A/N: Chapter three everyone WHOOHOOO! Updating like crazy. Enjoy chapter three!
Chapter Three – Search and Rescue
Severus sent in his patronus with nothing new to report, he was growing frustrated with his lack of success. So far it was 10 a.m. and they hadn't even found a trace as to indicate her destination. "This is beginning to look like a waste of time. The witch must have gone somewhere hidden and had the good sense not to be seen on her way." He muttered irritably to himself. Though he could hardly blame the woman for not trusting people at this point, it was just irritating. He walked to a small cafe and sat at the patio table to wait for Lucius to finish his questioning at the nearby buildings. He missed his black robes and had changed out to long black slacks and an equally dark turtleneck sweater, drawing attention from muggles would not help them now.
When a small pleasant looking woman approached with a notepad he ordered himself some tea and a plate of scrambled eggs with bacon and sausage, and a biscuit with gravy, he added fruit on the side to balance it. He had missed dinner the night before and breakfast because of this Witch and no one was stopping him from making up for it. The woman had just slid his plate onto the table with a smile when he spotted Lucius attempting a regal pace while avoiding traffic. He was pleased to say he managed to speed down a sausage patty, three strips of bacon, and two mouthfuls of eggs with some dignity before Lucius bustled over, looking for all the world as if he were going to ruin the younger man's meal. The Wizard sat down with an irritated huff when he finally reached Severus.
"No luck. No one has seen her." He relayed raising his hand to summon the waitress for a glass of water. "I did however come across something strange though. The Witch that runs the electronics and chemistry store also runs an apothecary out of her back room for the Wizards in the area. Seems she received an order by owl and when she showed up to the delivery coordinates she was in the middle of nowhere. There was a bag of galleons on the ground with instructions to leave the ingredients there. It would seem someone doesn't want to interact with anyone face to face." Lucius said sipping his drink. The potions master was astonished that they had such a lead pop up from no where, the activity was suspicious but there were any number of reclusive Witches or Wizards who could have done the same. Despite that it was to large a coincidence to pass up. To think, they had struck gold in Ipswich, a city filled with Witches and Wizards that chose to live among the muggle populace.
Severus' brow furrowed in thought, food already forgotten, as he arranged what needed to be done in his mind. He opened his mouth to speak but Lucius raised a hand to stop him. Finishing his glass in silence the blonde looked up at his companion with a smirk.
"I have already received the coordinates, made the portkey to take us, and have even acquired a place to leave from." While the younger man was glad they didn't have to waste time he felt a little irritated the man in front of him had let him go through the entire process of planning before he spoke up.
"Well then, what are you sitting here wasting time for? Lets go." Severus slid a few sickles into a hidden slot in the table, designed for Wizard patrons, and stood, leaving his food where it was. Lucius followed suit and led his moody friend to the departure point. It was a cozy little spot, a courtyard all but surrounded by high stone walls and a heap of discarded boxes behind a shop. Once they were safely away from prying eyes Lucius pulled out the silver medallion, and when they both had a hold of it he activated it, sending them spinning with the familiar pull behind their navel.
They landed with a thud on a grassy expanse that seemed to be just as described, the middle of nowhere. A forest lay to their left, and off across the field of long grass and wildflowers in front of them the treeline continued. A breeze coming from the right carried the scent of the sea, which was visible, glimmering, on the horizon. The indent that the heavy bag of ingredients and galleons was still in the grass, confirming that they had arrived in the right location. Lucius passed the younger man a folded piece of parchment, covered in a list of ingredients in a neat hand, all of them used in healing. The potions master did not seem surprised and shoved the list into a pocket.
Severus paused, as odd as it was this place seemed familiar. He shook off the sense of deja vu and moved into the forest, wand drawn. They walked in silence for about an hour before the pressure of a great deal of magic pressed against their skin. It seemed as though the very earth had been saturated with it.
