she could read him!  “And I know right now that we are all looking for a bit of reassurance, so that we can get past what happened and learn to be a family again.  That is why your mother and I have had a long talk, and we have decided that one of the ways we can take a step forward is to renew our vows of marriage.  Tomorrow afternoon with just family and a select few friends, we will all meet in the Grove to do so.”

  Severus had considered many reactions to his announcements, but the three of them turning white as sheets had not been one of them.  As surprised he had been to that, nothing had quite prepared him for what happened next.

  “Filthy blackguard son of a bitch,” Aurelius said, shaking his head in complete disbelief at Severus who stared back at him in shock.  “I can’t believe it.  I can’t believe you went and sold out to this thing.  What was it, Father, was she holding out on you?”

  “Aurelius…”

  “Shut up, Andrew!  Can’t you see what’s happening here?  Mum’s dead!  Her memories are gone and I’m not going to have this bastard butcher her memory any more with this pet pretender,” he snapped, turning on Severus again.  “You’re nothing but the traitor everyone said you were, you’re nothing but a spineless coward so stuck on what you’ve lost that you’ll accept anything in return and even sell your soul to do it.  You’re not even trying to save her!  You’re just so jolly happy with this new plaything that you’re willing to marry it and to hell with what she was!  Fine, live your perfect lives with your puppet mummy and perky little whore, I hate this family, and most especially I hate you!”  Aurelius shouted, tearing the door open and running out at full speed, the force of the door slamming behind him breaking one of the windows in the back of the room.

  But that shatter was minor compared to the look on Severus’ face that moment, completely unwilling or unable to move at first as if he had been literally turned to stone by the mere force of his son’s words, his skin a matching grey.  Jennifer stood helplessly beside him, a mere glimpse at his face causing her to turn away, brushing her eyes in a futile attempt to keep them from stinging.

  “I should go after him,” Severus murmured at last, breaking the silence and glancing around at the two still sitting there looking quite numb at what had just happened, tears opening streaming down their cheeks.  “Perhaps you should stay here with the children, get word to Dumbledore that we have a family emergency to attend to.”

  “No, wait,” Jennifer said, suddenly springing to life.  “You stay, I’ll go.”  Severus turned and stared at her.

  “Jennifer, he’s not angry with you,” Severus said in a low voice.

  “I know, Severus,” Jennifer said,  “But he’s never going to accept me as his mother until I start acting like one.  I need to be the one to go after him.”  Severus let out a long sigh, glancing at his watch. 

  “He’s heading towards the Forest,” Severus murmured.

  “Of course he is, he’s going to Pali,” Jennifer murmured back.  “I have to go.”  Sighing softly he reached over and handed her his cloak.

  “Take Ratfly with you.  Perhaps you should take Dodger as well,” Severus said.

  “I’ll stop by Sagittari’s office and see if he can’t get the Centaurs to help.  Don’t worry, Severus, the Unicorns will look after him,” Jennifer reassured him, kissing him gently before heading towards the door.  “It’s not your fault.”

  “I deserved what I got,” Severus whispered, reluctantly watching her go then looking over at the other two.  Their cheeks were dry now, quickly wiped clean but otherwise neither of them had moved with completely somber expressions on their faces.  “Anyone have anything else to add while we’re at it?”

  “I’m sure he didn’t mean it,” Andrew said softly.  “He’s just upset.”

  “Hm, yes,” Severus said, sitting down resignedly.  “I remember the feeling when my father got remarried.  Of course in that case it was to a different person,” he added dryly.

  “Yes, but isn’t she in a way?” Alex said.  “And if you’re marrying her now, isn’t that like giving up on who she was before?”

  “Alexandria, all of us are always changing, whether our memories are present or not.  We grow and adapt, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.  So perhaps what you should be asking is if there has ever been a point where I have given up on her?”

  “No, you’ve been with her every step,” Alex admitted, feeling a bit less troubled by Aurelius’ words.  “Although I don’t think Aurelius has really given up on her either, you know.”

  “No he hasn’t,” Severus agreed.  “Nor has she lost faith in him.”

 

  Severus finally let them go some time later so he could put up a note on the door and slip up to Dumbledore’s study.  The two of them ended up wondering around aimlessly for a while, their friends stuck in their classes.  Finally, Halbert Hagrid appeared down the hall, running up to them in surprise.

  “There you are!  You picked a fine day to cut class.  We had a history test!” Halbert scolded Andrew.

  “We didn’t skip class, we met Father for lunch and something happened and it ran over,” Alex said.

  “Oh good, you didn’t skip?  Then I should warn you about question twenty seven…”

  “Halbert, that’s not important right now.  Aurelius is gone, he bolted, ran away,” Andrew said.  “He told Father off and left.”

  “Told him off?” Halbert said with interest.  The three of them walked out to the courtyard to get out of the halls, all the while Andrew explained to them everything that happened, even repeated to some extent what Aurelius had said after he had insisted hearing it.  “What a foul mouthed little beast!” Halbert couldn’t help but exclaim.

  “Please, Halbert, he’s still our brother,” Alex warned him.  “Not that I think it was right, but I understand why he’s angry.  He just wants Mum to get better and thinks we’ve abandoned her.”

  “Oh, I know.  I suppose I can understand that too,” Halbert agreed.  “Although what a Unicorn could possibly see in someone who’d talk to their father like that is beyond me.”

  “Well, yes, I do admit that’s strange,” Alex said, glancing almost apologetically at her other brother.  “If there was one of us I’d say was least likely to attract an animal known for its purity, it would be Aurelius.  I mean, what does he have that we don’t have?”

  “A Unicorn, obviously,” Halbert said dryly.  Andrew suddenly stopped short, looking between both of them.

  “Yes, a Unicorn, obviously!  Then that means…” Andrew paused then, as if trying to work something out.

  “What is it, Andrew?” Alex asked.

  “Come on, we need to see Dumbledore,” Andrew said and dove inside.  Taking the stairs by two, Andrew and Halbert sprinted up the stairs, Alex having a hard time keeping up and getting a stitch in her sides, complaining at them that nothing was worth this much of a hurry.  “Buttercup!” Andrew shouted at the gargoyle, which opened to reveal a staircase.  Halbert’s jaw dropped in surprise.

  “Hey, how come you know the password?” Halbert asked him accusingly.

  “Because Andrew’s Dumbledore’s little family snitch, that’s why,” Alex muttered.  But Andrew ignored them both, hurrying up the spiral stairs and knocking firmly.  At last it opened, Dumbledore getting to his feet from behind his desk while Severus, who had been sitting in a chair in front of him with his face partially covered with his hand looked over in surprise, the haunting grief on his face quickly changing to an expression of alarm.

  “What is it, Andrew?” Dumbledore asked.  “Do you have news on Aurelius?”

  “Yes and no,” Andrew said.  “I know why Aurelius was the one in mother’s dreams.”

  “Please, sit down, continue,” Dumbledore said, coming out from behind the desk to sit down with them.

   “It’s because of the wand,” Andrew said.  “When mother has mentioned Keki before, she always remarked about how a part of her died the day that Keki did.  And Aurelius…the other day when he was upset about not being able to go back into the Forest, he said he felt as if part of him was left behind.  I had always thought before it was just meant figuratively, but could it be that when they bond that a literal part of their souls sort of switch places?”

  “It isn’t something that’s been proven,” Dumbledore said, glancing at Severus, “But from what those affected by a bond have described and actively being around some who have experienced it, I believe there is something more than figurative happening there, yes.”

  “All right, let’s suppose it is for the sake of argument,” Andrew said.  “When Keki died, the magic of her Horn was gifted to Mum, and part of it went in a wand… the same wand Aurelius has, and the rest went into the Grove.  Well, what if that part of Mum that she lost is in the Horn too?  She said she kept seeing Unicorns in her dreams.  I think perhaps they were trying to contact her in some way through the part of Keki that lives in her.  They no longer had a direct link to Mum, though, except through their dreams, but they did have a direct link to Aurelius through the wand and used his image to try to get through to her.”

