Disclaimer: Not Mine.
Rebirth
Chapter 4
"Vincent!" Helen cried and ran, throwing her arms around his neck. "Come, sit down. You look like shite."
'Thanks Marcus." Tom shook the Aurors' hand as Helen led Vincent to the chair he had just vacated.
"He looks a little rough for only a few hours." Tom nodded to the boy.
"Yeah, that's why I brought him here. I had him in emergency. They said he took a beating but it wasn't too bad." The Auror looked over to Vincent. "He won't say who, so I guess it ends. We can't press charges without a name."
"Not likely to get one." Tom turned back to the two now seated in the chairs. "If that one has learned anything it is to take what you get and shut up about it."
"I only have a couple of questions for the report." Marcus nodded toward Helen. "I can see she gets home."
"I'd appreciate it. I have to be up in a few hours." Tom walked over and squatted down in front of Helen and Vincent. "Listen, Marcus will see you two home. I am going to be running along."
"Thanks Tom." Helen blushed. "I guess you didn't know what you were getting into when you opened my door."
"No, but I am glad that you didn't already have a grudge against me. You managed to fight it off."
"Tom?" Vincent looked at him oddly. "What am I missing here? I was just told that Helen ate something that did not agree with her."
"Well Helen, it seems that you have someone to talk to. This ought to fill in the time until you can pee." Tom laughed and left them alone, signalling Marcus to join him in the hallway.
Stepping out of the room Tom pulled Marcus down the hall so as not to be heard.
"They could not have known she would make tea." Tom frowned as he spoke quietly to the Auror. "She had coffee and some of that Muggle soda on her table."
"We are going through her apartment, or room is more like it," Marcus shook his head and chuckled. "Must be hard for a Dolohov to live like the rest of us."
"Leave it be Marcus, I thought the same, but she seems decent."
"Well, we did get the truth from him. So, there is nothing to hold him on yet."
"He does not carry the Mark," Tom frowned. "Leave him alone unless you have something on him."
"Yeah, because it was burnt off," Marcus sneered at Tom. "You think I believe that nonsense about him being in that fire at Hogwarts? Bloody Hell man, he did that to himself to get rid of the Mark."
"Harry Potter himself, and Draco Malfoy both say he was in the fire. Surely you don't think they are both lying."
"No, I am sure someone was in there, but not Crabbe. For all we know Goyle put someone in there just to throw us off the truth."
"Marcus, what worries me right now is that someone already had a story fabricated to float when you showed up."
"What story?"
"What you believed. That she and Crabbe were lovers."
"We don't know that part isn't true."
"Oh come on Marcus." Tom ran his hand through his hair. "They were in the Leaky Cauldron, I saw them together. Trust me, they are not lovers."
"They could be fooling you."
"Vincent?" Tom chuckled and shook his head. "Not likely Marcus. Helen maybe, but not Vincent. If he had been in her knickers the whole room would have known it."
"Thank you Tom." They both turned to the door to see Vincent watching them. "I am sure you meant that kinder than it sounded. I will warn you however, not to repeat that within Helen's hearing."
"Vince," Tom looked at the floor before meeting his eyes. "I only meant that you were incapable of hiding your feelings."
"That or too stupid," Vince said stonily.
"Okay guys," Helen said hurrying into the hallway. "I can go, I managed to pee."
"I am so glad for you," Marcus sneered. "Miss Dolohov your premises have been searched again and all food and drinks destroyed. I will accompany you back myself to make sure the premises have not been tampered with and to give you a few moments to set up temporary wards."
"Sure," she said hesitantly. "I've been thinking. I have been here for a few months. Why would any one want to poison me now?"
"Any number of Death Eaters would want you dead," Vincent scowled. "You are said to be a blood traitor."
"And any number of those on the side of the light may not believe that," Tom added thoughtfully.
"I know that." She rolled her eyes. "The thing is, I have not used that brand of tea since the day Vincent and I went to lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. Tom's tasted so much better I stopped on the way home and picked up the kind he serves."
"So, you think it was someone wanting me?" Vincent asked. "Someone that saw us that day?"
"I don't know Vincent, either they wanted me to kill you, or you me. It wouldn't make much difference I guess."
"While you figure this out, check everything you eat," Tom said. "And, I need to get going."
"Thanks again Tom." Helen stood on the toes and kissed him on the cheek. "There, now I have two lovers."
She laughed and took Vincent's arm and they started walking toward the elevator.