"Seems we have found our rabbit hole." Lucius quipped moving forward. That's when it hit Severus, he recognized the scent. Her magic had smelled like the darkness in this forest, thick and full of mystery, he was froze where he was and cursed himself for not noticing it sooner. Just as his friend had stopped to turn back and check on him he rushed forward trying to find a break in the trees where the entrance was sure to be.
Finally light cut through the gloom and he rushed into what appeared to be another empty expanse of land, but Severus knew better. There would be no throwing him off the trail this time, with the scent of her magic so prevalent around them. He muttered the counter illusion charm drawing a few complex patterns with his wand. A huge manor wavered into existence behind a large stone wall and an iron gate with two rather fearsome looking stone ravens on either side, each nearly the size of a troll.
"It would seem we have also found our rabbit." The Slytherin head muttered in response. He moved forward and from the corners of his eyes he could swear he saw the ravens shift. He passed between them and the gates swung slowly open to admit him of their own accord. He was struck with the oddest sense of deja vu once more as he stared up at the home across the rolling lawn, its many dazzling windows and its many arches and points upon the roof. It seemed odd to him that there were apparently no wards as he crossed the gates threshold, but he was quickly turned around by a shout.
Lucius, in his attempt to follow him, had run face first into an invisible wall and seemed to have been shocked rather badly. However the man did not have time to feel embarrassed as the two ravens promptly attempted to fling him from the gates with their soundless beaks. The man flung a few curses their way before backing off a few yards, and they settled back into place, just as still as their muggle counterparts. It appeared they had no desire to chase down the unwanted visitor, but their beaks were pointed in the man's direction in silent warning.
"Looks like your on your own Severus; for whatever reason the wards let you pass. I'll just wait here shall I?" The older man conjured a plush armchair and a book and settled in to wait with a smirk on his face. "Have fun with the little fire ball." He called after his companion who had started up the path to the door. It appeared that the man had no desire to be the first to face the woman, and no pity that Severus had to do so alone. The Professor never let his wand tip drop, when things seemed to be going in his favor they never turned out well. When he reached the front door he was surprised to find that it opened soundlessly at his touch, and when it did an explosion rocked the inside of the house.
"NIX YOU BLOODY INCOMPITANT CAT YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" The shout was filled with frustration and anger. With infinite care Severus followed the voice down a long ornately decorated hallway, its paintings and murals covered a a thick coat of dust. Only the path of disturbed dust led down the carpet to a large parlor where as a black sleek cat shot past him, headed for the entrance. Directly across from the parlor two wide double doors stood open, looking as if they had been blasted apart, and inside Severus could see the terrible remains of a man. The body had been long in decay, curled under broken hunks of furniture in the effort he turned his eyes away from the scene and peered cautiously into the parlor.
Freya lay close to the door on a plush mattress that had been laid out on the ground. Aislinn worked frantically across the room, her back to the door as she labored over a large table covered haphazardly in potions materials. Severus cautiously entered the room and managed to make it to Freya, to check her pulse, without being spotted. Her skin was hot and feverish and her pallor was far too pale. He could see the broken vials near the fire place, which roared with hot flames, and assumed the cat had knocked an explosive material from the table into the fire. He pulled a vial of blood replenishing potion from his pocket and was moving to open it when a fiery pain shot up his leg into his torso.
"You get away from her!" Aislinn screeched, a dusty wand aimed at him with deadly intent. She still wore the bloody white rags, her front painted in red and her throat still torn. Severus calmly placed the vile on the table at the foot of the mattress and backed away with his hands held loosely to the side, wand hanging from his fingertips.
"I have only come to help. I mean you nor your daughter any harm, that is a simple blood replenishing potion, it will help her. I also have a fever reducer if you would allow me to get it." He offered in a quiet voice. As her eyes took in his face hers seemed to fill with rage and it twisted until Snape could feel her disgust within himself. He blinked away the images of her the night before as they welled up.