  “But why would they bother?  I mean, what’s the point?  What can they do?” Alex said with confusion.

  “Well, I’m not sure if they can do anything directly, but I think that the Keki part inside her figured out how to cure her.  Basically, by getting that part of Mum that was left in the horn back to her.  Since that part of her was never affected by the Obliviation spell, it could be used for form a sort of bridge between Mum and her memories before the time Keki died.  Once those sort out, the rest after it should also fall into place.  I’m not sure exactly how we’d actually get that part of her back, but I do know that we need to get her, the wand, and the Horn in the same place because the Horn has to be whole, of course, for it to work,” Andrew said.

  “But then that means Aurelius might be leading her there without knowing it!” Alex said brightly.

  “He might not know he’s doing it, but I think the Unicorns do.  The only part I can’t figure out is why they just didn’t tell him since it seems he can communicate to him,” Andrew said.

  “Communication and understanding are two different things,” Dumbledore said.  “And while riding a Unicorn, a rider has a tendency to forget their troubles in the outside world.  It is quite possible that they did try to tell him.  And they may have been trying to tell us as well.  Severus, why did you pick the Grove to renew your vows?”

  “I…I don’t know,” Severus murmured.  “It just seemed appropriate.”

  “It would have brought Jennifer, the wand, the Horn, and you all to the same location, and I’m not sure that would have been a complete coincidence.  Don’t forget, Severus, that a part of that Horn was used to cure you from what would have been nearly certain death.  You must be there as well if he’s correct, and I believe he is.”

  “I need to go,” Severus said, abruptly standing and heading out the door.

  “I’ll be along with the children in a little bit,” Dumbledore said, glancing over at their anxious faces.  “You should all be there, to support Aurelius as well as the family.  Halbert, I’d be so grateful if you updated Professor McGonagall on the situation and where we’ve gone.”

  “Yes, Professor.  I hope it all works out,” Halbert said, patting Andrew’s back.  “Who knew that pointed head of yours could reason all of that out,” he teased lightly.

  “Oh, yes, ten points to Gryffindor for your solid reasoning, Andrew.  Come, let’s go get the others.”

 

  The Forest was teeming with life; the warm soft weather coaxing color out in even the most timid of wildflowers, and patches of mushrooms and toadstools peeked out of every shadowed corner.  But Jennifer wasn’t thinking of any of that as she passed them, her hand every now and then resting comfortably on the wand tucked in her belt as she looked for any sign of Aurelius and his friends.  The brook was the first stop, then the Centaur Glen and the meadow, but not one of patch of white had she seen.  Above her, Dodger and Ratfly scanned the skies, until finally they swooped over her and took off in the same direction.  Following their lead, Jennifer took to the path leading towards a hilly, rocky part of the forest with spindly trees that crowded each other for light.  A sudden chill went through her and she paused, looking around at the strangely familiar area for a long time until it dawned on her that she was standing where she had faced the Wraith the night that Keki died.  She shivered but forced herself to continue, the land growing unnaturally flat as she walked further on, glancing up every now and then to see where her familiars were. 

  Suddenly she heard a neigh and turned to see the unmistakable form of Pali, his partially severed Horn pointed directly at her, while on his back Aurelius sat with a strange, solemn face.

  “Aurelius,” Jennifer said, feeling slightly relieved.  “We need to talk.  Won’t you come down?”

  “Quiet,” he snapped and Pali stamped twice at the ground.  In answer a score of Unicorns suddenly emerged from the trees completely encircling her, their Horns all down and pointed at her, their eyes mirroring Aurelius’ anger.  “You are now the prisoner of the Unicorns.  Do you concede?”

  “Um, yes, I suppose so,” Jennifer agreed.  “I surrender.  What are the conditions, Aurelius?” she asked, hoping that saying his name might force him to acknowledge he was his own person.

  “You will do as you are told,” he said simply.  “Let’s go.”

  “All right, Aurelius,” Jennifer agreed, following behind a pair of Unicorns while Pali took position right behind her.  “I don’t suppose we could talk as we walk?” she asked, but didn’t get an answer in return.  “I’m afraid you really upset your father today.  In fact, I’ve never seen him quite like that before.”

  “You’ve hardly known him long,” Aurelius said icily.  Jennifer relaxed a bit.  So he still knew who he was.  Perhaps it was the anger keeping them from merging?

  “I suppose in a way,” Jennifer said.  “In other ways, I feel like I’ve known him forever.  In fact in some ways I feel the same about you and the other children.  And I know that you feel like by doing this we’ve given up, but really it’s the opposite.  I’ve lost more than just memories, Aurelius, and this is a way of getting some of that back.  Surely you can’t think I don’t long to be whole again.  But more importantly, I want you and your father and the rest of the family to feel whole again too.”

  “You talk more than my sister does,” Aurelius said in an almost condescending tone.  “Keep walking.” 

  “Alex and Andrew are very worried about you,” Jennifer said.  “Would it be all right with you if I told them that you were safe?”

  “What makes you think you’ll get out of here to ever tell them?” Aurelius asked, Pali’s Horn gently nudging her on a bit.

  Jennifer turned back towards the front and looked with amazement into what she could only think of as a garden of trees.  Well-laid paths, wide enough for two Unicorns to walk abreast had been laid throughout the grove and fragrant blossoms of different kinds dropped to the ground creating a layer of pink and white around them.  There was a tingle of energy in the air that Jennifer recognized it at once.  Forgetting she was supposedly a prisoner she found herself pushing ahead of the pack, walking up to an intersection as if expecting there to be a Unicorn standing there, waiting.  But no, Keki was dead.  Jennifer frowned as Pali positioned himself behind her again, nudging her forward a little more.  Just then she saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looked up with surprise to see Severus coming towards them, the Unicorns surrounding them backing away from him.  Only Pali held his ground, his horn still pointed threateningly at Jennifer’s back.

  “Severus?  What are you doing here?” Jennifer said, completely puzzled.

  “Helping him help you,” Severus said calmly.

  “I don’t need your help,” Aurelius said acidly, getting off of Pali’s back, keeping a hand on his side.

  “You only think you don’t.  A part of Keki’s Horn was used on me, so without me your wand is useless,” Severus said in the same even tone.

  “What’s going on?” Jennifer asked.

  “The Unicorns think Keki’s Horn might unlock your memories, Jennifer.  Aurelius, ask the Unicorns how to restore the Horn from the missing parts.”

  “Wait a minute,” Aurelius said angrily, glaring at his father.  “They just told me about this, how do you know about it?  And for how long?”

  “From Andrew about ten minutes ago, now are we going to attempt this or not?” Severus said impatiently.  It wasn’t Aurelius that answered but Pali, neighing loudly and backing away from him, the rest of the Unicorns forming a circle around them looking rather odd as some of them had to step halfway through some of the trees to manage it.

  “He said to make a triangle between you, the Horn and my wand with Mum in the middle, and they’ll do the rest,” Aurelius said, picking a spot to stand as he got out his wand.  Jennifer watched nervously as Severus than took a step to the side, his eyes focused on where he estimated the Horn was buried.  Then she looked up to where the Unicorns where lowering their horns at her.  Within a second there was a sound like a very high-pitched whinny, and she was hit by bright light from all directions.

  Severus watched in surprise as the blasts of white light converged upon her, while a golden glow had taken hold over himself, Aurelius’ wand and the ground where the Horn lay, enveloping her completely.  Then as abruptly as it began the light ended, showing only empty air between them.

  “Where is she?” Severus demanded, looking at Aurelius then over at Pali.  “Where did she go?”

  “She’s in the caverns below us, Father,” Aurelius said distantly, barely aware of Severus’ look of alarm when he turned to face him.  “It’s all up to her, now.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Jennifer Craw and the Maze of Dreams

 

  As Jennifer’s eyes adjusted, she realized she wasn’t in complete darkness after all.  A strange mist filled the air in the caverns, and the dim blue light seemed to be coming mostly from it.  She recognized the area at once, for it was the maze that she had dreamt about.  Of course, she hadn’t counted on the ceilings being quite so low as they were.  Quickly she put her head down, determined not to look up again, taking a cautious step through the mist.

  It was then that she saw Keki.  At first it looked as if she were part of the mist itself, but then she began to solidify, so perfect and real in every way that Jennifer eagerly went up to touch her.  But Keki shied away, bolting down one of the corridors.  Panicked Jennifer followed, but as she turned another corner she found herself at a dead end.  Before she could turn around, Jennifer became disoriented and closed her eyes a moment to steady herself.  When she opened them again, she found herself hit with a wave of shock.

 

  She was looking in the face of her mother.  She was sure it was, and so very beautiful, standing in front of a gilded mirror and brushing out her golden brown hair.  Of course, her mother was doing more than that.  Her strained gaze was intently gauging her own thoughts through the glass, for she too was a Truth-seeker.  Jennifer quietly crept up then, finding herself mesmerized by the crystal bottles of potions and ointments on the stand until her mother looked down at her.

  “Jennifer, what are you doing still awake?  You need to go to bed, we have a busy day tomorrow.”

  “But I wanted to wait up for Father,” she heard herself saying, her voice sounding strange to her ears.  Cautiously she peered in the mirror to see an eight-year-old girl looking back at her with huge green eyes and long auburn hair.

  Sighing with exasperation, her mother turned and began to brush her hair instead, and Jennifer felt an ache she hadn’t known was there before being pulled and tugged with every tangle.

  “You will see him in the morning as you always do.  He will only be cross if you wait up for him,” she told her daughter gently.

  “I don’t mind if he’s cross.  I just don’t want to sleep until he gets home,” Jennifer complained.

  “Now don’t be silly, why ever would you want to risk that just to stay up an extra hour or two, especially when you’re obviously so tired,” her mother asked, still brushing her hair.

  “Because when he goes out at night you’re always afraid that he won’t come back,” Jennifer said.  Her mother gazed at her in the reflection before putting down the brush and sitting on a small satin bench with her back to the mirror, pulling her daughter over.

  “I know that you’re seeing a lot of things right now in your father and my faces that you don’t understand.  But one of the things you’re going to have to learn about your talent is that people are afraid all the time of all sorts of different things.  You can’t let yourself be drawn into them.  You’ll have more than enough worries to contend with on your own, without adding anyone else’s.  Do you understand?” She asked quietly.

  “But can’t I just worry for father all by myself?” Jennifer asked.  A look of grief crossed her mother’s face then as she pulled Jennifer into a hug, pressing her head to her to make sure the girl couldn’t see her face any longer.

  “Of course you can,” her mother answered quietly.  “But not for me, all right?  Not for me.”

 

  Jennifer shivered as she found herself standing in the caverns again, but she didn’t have to wander far before she met another dead end.  She gazed down the way she had come, brushing her tears away before taking a step forward.

 

  “No, stop it!  I’m done, I’m done, stop!”  Jennifer came in shouting, throwing her wand.  It was caught in mid-air by someone she recognized at once; even though the man’s hair was auburn instead of grey and he had a beard. 

  “Don’t ever throw a wand like that.  Especially this wand,” Thomas Craw warned her handing it back.  “You’ll respect magic and you’ll respect me, whether you like it or not.  It took you much too long to break free of the Imperius Curse that time, Jen-girl.” 

  “Dad, I’m tired,” Jennifer complained.

  “Do you think your enemies are going to care if you’re in prime fighting condition or not?  Now get up and try again!” He ordered.

  “Thomas, aren’t you being a little too hard on her?”  Jennifer recognized her mother’s voice behind her and saw her standing there dressed in Muggle clothes, looking at them with open concern.  “She’s only ten.”

  “Alice, do you think our enemies are going to care if she’s ten or not if they catch up with us?” He said.  “Besides, you know better than to criticize my lessons.  I’ll teach her in my own way.”

  “But Thomas, he’s gone now,” Alice said quietly, gazing at her daughter.  Jennifer had pulled her rabbit, White, out of a desk drawer and was petting him.  “She deserves a normal life.”

  “He’s not gone,” Thomas said firmly.  “And there’s no such thing as a normal life for a Craw.  Besides, I only have one more year left before she goes to magic school.  She’s not going to be left vulnerable.  Come on, Jen-girl, put that stupid field pest down and show me that Craw backbone of yours!”

  Reluctantly, Jennifer put her rabbit down and stood, bracing herself as Thomas pointed his wand at her again.

 

  Racing down the tunnel, Jennifer didn’t stop until she got to an intersection, unsure of which way to go.  Finally she thought she saw something pass down the left hand corridor and headed after it, following a spiraling corridor until it too, ended up in a dead end.

 

  “Jennifer?”

  Jennifer looked up from where she was hiding behind the row of trimmed hedges that lined Whitebridge campus to see her Mr. Elk standing there, thoughtfully holding onto the medicine pouch he kept around his neck.  Mr. Elk was her Enchanted Items teacher, her second best subject next to potions; but in Jennifer’s eyes, Mr. Elk himself stood second to no one.  The Navaho was tall and sharp featured, his strange dress and imposing manner rather intimidating to the new students coming into the school.  But Jennifer soon took to him and his style of teaching, treating each student in his class as an individual, and yet somehow managing to do so without bias to any.  Bias would have been disrespectful, and Mr. Elk was all about respect.

  “Your totem may be a squirrel, but that does not mean you should hang about in the bushes all day,” he said with a gentle smile.  “Who was it this time?”

  “No one in particular,” Jennifer said quickly.  “I just needed some time to think.”

  “Thinking is a good habit to get into, especially in school,” Elk agreed.  “But it doesn’t necessarily have to be done alone.  Come, let’s take a walk.  We can clear our minds so that we can think more wisely,” he said, putting his hand out.  Jennifer knew it wasn’t for a hand up.  Instead she sighed and took out a small yellow folded mirror, handing it to him.  “You rely too much on this for your main means of friendship, Jennifer.”

  “Yes, Mr. Elk.  So you’ve told me before,” Jennifer said, this time accepting his help to stand.  A couple of her classmates passed by on their way to the Quidditch Pitch, rolling their eyes and murmuring to themselves when she stepped out of the bushes.  Jennifer glared at them but didn’t say a word, knowing that what she was thinking Elk would hardly approve of.  Of course, he would hardly have approved of what Julie and Trendy were talking about either.

  “What do you see when you look in the mirror, Jennifer?”

  “The only person I know who understands me,” Jennifer said bitterly.

  “Perhaps that’s true,” Mr. Elk agreed.  “Although I have never seen you going out of your way to help anyone understand, either.”

  “As if anyone would let me get close enough!  Who in their right mind would want to have anything to do with someone who can tell what they’re thinking?  Not to mention someone who is scholastically a complete wash-up.”

  “Jennifer, you get perfect scores in every class in magical theory.”

  “What good is magic on paper when my spells have no substance?  If it wasn’t for Potions or your class, I’d be a complete failure.”

  “I think you already know what my answer to that would be,” Mr. Elk said.  Jennifer sighed.

  “You only fail if you give up,” Jennifer said, less than enthusiastic about repeating any of his class mottos, let alone the one he repeated most often.

  “Just concentrate on your strengths, Jennifer, you don’t have to be good at everything.  Don’t turn green at those occasional C’s in your off classes, put your effort into your A talents, because that’s what you’ll be relying on when you get into the real world.”

  “Lovely.  If I follow that philosophy, I’d end up being an alchemist, but there’d be no challenge whatsoever in that for me.  I don’t want to be bored out of my mind,” Jennifer brooded.