"You're one of them." She spat, a tone in her voice other than the hate that he couldn't quite catch. Severus couldn't remember taking off his mask at the meeting but quickly let the thought pass. Though his every instinct screamed in protest he blatantly revealed his neck and back as be bent down to put his wand on the floor. "I bet you think that will make me trust you. What kind of a fool do you take me for?" Aislinn's voice was strained near hysteria. He was caught by surprise when a vase struck him in the side of the head. "Where's that friend of yours, huh? No doubt waiting for me to let down my guard." He fought back the urge to defend himself as a crystal bowl launched at him striking him hard in the stomach.
"He is sitting outside your home's wards, they wouldn't let him pass after I entered." The Wizard said evenly, hands still empty and away from his body. She rotated her position circling closer to her child without giving him her back, and Severus slowly backed away accordingly.
"As it should be." Aislinn hissed angrily. His unspoken question went unanswered in her reply. "Perhaps it would be easier if I dealt with you both at once, don't want the little rat escaping and telling everyone where I am." She raised her arm above her head and there was a loud pop. A rather disheveled Lucius appeared held tightly in the grip of a stone raven's beak. The raven dropped its package and bowed its head, disappearing with another pop.
"What in the bloody hell was that all about!? You could have given me proper warning." Lucius grumbled, trying in vain to straiten his hair back into its place.
"I suggest you drop your wand old friend. Our host here doesn't seem to trust us." Snape said casually, as though this was another ordinary day.
"I don't doubt it; but can you blame the woman when you come storming in here looking like a cat burglar. Despite all that, I find myself unable to "drop my wand" as it were. Our Lady's summons was rather sudden and my wand is currently sitting outside her gates in the dirt." He couldn't seem to hide the slight irritation in his voice at the fact. No doubt he would be spending a good hour polishing the thing when he got it back, if he got it back.
"Seeing as you claim your not going to use it I don't see the problem." The Witch trained her wand on Lucius. Severus calmly caught his companions eyes and quickly motioned with his chin to the girl laying unconscious not to far away. Assured that his message was received Snape took a step to the left, the wand was immediately transferred to him.
"Now you don't honestly think we would cause you harm now do you?" Severus said smoothly taking another step to his left causing the woman to turn with him. "There are no wands present here which we could use to attack you." He drawled lazily taking another step so that her back was turned to Lucius, who began silently moving towards the girl. "We came here to help you, no one knows we are here." He assured her.
"Then how did you find this place? It has been off even the wizarding maps of the area for over 100 years." Aislinn hissed back, holding her defensive stance. Severus again took another step to the side, causing her eyes to narrow dangerously. "Continue to move and I will be forced to incapacitate you, and I can't promise you will ever be able to move again. Do you understand me?"
"I understand." He replied coolly making a show of firmly planting his feet. "Trust me when I say we found this place purely by accident." He tried to keep his emotionless mask in place as he watched from the corner of his eye, Lucius was now next to the girl and administering a blood replenishing potion lest the girl slip away during their dialogue. He thanked whatever forces there were for his friend's ability to move so quietly.
"I find that hard to believe." Aislinn drawled in response. A yowl ripped through the calm air as a sleek patch of black streaked into the room to attach itself to Lucius' leg with vicious claws. Aislinn whipped around immediately sending out a blast of magic that left the blonde pinned to the wall, his concealed wand falling from his robes. A line of blood stained the man's hair and slid down his brow. Aislinn's eyes were wild.
"How dare you approach my daughter you animal!? Did you not have enough of her at your master's celebration?" Whatever his reply may have been it was blocked as a fiery hand that circled his throat. "Now, I will show you what happens when..."
"Mama?" Every pair of eyes instantly snapped to Freya who weakly tried to sit up. Aislinn's reaction was the fastest, allowing Lucius to drop as she whirled to her daughter, she threw up so many glowing wards it seemed impossible that a legion of Death Eaters could get through. She moved herself under the girl, supporting her with an arm while pulling her to rest in her lap.
"Baby girl, I'm right here." Aislinn said in a tear choked voice. The threat and anger that burned just a second before was gone from her . "Don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."