  “No, I don’t think that would be a healthy life choice for you,” Elk agreed.  “Your innate talents reading people would go stale, and you would merely use it as you are now, as an escape to all the things that you don’t want to deal with,” he said.  Jennifer refused to look at him, but she couldn’t deny to herself that he was right.  “Nature doesn’t instill us with powers to help ourselves, Jennifer.  We are given them so that we can help each other and preserve the balance of this planet and all living things.  You will find that the best job for you will encompass the best of all your talents, not just one.”

  “All right,” Jennifer said testily.  “Name me one job then where my talents in potions, items, and Truth-seeking can be used simultaneously.”

  “You could be a doctor,” he said, Jennifer immediately waving her hands in protest.

  “No, no, no.  Healer’s school or not, Mr. Elk, I just couldn’t do it.  I don’t have the temperament, or the interest,” Jennifer said emphatically.  “Name me another one!”

  “Ever thought of going into teaching?” Mr. Elk said.  Jennifer looked at him thoughtfully a moment.

  “If I were going to teach anyone anything, it’d be how silly it is to be afraid of Truth-seekers,” she said at last.

  “But Jennifer,” Mr. Elk smiled, “You can teach them how to do that right now.”

 

  Jennifer wandered down the corridor a bit, her mind thinking over her school days with mixed feelings, eager to find something happier to think about.  But as began to follow Keki out of that section of the maze she suddenly paused and glanced down what appeared to be a short hallway, deciding to take a detour.

 

  “Left, Jennifer.”

  “My left or your left?”

  “Your other left,” Severus sighed.

   They were standing in a very large basement, although half of it was taken up with lab equipment.  Still a large portion of the floor was clear enough for a dance lesson, and as they passed the stairs, Jennifer realized that they were in the basement of the Broom Closet where the family room now was.

  “Pay attention, there will be time enough to gaze around after you learn how to stay off my feet,” he said sternly.

  “Oh, but they’re such very nice feet,” Jennifer teased.

  “Yes, and I’d like to keep them in one piece.  Step back a bit more,” he advised.

  “And how exactly do you expect me to do that when you’re holding me so tight?” She asked him, gazing into his eyes.

  “Yes, well that’s the challenge, isn’t it?” he said, making no attempts at letting her go.  “Besides, it seems you’re getting the hang of it now.”

  “I’m cheating,” Jennifer admitted.  “I can read from your eyes your next move will be.”

  “Oh, you can, can you?” Severus said, his expression changing slightly.  Smiling lovingly in response, Jennifer leaned in even closer so he could kiss her.

 

  As Jennifer appeared in the cavern again, she felt something inside her tug and pull as those early memories of Severus began to sift through.  Eagerly without prompting she raced to the next dead end and the next; and with each memory lived, hundreds more filled her mind, piecing themselves together like a jigsaw puzzle with often with Keki leading the way.  Then at last as Jennifer got to a new bend the mist changed colors from blue to violet, and Keki stood at entrance, making it plain that she couldn’t go in.

  “Why, are they terrible?” Jennifer asked worriedly, peering into the violet mist.  Even if they were, she thought to herself, she knew for certain she already had conquered the worst of them.  Whatever was in there, she was sure she could handle.

  Impatiently Keki nudged her in with her muzzle, and reluctantly Jennifer looked back, hesitating.  It was a one-way trip, she was sure of it, and Keki couldn’t follow.  With a sudden onslaught of emotion, Jennifer found herself wrapping her arms around the Unicorn’s neck, tears in her eyes.  But as she did so, she found herself feeling very strange…as if she were being sapped of some of her braveness, being replaced with something else…something strangely familiar.  Why was she suddenly afraid to go on? 

  Keki had suddenly reared, nearly getting her Horn caught on the ceiling as she did and Jennifer found herself having to back up trying not to upset her any more.  Seeing that she wasn’t moving, Keki charged her.  Terrified Jennifer fled into the corridor, forgetting for a moment that the Unicorn couldn’t go on as she turned a corner and ran into another dead end.

 

  Severus laid beside her in the darkness, his gaze incredibly serene in the soft candlelight.  Jennifer found herself looking at the ceiling of her bedroom at the Broom Closet, and suddenly what had happened in the caverns with her and Keki had become clear.  She had crossed over into her married life, and it was near the end of their first two weeks as a couple, the night before their newly adopted son would join them and they would have to face with readjusting to their newly formed family.

  Severus’ eyes were filled with emotion, but he did not speak knowing that Jennifer was reading him; knowing how much he had coveted those two weeks alone with her, knowing they would not likely find so many opportunities to be uninterrupted in the future.  He touched her cheek gently then, as if trying to convince himself she was really there.

  “Have I told you recently how beautiful I think you are?” Severus asked.

  “Quite often, in the heat of the moment,” Jennifer answered coyly.

  “Does that make it any less of a fact when you look into my eyes?” he murmured, shifting casually so that the blankets conveniently fell away from her.

  “No,” Jennifer admitted softly,  “although I do think you sometimes take advantage of it so that you don’t have say everything.”

  “Use to my advantage, yes, take advantage of, no,” he corrected, putting his arm around her waist.  “Rather difficult to take advantage of someone when one finds himself at the complete mercy of someone’s beckon call.”

  “Did someone need something?” A meek voice asked out of thin air.

  “No!” Jennifer and Severus barked, and then Jennifer broke out into a giggle.

  “Next order of business is getting this room sound proofed,” Severus decided.  “Well maybe not the very next order of business,” he added with a sinister smile.

  “Just be careful not to use the ‘m’ word this time,” Jennifer said with an evil grin.

  “Oh, I was planning to see how close I can get you to saying it,” Severus said wickedly, kissing her.

 

  “Nana Tigge!”

  Jennifer had her hands full with Alicia who was screaming at the top of her lungs, the quickly arrested stencils in her other hand.

  “Corey!  Anybody!”  Jennifer pleaded, trying to separate Andrew and Aurelius, the two and three year olds fighting over the same toy train.  Finally Aurelius freed it and whacked Andrew over the head with it.  Quickly Jennifer put Alicia in the playpen and went to sort it out when Corey finally came down the stairs.  “Corey, get Alex, will you?” She said, getting a cold press for Andrew’s head.  “Where’s Nana Tigge?”

  “It’s two o’clock, Mom, she’s taking her milk and honey break,” Corey explained, looking around.  “Where’s Alex?”

  “Chimney,” Jennifer said, tossing the fight-causing train on the mantel and sitting Aurelius in the chair.

  “What, again?” Corey sighed, peering up the flu.  “All right, young lady, you come down here at once!”  There was a giggle and a rain of dust came down on Corey’s head.  “Who left the grill off, anyhow?”

  “My guess is your Dad did when he snuffed out the ice fire last night.  Mercy, could you have someone clean the pictures up off the family room wall please?” Jennifer called into the air as she finished looking Andrew over.  “All right you can go.  Oh, no, not you young man, you’re staying put…and stop that!”  She warned Aurelius, taking the train that had appeared in his hands back away from him.  Aurelius folded his arms up in annoyance.  It was then that she glanced over at the playpen, for Alicia’s crying had abruptly stopped.  “Alicia?”  She said, stepping up take a closer look before putting her hand on her head.  “Oh, damn, not again!”

  “Here we are, dearies!  Where are me poppets?”

  Jennifer looked up to see a very small old woman with pointed ears appear at the bottom of the stairs, Andrew immediately running to her.  A moment and a soot cloud later, Alex appeared and ran over to her, Corey tumbling out after, completely coated in ash.

  “Thank goodness,” Jennifer said, glancing at the family room, which had turned into a demilitarized zone.  “All right, whose turn is it to get Alicia?”

  “I went last time,” Corey complained.

  “I can go if you like, m’lady,” Tigge offered.

  “No, no, it’s quite all right, I’d rather you see to these three monsters,” Jennifer sighed, getting down her Multi-Continental Frequent Porters card off the mantle.

  “I think it’s Dad’s turn,” Corey said.

  “It would be if he were back yet,” Jennifer said dangerously. 

  “Well you’re in luck, because I thought I heard something pop in the flu while I was in there,” Corey said, waving his hand to shake the dust off of himself.

  “Severus!” Jennifer shouted up the stairs, waiting below it until he finally appeared and stepped downstairs, “What did you do, buy out Witolf’s entire stock?”  He gazed at her expression thoughtfully before noting the bandaged Andrew, dust-covered Alex and the state of the family room.

  “Not entirely,” he said expressionlessly.  “Are we having a rough day?”  Jennifer stared at him unamused before grabbing his hand and putting the card in it.

  “Will you go get your daughter, please?  And be back before supper,” Jennifer added.

  “Their supper time or ours?” He asked.

  “You’re not funny, Severus,” Jennifer said.  “I’ve seen you make it to California and back in half an hour when you weren’t in the mood to deal with Sirius, and I’d like to get out of the house for a while, maybe pick up the you-know-what from you-know-where for you-know-who.”

  “Crusher Elite bat, the studded one, guaranteed for life never to split or splinter no matter how rogue the Bludger it might hit,” Corey put in.  “Best price I’ve seen is at the Diagon Alley shop.  Hogsmeade wanted five sickles more and I’m not even going to talk about the mark up Myrkinbrek put on it.”  Severus and Jennifer turned to him, both looking at him with annoyance.

  “What makes you think she was talking about you?” Severus scowled at him.

  “Because I’m the only one with a birthday left,” Corey grinned, taking the train from Aurelius and putting it back on the mantle again.  Severus and Jennifer looked at each other.

  “Is it just me, or have our children lately been making unbelievably strong efforts to outwit us?” Severus mused.

  “Would you believe I think they’re winning?” Jennifer said, grinning weakly.

  “Well, they do outnumber us, you know.  And we all know whose idea that was,” Severus said, smiling thinly at her as he started up the stairs.

  “Yours!” Jennifer shouted after him.

  “Looked in a mirror lately?” Severus asked tauntingly.

  “Have you looked at the old schedules lately?” Jennifer inquired flirtatiously back, following behind him.

  “And who followed them?”

  “But who wrote them?”

  “Yes, but who inspired them?” Severus said, pulling her away from the top of the stairs to corner her.  “Come now, you can hardly believe that I even considered this sort of life for myself before I became entangled with you.”

  “Entangled?  Does that mean you feel trapped?” Jennifer asked in a low voice.

  “Actually I was going for a more visual meaning rather than a verbal one,” Severus said slyly.  “I have no regrets over my life since we were married, Jennifer.  Do you?” He asked seriously.

  “Not in the slightest,” Jennifer smiled, kissing him gently.  Someone cleared his throat behind them.

   “Sorry Mom, Dad, but Aurelius has somehow managed to magically glue the train to his hand and I can’t get it off,” Corey said.  “Nanna Tigge won’t help, she thinks we should leave it there until he learns his lesson.”

  “I’m coming,” Jennifer sighed, shaking her head.  “That one is definitely your son,” she declared.

  “Funny, I could have sworn you were present at the time he was born,” Severus said glibly, standing in the doorway.  “Of course, I’ll have to check my journal to know for sure.”  Severus quickly shut it just as the wand blast came out, a wave of marshmallow hitting where he had been standing a moment before.

 

  Jennifer came out of the corridor with a smile on her face, welcoming the next wave of memories and the aches and pains of parenting that had gone with them.  It had not been a smooth journey to get where she was, she knew, but how could she regret it?

  As she walked through a long sloping cavern, she found herself mulling over what she had been through the last few months, and most recently the look on Aurelius’ face that day.  What was she going to do?  Jennifer sighed softly, feeling as helpless as she had when she had gone in.  All these memories, hopes, dreams, pains, fears, joy, love, and still she hadn’t the faintest idea on how to ease Aurelius’ growing doubt in himself and others.

  She turned the last corner and a light up ahead, but not before passing another dark, very short dead end.  She didn’t have to go in to see what the memory was.  It hit her with a force all its own without even trying, and she nodded to herself even as a new pain began to form around her from seeing that last vision.  Turning her back to it at last, she focused on the light, and as she came closer broke into a run, for she knew now she was ready.

  As she burst out into the light, she suddenly found that she was not running at all but merely standing in the Grove, the people around her looking as startled as she was when she appeared.

 

  Severus, who had been standing near Dumbledore speaking to him looked over at her with an expression of intense anxiety and fear laced with hope, while beside him, Alex, Andrew and Corey watched her with thoughtful but wary expressions.

  “Jennifer?” Severus murmured, but Jennifer held up her hand, turning then to where Aurelius stood near Pali, well apart from the rest of them.  He was watching her with the same wariness but something else that Jennifer was painfully aware she couldn’t identify, his gift of privacy protecting him as strongly as ever.

  It was Pali she turned to first, not attempting to come closer in any way, instead sinking into a deep curtsey.  Pali then stamped and nodded a bit, rearing up and letting out a loud whinny that was answered by the others, all rearing up in response before turning around and heading to the Forest.  It was then that Pali turned as well despite Aurelius’ pleas for him to stop, leaving him to stand there helplessly as they left.

  “Now that is one impressive Unicorn,” Jennifer said, Aurelius looking at her unsurely.  “Not only that, the leader of the pride, too.  I admit I’m rather envious.  It’s a part of my life I can never return to now, but I do remember what it’s like and that I have you to thank for it.”

  “Mum?” Aurelius said cautiously.

  “And to prove how grateful I am, I shall make you a promise that no matter how out of control your mouth gets…despite the fact that I seriously think you owe your father one heck of an apology and some hard labor for that last one… I promise you that I’ll never make you eat mud again,” Jennifer said quietly.  A look of relief crossed his face then and he hugged her, and gently she lead him back to the others still watching them with intense looks on their faces.

  “Goodness, what are all of you staring at?  Haven’t you ever seen a woman who’s not a Truth-seeker before?” she asked, giving Dumbledore a sideways glance who blinked in surprise then began to smile. “I think I’d be more surprised to learn that Oliver Twist is a musketeer, Robin Hood is actually a girl, painted diamonds lead to psychotic killers and kitchen ice boxes have a tendency to empty themselves with no culprits in sight.  Oh, and one other small thing, that it’s possible to…” Jennifer suddenly pulled Severus down by the arm, whispering in his ear.  He jerked his head back then to stare at her.

  “You remember that?” he asked softly.  She grinned at him then, nodding fervently.

  “I remember it all!” Jennifer said happily, hugging him tightly back as she suddenly found herself surrounded, taking turns hugging the rest of them in turn, tears streaming down her cheeks all the while.  Questions were thrown about her about what happened but she was almost too overwhelmed to actually answer, merely reassuring them that she really did remember by recounting comical instances in attempts to keep everything as light as possible.

  “So if you remember everything, do you remember who did this to you?” Alex said after a few moments, asking the question that adults had not yet dared to ask.

  As Jennifer’s thoughts grew distant her face suddenly fell, a look of crushed disappointment appearing on her face as she remembered the last corridor she had looked down at the very end.

  “Oh, God, not another former student,” she murmured more to herself than anyone else, grief spreading through her at the thought.  “Why?  Why would anyone do something like this?”

  “Jennifer, who was it?” Severus asked again, growing more concerned by the minute.

  “It was Amadeus.  Amadeus Longbottom,” Jennifer said softly.

  Corey suddenly stood straight up, a look of pure fury crossing his face at the thought of his old school enemy’s name being spoken in that moment.  But as he turned to leave, Severus was a step quicker, stopping him in his tracks with two firm hands on his shoulders.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Severus asked in a low voice.

  “Where do you think?  I’m going to kill that ruddy bastard!” Corey whispered back.