"Do you see the angels?" Freya's voice was weak as she smiled at her mother, who shook her head with bewildered eyes.
"What angels sweetie? Tell me what do they look like." The Witch seemed desperate for anything to keep the girl clinging to consciousness. The girl smiled and held out her hand to Severus and Lucius who now stood side by side watching. "Look mama aren't they beautiful? They were there before, with the bad men. When they came it didn't hurt so bad. Mama they took some of the pain away; the Goddess sent her angels to help me." Her voice slowly died away as she once again fell into unconsciousness, leaving her mother with tears in her eyes and the men with a feeling of awe. Aislinn lay her daughter back down making sure she would be comfortable and tucking the blankets carefully around her. The wards dropped like so many shards of glass.
"You were telling the truth." Aislinn said softly as she stood. "I apologize for my behavior. As the circumstances now stand it was inexcusable, you may give her any potions you like. If there is anything you wish in return I will provide it." She bowed curtly to them and quickly summoned a house elf, before turning her back on them. Severus thought he could see her shoulders shake with sobs as she gazed into the fire.
* ~~o0o~~ *
"So what your telling me is that you are spies for some Order who wish to bring Voldemort down, and that you are offering shelter to me AND my daughter at Hogwarts?" Aislinn questioned over her polite tray of teas and sandwiches. She had never left the room where her daughter lay, and had instead banished the men to hastily dress in a dark set of loose robes. She had dressed and cleaned the girl with care but the blood still crusted her own neck, as though she had no thoughts for her own well being.
"Yes. We wish to relocate you as soon as possible. If we could find this place we believe it is only a matter of time before he finds his way here." Severus replied sitting up a little farther. "I believe we should leave as soon as you have gathered all of your necessary articles."
"If I may." Lucius broke in, his voice quiet. The man had seen the body when they had left the parlor, and Snape knew the question had been burning in him. Aislinn turned her attention to him, her eyes still hard. "The body, in the dining hall there?" Though his voice was polite the Witch's entire face tightened. The house elf in the corner squeaked in alarm, eyes darting to her mistress. The thing wore a lovely little dress of green, but looked to the Witch with all the devotion of a bound house elf.
"My father." The voice was clipped, so much so that there could be no doubt Aislinn was leashing her emotions. Lucius' jaw tightened and again Severus felt a swell of unpleasant emotion. Her tone made it clear she would accept no more on the subject. Severus looked at the wand in her lap and found himself sure where it had come from, that she had been forced to take it from her father's long dead hand; that her fear for her daughter had kept her from taking care of his remains. "Mitzy."
"Yes good Mistress." The elf said in a squeaky voice, hurrying over to the chair. Aislinn placed the wand into the elf's hands with a sad look.
"Would you…" Aislinn took a breath to clear the tears from her voice. "Would you bury him please? With the orchids in the field? He did so love them." The elf wailed and wrapped her arms around the Witches middle, sobbing hard. Aislinn gently brushed the creatures trembling back, her face carved in stone as she steadfastly avoided looking at her guests. "We must hurry my dear, Freya is stable, but only for now."
"Oh my poor Mistress!" The elf cried. "Of coarse I will, just leave it to Mitzy. The Master will have a right proper grave."
"When that is done, please bring me my clothing and the usual list for when I go away." Aislinn asked, voice soft over the harsh sobs of the elf. Mitzy rose, face wet, and nodded.
"You can trust me good Mistress." She squeaked. "Now go, take care of the little one, I shall not let you down." The elf vanished with a bow and snap of her fingers. Aislinn rose, and met Lucius' pity filled eyes with a look of challenge.
"Let us go then." Severus said softly. He turned toward the entrance, trying not to think of the gleam of tears that had shone from Aislinn's eyes.
* ~~o0o~~ *
A/N: So what did ya think? Please review. I'm Dying here! I have no beta...sooo yeah, sorry bout the mistakes. Please guys my muses crave feedback. Thanks! Tune in next time for SNARKY DAYTIME DRAMA!