   “Oh, no you’re not.  You’re staying right here where I can keep my eye on you,” Severus said.

   “Dad, what the hell’s the matter with you?  Don’t you want him to pay for this?  He’s been a thorn in my backside ever since I met him.”

  “Beware vengeance, for it awakens the dragon within,” Severus reminded him.  “I want him to pay the price, not you nor anyone else in this family,” he said firmly.

  “It’s going to come down to his word against hers, Dad.”

  “Not necessarily,” he said, leaving Corey to wonder to what Severus was thinking after he turned his attention back to Jennifer.  “Aurelius, if you don’t mind, I’d prefer if you put that name under the Pact for now,” he advised.

  “I think that is a wise idea,” Dumbledore agreed.  “But if you don’t mind me asking, does Jennifer’s recovery mean that we should cancel the plans for the vow renewal tomorrow?”  Severus gazed at Jennifer thoughtfully, only meeting a private, mysterious smile in return.

  “Not at all,” Severus said at last.

  “Unless any of the children object,” Jennifer amended, gazing at them questioningly.

  “What, and miss another free trip to Hogsmeade?  Not me,” Andrew said cheerfully.

  “I wasn’t really against the idea,” Alex said, “Not really.”

  “Of course it’s all right, how silly to ask,” Alicia said.

   “I’ve already had my old robe resized, I might as well use it,” Corey said.  They all glanced at Aurelius then, who shrugged noncommittally.

  “Do whatever you want to, Mum,” he said, refusing to look in his father’s direction.  Jennifer and Severus exchanged glances again.

  “Thank you, Aurelius,” Severus said solemnly.

  “Well, since we have a busy day tomorrow, I think perhaps we should all be seeing to dinner and turning in early!” Dumbledore said cheerfully.  “If it’s all right I think I may run ahead, I should inform Minerva of the good news,” he said.

  “Sure, I can take Alicia back,” Corey agreed.  Severus relaxed a bit, knowing he wasn’t likely to get into much trouble with Alicia in his charge.  He nodded to Corey while Alicia ran to get another hug from her mother.

  “Do you suppose this means the paintings work again?” Alicia asked.

  “I don’t know, how about we try it during our visit next week?” Jennifer said.  Alicia then hugged her father and her siblings before walking off with Corey.

  “Suppose we should be heading back then,” Severus said at last.  “Aurelius, you seem to know the Forest well now, why don’t you three lead the way.”

  Aurelius nodded silently, turning into the Forest so quickly that his other two siblings had to almost jog to keep up.

  “That was great, Aurelius, I can’t believe you actually pulled that off,” Alex said warmly.  He shrugged.

  “Pali did it actually,” he said.  “I’m just his rider.”

  “Just his rider, as if everyone controls a Unicorn every day,” Andrew said.  “You’re a true hero!  I bet Slytherin wins the cup for sure now,” he said.  Aurelius smiled thinly at that.

  “As if there were any doubt,” Aurelius said in his usual brass tone.  Andrew couldn’t help but look over his head at Alex, sharing a secret smile of relief.

  Behind them, Jennifer was busy recounting to Severus what had happened, while he listened intently as if hanging on every word.

  “I have so much I want to talk to you about now,” she said when she finally finished, holding onto his arm while they walked.  “I mean about things that happened when I didn’t remember…oh but then I never really forgot you.”

  “Oh, come now,” Severus said, glancing dubiously at her before turning his attention back to the three in front of him making sure they were in plain sight.  “Admit it, you didn’t even know me at all when I walked in that door.”

  “That’s not completely true,” Jennifer said.  “The moment you walked in I knew there was something about you, something there that was never there with Mark,” she said, rolling her eyes at that.  “Even that, I think, just proves it.  It’s like I told you once, Severus.  The mind may forget, but the heart does not.  And my heart didn’t forget, Severus, not for one instant, I’m sure of that.” 

  Severus looked over at her, gently putting an arm around her.

  “All the same, it is good to have you back again,” he said quietly.

  “Back?” Jennifer repeated, shaking her head with a smile.  “I am whole again, whole in ways that I haven’t been since Keki died.  But I’ll never be the way I was before this, not after everything that’s happened.  And you…you’ve changed too, I know, I see it now.  You’ve changed just as much as I have.”

  “Perhaps in some ways,” Severus admitted.  “And although I regret the suffering that the children and others had to go through because of this, I do not regret changes that we’ve gone through because of it.”

  “Yes, Severus, I know exactly what you mean,” Jennifer said softly.  “I’ll always miss the time I had to spend apart from my family not knowing what I’ve lost, and yet I certainly don’t regret what I’ve gained.  There’s something rather comforting in knowing that if you and I had been born Muggle, or one of us had, that there would have still been some hope for us.  And I certainly don’t regret falling in love with you all over again.  In fact, I think there’s only one thing about the situation I do regret.”

  “Oh?” Severus asked quietly, looking over at her with curiosity.

  “I think you should have taken Jacqueline’s offer when she gave it to you,” Jennifer said with a wicked smile.  “Mycroft definitely missed out on that opportunity.”

  Severus couldn’t help but stare at her in surprise, trying to make sure she was completely serious before he attempted to answer that.

  “Does that mean then it’s too late?” he asked in a low voice.  Jennifer turned and smiled beguilingly at him.

  “I don’t know, Professor, is it?” she inquired back, then decided to catch up with the children, leaving him to stare after her and wonder for a bit.  One thing was definitely certain, however.  He had every intention of finding out.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Jennifer Actually

 

  They had at last come full circle.

  Corey smiled roguishly as he held out the pillow and the ring to Severus, who paused to breathe softly on the diamond before slipping it back onto Jennifer’s finger.  Jennifer did the same, gazing at Severus with open adoration as he moved in to kiss her while six children and six adults looked on.

  “Well that was fun, maybe we should do it next,” Sirius told Anna cheerfully.

  “You just want a second honeymoon,” Anna told him ruefully.

  “Well, now that you mention it, yes,” Sirius agreed.  Harry chuckled at him.

  “Shall we all go to the Three Broom’s to celebrate?” Dumbledore suggested.  “I understand that they have a table waiting for us, and that they extended the menu for the occasion.”

  “Oh?” Severus asked.

  “Yes, I might have dropped by earlier and had some words with the chef,” Sagittari admitted.

  “Rather, I talked Rosmerta into letting him use the kitchen,” Dumbledore winked.

  “Well, I’m not one to pass up Doctor Sagittari’s cooking!” Jennifer said brightly.

   “Perhaps we should go back to the school and change first?  You do realize that half the school will be in the Three Brooms this time of day,” Severus murmured, glancing at his formal attire.

  “Nobody will be looking at you, Severus,” Harry grinned at him, kissing Jennifer on the cheek.

  “Are we going to have to attend that too?” Zacchius asked with a look of dread on his face.  “No offense but I think I’m all ceremonied out for one day.”
  “Zacchius,” Anna said warningly.

  “Here,” Sirius said, throwing a coin pouch at him.  “Knock yourselves out.  Just don’t hit anyone else.”

  “Yes!  Dad’s money pouch!  Let’s go buy out Honeydukes,” Zoë said.

  “I say we hit the joke shop,” Zacchius said.  Anna glared at Sirius but he was whistling and intentionally avoiding her gaze as they ran off.

  “Can we go too?” Alicia asked hopefully.

  “Yes, but stay with your sister,” Jennifer told her.

  “And stay in town,” Severus added warningly.  Jennifer smiled at him amusedly, hooking her arm around his as they followed behind the kids at a more leisurely place.

  “So how does it feel to have all of your memories again?” Harry asked curiously, walking beside them.

  “Well, I’m still trying to get used to it all, actually,” Jennifer admitted.  “It’s strange, but in some ways, I think Jacqueline grew to know me better than I ever knew myself, especially after the incident with the Pensieve.  I’m definitely never going to try to bury my memories again instead of working through them.”

  “I bet you never try to open up an oven full of gingerbread without backup again either,” Corey grinned ruefully.   Anna, Sirius and Jennifer broke into laughter while Severus began to fill Harry and Dumbledore on the incident in question.  But as they approached town, Alex suddenly ran up to them out of breath.

  “Wait, stop!” she panted.  “Don’t go in there, he’s in there!  He’s in the Brooms.”

  “Who?” Severus said sharply.  “Amadeus?”  Alex nodded.  “Is he with anyone?”

  “Counselor Malfoy,” Alex said.  “We saw them go in when we were heading to Honeydukes.”

  “Oh no,” Jennifer said, glancing at Severus.  “Do you think Draco knew as well?”

  “Join your siblings, Alex, and please, nobody has any reason to suspect Amadeus did anything,” Severus told her.

  “But what are you going to do?” Alex demanded.

  “We are going to behave like adults and you are going to behave like a child,” he told her with a smile, shooing her.  Shoulders slumping, Alex stomped towards the shop again.  “Corey, could you do me a favor and keep an eye on them?  Make sure they don’t try to get involved.”

  “And in the process keep me from getting involved,” Corey said dryly.

  “The thought had occurred to me,” Severus admitted expressionlessly.

  “You know one of these days you’re going to realize I’ve grown up.  I just hope I’m not using geriatric brooms by then,” Corey said, but turned to follow Alex anyhow.

  “All right,” Severus said, turning to Harry, “This is what we should do.”

 

  Sagittari went in first, careful not to bump anyone in the crowded room as he made his way to the kitchen.  A few moments later, Severus Snape entered with Jennifer on his arm, the room falling into a near dead silence as wizard students stopped to gape at her in her embroidered wedding gown.  Several of the boys got smacked in that moment and Jennifer felt her cheeks grow warm, stopping pausing to wave at several people she knew while scanning the room for the table she was looking for.  At last she spotted it not far from where the reserved tables were.  Danny Brittle had joined her cousin and Amadeus, waving at them as they approached.

  “Wow, Jennifer, you don’t look any different than when you first got married,” Danny said, genuinely surprised.  “Isn’t that the same dress you wore then?”

  “So they tell me,” Jennifer smiled at her.  “Hello, again,” she said, nodding to Draco and Amadeus.

  “You do look fabulous,” Draco agreed with a smile.  “So do you, Severus, what’s the special occasion?  It’s too early for an anniversary, isn’t it?”

  “We just renewed our vows,” Jennifer said.  “We’re having a small celebration over here, why don’t you come and join us?” 

  “We wouldn’t want to intrude,” Amadeus said quickly.

  “Not at all, we have plenty of room, and all of you were at the original ceremony as I recall,” Severus said, nodding to Draco who looked unsure himself.

  “Along with the rest of the school,” Amadeus said, “I hope you don’t plan to invite them all.”

  “Come on, Draco, do some ‘P.R.’ and earn some of that retainer Dumbledore’s been paying you,” Danny teased getting up.

  “Yes, do come,” Jennifer said, smiling coaxingly at Amadeus.  “I barely got to talk to either of you at the hospital.  So you went to school at Hogwarts?  Did I teach you?” She asked, aware of the flinch from Severus on her other side as she took Amadeus’ arm and they led him over.

  Amadeus quickly took a seat to the far side of Jennifer, undoubtedly to avoid her gaze while Danny and Draco sat across from him.  Resisting the urge to sit between them, Severus took the seat on the other side, leaving only several empty chairs between where Jennifer sat and Amadeus.  It was then that Dumbledore came up to them, greeting them all warmly and shaking Draco’s hand as he sat down beside him.  Anna and Sirius followed behind with a wave, sitting next to Dumbledore.

  “It is good to see you, Draco.  How is your father doing?” Dumbledore asked politely.

  “Back to his miserable old self, I’m happy to say, or sorry to say, depending on who you are,” Draco said.

  “Rather strange attitude for a son to take, isn’t it?” Jennifer asked him thoughtfully.

  “You think so?” Draco said.  “Have you met your father since you’ve been back?”

  “Yes,” Jennifer said.

  “Did you like him?” Draco asked.

  “Well, no, not really,” Jennifer admitted.

  “But you still go to see him, don’t you?” Draco said knowingly.  “Your father and mine took different paths, but they’re not all that different really.  And we’re not as different as I’m sure you’d like to think.”

  Jennifer found herself staring at him, barely able from keeping herself from saying what was really on her mind as she thought back to all the years she had known him.  What a pain in the rear he was!  And yet here Dumbledore was, supporting him.  She had avoided him so long because of his father, and yet now she couldn’t help but wonder how he had found himself on this side of the fence.

  “You know, something tells me we should talk more often,” Jennifer said.  Severus glanced over at her curiously.

  “We should,” Draco agreed.  “Maybe you could come to dinner one night when I’m sure my father’s not going to be there.”  It was Amadeus’ turn to stare, gazing at Draco as if he had completely lost his mind.  But his expression became even more pronounced as he looked towards the entrance to see what was going on, for the room had gone quiet as Harry Potter strode through the pub, making a line straight over to the table.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but something official’s come up.  Can I talk to you a moment, Severus?” Harry said.

  “Oh no you don’t, not today,” Jennifer protested.  “Harry, can’t it wait?”

  “Well, I thought you’d like to know that we uncovered some new evidence that’s going to lead us straight to who Obliviated Jennifer,” Harry said, everyone at the table looking up with surprise.

  “Yes?  Well?” Severus said impatiently.  Harry hesitated, glancing over at Draco.

  “Come, Harry, I’m curious to hear it as well,” Dumbledore said.

  “Well, it’s a new spell they just finished testing in the States,” Harry said.  “You can cast it on currency and be able to tell in order the last ten people who have touched it.  That means we can find out not only who paid Baylor, but who paid Baylor’s boss as well.”

  “That’s amazing!  That means that even if they use cash to keep from leaving a paper trail, they’ll still leave a trail,” Anna said with interest.

  “That’s right, and even though small currency will probably be from different sources, it’ll be easy to tell where the majority of the large currency is from,” Harry said.  “We’ve turned in all of both Erascus and Mark’s cash into the lab for testing.  With any luck, I’ll be able to give you a name in twenty four hours.”

  “Good,” Severus said in a calm, cold tone, sipping his wine.  “Then I’ll finally know how to label the tombstone.”  Jennifer put a hand gently on Severus’ arm, frowning.

  “Remind me to pick up the caster first, then tell Severus,” Harry said to Dumbledore.

  “You may want to wait to tell me too,” Dumbledore advised.  “I cannot completely guarantee that I would act favorably to someone who would kidnap one of my best teachers and try to steal her life in the worst possible way.”  Jennifer reached over the table then, taking Dumbledore’s hand as well.

  “What matters is they failed, because I took my life back,” Jennifer assured him.  “And I know if anyone can possibly make sure justice is served, it’s Harry.”

  “Of that I have no doubt,” Dumbledore smiled.  Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head but didn’t say anything.

  “Don’t worry, Jennifer,” Harry said firmly.  “We’ve got them now, I can feel it,” he said.  “You two just relax and enjoy yourselves tonight, okay?” he smiled, nodding to Severus who nodded thoughtfully back.  “See you later on, Sirius.”

  “Right, let me know first in case I need to run interference,” Sirius chuckled.

  “If there’s one thing you’re an expert on, it’s interfering,” Severus said snidely.

  “So,” Jennifer said, turning back to Amadeus with a smile.  “What do you do for a living, Amadeus?”

  “Manage the Malfoy estates,” Amadeus said, still refusing to look at her.  Instead he glanced at his watch.  “Which I should probably be getting back to before Lucius starts bellowing for me again.”

  “Better you than me,” Draco said, waving him away.

  “Congratulations,” Amadeus said with a thin smile.  As he walked away, no one said anything for a long time.

  “So are you going anywhere special tonight?” Sirius asked at last.

  “Yes, we’re going to New York,” Jennifer smiled.  “I can’t wait to see all my old friends again.  I might even stop by and see Mark if we have enough time.”

  “You want to go by and see Mark?” Sirius repeated, glancing at Severus. “And you’re okay with this?”

  “Mark was never any true threat, to me or to Jennifer.  He was merely a pawn who couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get out of debt and be paid a tidy sum of money, merely to take care of a very attractive woman.”

  “Exactly, who could possibly pass that up…I mean, what bachelor could,” Sirius quickly amended when Anna gave him a dirty look.

  “Erascus was always the true enemy.  He, and of course the man who hired him,” Severus murmured, glancing at Jennifer questioningly.  She smiled and shook her head at him.

  “Well, it sounds as if this new spell of Potter’s might do the trick then,” Danny said.  “I wonder who was ingenious enough to create a spell that could do that?”

  “If you ask me it sounds like a defense counselor’s nightmare,” Draco put in.  “What a headache it’s going to be to try and dissuade that sort of evidence!  But I have to admit, it does have the potential to revolutionize the justice system as we know it.”

  “Yes,” Severus agreed.  “Too bad it doesn’t really exist.”  Draco and Danny suddenly put their glasses down in surprise.  “It was something I made up for Potter to come in with just a few minutes before we came in.”

  “Amadeus,” Draco murmured as realization sunk in, glancing at Danny.  “So that’s what you were baiting me about earlier?”

  “He didn’t know,” Jennifer assured Danny.

  “I’m sorry, but considering the circumstances, I had to be sure,” Danny told Draco.

  “No, I don’t blame you.  In fact, I probably should have guessed it, this scheme has my father written all over it,” Draco growled softly, turning back to his drink.

  “Actually,” Jennifer said, “I think Amadeus was acting alone.  Especially after what I picked up earlier from him as we came in.”

  “What do you mean, what you picked up earlier?” Draco asked.  Jennifer hesitated only a moment, and then sighed.

  “Well, it’s not like you’re not going to find out,” Jennifer reasoned.  “Your father wrote you out of his will.  From what I got from Amadeus, and assuming of course that Lucius was telling him the truth, Lucius has chosen him to take over the estate when he’s gone.  Except for some token company shares to Mary, it’s all going to him.” 

  Draco stared at her a moment then sat back in his seat, shaking his head with a cynical smile on his face.

  “Well, it’s not as if he hasn’t been threatening to do it for years.  Ever since I got married to Parvati, as a matter of fact,” Draco said.

  “And it’s why Amadeus was just as intent with keeping me from ‘harm’s way’ as Malfoy was.  I’m sure he knew of the curse, probably word for word:  ‘If you, through any action, direct or indirect, or through any inaction, direct or indirect, cause or allow any harm to come to any of my family…me, my husband, or any of my children, this blow will finish, and your empire will crumble under the weight of your own malice and you will be nothing in history but a blotted memory.’  It was the ‘and your empire will crumble’ part that got Amadeus’ attention, because that meant if Lucius lost his temper and let the curse fly, Amadeus would get nothing.  That meant he had to not only get me out of the way so that Lucius wouldn’t be tempted to do it, but he had to get me out of the way safely.  So, he obliviated me and had me tucked away, so that his key to the wealth he had brown nosed for all of his life would be assured.”

  “Why that little bastard.  How very Amadeus of him,” Draco said.

  “I don’t know, Jennifer, I have some definite problems with the idea that Malfoy had nothing to do with this.  Don’t forget how sick he got the nights that you were in harm’s way,” Severus reminded her.

  “Oh, that was later.  He wasn’t involved in the initial attack.  If he was, I imagine he would have doubled over in the Bank office, and if so I’m sure we would have heard about it, even if they tried to cover up we’re hardly without our sources,” Jennifer said.  “What must have happened is that Malfoy got increasingly curious as to who did it, and it probably didn’t take long for him to corner Amadeus.  That’s when Malfoy made his mistake; he didn’t tell anyone what Amadeus was doing.  So, through his inaction of not turning Amadeus in, he fell victim to the curse and that’s when he started to get sick.”

  “You reasoned that out quite well for someone who doesn’t still have their memories,” Draco challenged.  Jennifer merely smiled at him.

  “I’m afraid that I agree with Jennifer on this one, Severus,” Anna suddenly put in.  “The reports Vallid and I got from Doctor Miller said that she had received a superficial blow to the head before she got to the hospital.  Superficial or not it was still harm, he would have felt something, and considering how ill he became later, it should have affected him enough to be noticeable.”

  “Well, I just hope Amadeus is stupid enough to try and break into the lab so Harry can get something substantial on him,” Sirius murmured.  “Otherwise it’s just going to be his word against hers.”

  “I don’t care it does get reduced to that,” Draco said, “I am not defending him.”

 

  Sally quickly filled Tony and Emma’s cups from where they sat together at one end of the bar before coming around to wait check on the tables.  In the kitchen, Rob handed up a few plates too caught up on his work to notice the glass door opening.  Feeling the warm air from outside on her back, Sally turned around, nearly dropping her coffee pot when she saw who was standing there.

  “Any room at the bar for me?” Jennifer asked cheerfully.  Cries of ‘Jacqueline’ and ‘Jackie’ went up as hugs and tears were passed around, followed by exclamations of how well she looked.  Several hugs were even thrown in Severus’ direction, as well as a sincere and friendly handshake from Rob as the rest of the party filed in.  “And these are my friends, Mr. Door, my boss, and this is Judge Vallid, of course, and her friend Doctor Miller,” Jennifer introduced quickly.  “This is Sally and Rob Kingler, and this is Tony and Emma.  Oh, Sally, let me get that!” Jennifer insisted, grabbing the coffee pot out of her hand before Sally could stop her and setting some sandwiches she brought from the deli on the bar.

  “Jennifer has told us so much about you.  I’m so glad to meet you at last,” Mr. Door told Sally with a smile.

  “Jennifer, that’s right,” Sally said, rubbing the tears out of her eyes.  “Really it hasn’t been the same around here without her.”

  “I know exactly what you mean,” Mr. Door said with a smile.

  “We’ve been hearing all about the case of course,” Tony said, “I was just telling them that some guy was caught in the evidence room who wasn’t supposed to be earlier today and they’re saying how he was involved and stuff.”  Vallid blinked at that.

  “Tony doesn’t miss much,” Jennifer grinned at her surprise, pulling out some cups.

  “That’s not supposed to be public yet,” Vallid grumbled.  “To either public.”

  “You need to put him on the payroll,” Dr. Miller teased her lightly.

  “Well I want to know if it’s true about what Sally said you’ve been writing about, about you and the Professor already being married?” Emma prompted.

  “You just want the opportunity to say, ‘I told you those two belonged together,’ don’t you?” Jennifer challenged her, filling her cup with coffee.

  “Well not now that you said it,” Emma pouted.  “But I was right, wasn’t I?”

  “Without question, yes, you were,” Jennifer assured her.  “I should never have doubted any of you.  And Rob?”

  “Yo?” He said, peering out of the back again.

  “I lost the shrink,” Jennifer grinned.

  “Yeah, took you long enough though, didn’t it?” he grinned and then stared at Severus, looking him up and down.  “You know, you look better with the glasses.”

  “I think he just looks better with her on his arm,” Emma said slyly.

  “I cannot argue with that,” Severus agreed as Jennifer came back around the bar to sit down beside him happily.  “Don’t ever leave me again,” he murmured to her as he took her arm.

  “In some ways I never did,” Jennifer murmured back softly, “And I never will.”

  “Good,” he said, turning back to his coffee expressionlessly.  “I’ll try to remember that.”

  Severus didn’t even blink when she dumped a bowl of creamer over his head.

 

 

End of Book 3 Series 3