"Vince, make sure you test all your food at home." She looked up at him concern evident on her face.
"You have not lived in a Death Eaters home for a long time." He smirked at her. "The Crabbe elves check every thing we eat, even the water we drink."
"Then who ever did this would know that," she mused. "That should narrow it down to a Death Eater."
"Or someone that had been in their homes."
"A guest?"
"Not always." He looked at Marcus and pulled his arm back. "This is where I will leave you. Marcus, if you will have Mr Weasley contact me tomorrow, perhaps it is time to start on those items we still need to bring up from my cellar."
"I will be glad to Mr Crabbe." He pulled Helen closer than he needed to for side-to-side apparation and left with a small crack of thunder.
Vincent found him self alone, standing in St Mungo's Reception area looking dishevelled and forlorn. He walked to the front of the building and stepped out into Muggle London wanting to forget for just a while who he was and why he was here.
He had seen his mother in Azkaban. Rather he had seen what was left of her. The guards had made sure to march him past her cell, push him into the bars and turn his head to make him look at the woman crouched in the corner. She picked at her sleeve that was almost in threads from her picking and pulling at it. She looked around her cell, keeping her eyes to the floor, letting drool slide from the corner of her mouth. Her hair was wild and uncombed, no longer neatly tied back as he had always seen in.
Then she lifted her head, looked directly at him, and began to laugh, high and shrill with only a touch of madness. It was the laugh that Vincent remembered hearing as a child. Vincent recoiled from the sight but was held fast and pushed harder against the bars. She still laughed and leaned forward putting her palms on the cell floor. She moved forward on her hands and knees, and then crawled to the bars.
He twisted against the unseen hands at his back, and fought for freedom. Feeling his defeat, he slid down the bars and came to rest on the floor, his head even with hers. She looked at him with the unblinking eyes of madness and still laughed. Throwing her head back, she quieted only to come forward again to spit in his face. Her eyes grew larger as he wiped the spittle on the back of his sleeve.
"Bastard." She hissed. "Bastard son didn't save his father."
The guard yanked Vincent up by the hair. "She gets kissed again tomorrow. We just thought you would want to say goodbye."
"Again?" He whispered not able to take his eyes off her. "The dementors should be gone. Not here…"
"Yeah, right. Well see kid, sometimes we let them back in. Sometimes it takes more then one kiss." The guard shrugged and pushed him down the hallway where his own cell awaited, smiled and smacking a club into his palm. He planned to make sure that Crabbe knew who was in charge here.
Now, as he walked through the deserted streets of London he felt his chest tighten at the memory. He was sure he would not miss her. He was sure he did not care. When he had heard of her trial and sentence, it had left him cold, uncaring, and almost glad that it was over. Now he walked and felt the loss of a mother he had never known. He thought of Potter and wondered which was better, having a mother that hates you, or not having one at all.
He walked until the sun was turning the sky lighter and then apparated to his family home. Looking up at the house from the pavement below the gate, he considered returning to London, and Diagon Alley to drink until he could no longer see his mothers face.
He started up the walk knowing that even if he did go to the Alley he needed to change his clothes and clean up. He was almost to the door when he saw Elsie wringing her hands and in tears sitting on the bottom step.
"Elsie? What ever are you doing out here?"
"Oh Master," She ran to him and threw her arms around his legs.
"Elsie, please let go." He stepped back as soon as he felt her release him.
"I hear you in Azkaban, and then I hear not in Azkaban." She wailed into her hands. "Then the mens come to get in the house."
"Aurors?" He frowned.
"No, the mens in the black robes like your fathers."
"Death Eaters, you can say it aloud."
"That's the words." Elsie trembled. "I do not like those words."
"I know," he said grinning at her and patting her on the head.
"You kept them out?"
"Yes Master," she sniffed.
"You did very good Elsie. Very good indeed." He watched as she bowed again, smiling widely. "Why are you sitting out here?"
She lowered her eyes as her eyes got large in fright. "I forgot the word."
"What word?"
"They pull down the wards fast. I put a password on the last one."
"Now no one can get in." His lip curled up in a smile. "Elsie, the way my day has been going I would expect nothing else."
Elsie and Vincent walked up to the top step and sat down looking around the yard until Vincent finally broke the silence.
"The Ministry opens up soon. We could try a spell breaker." Vincent looked down Iggy, sitting beside him happily swinging her feet on the high step.
"I go?" Elsie stopped swing her feet and looked up nervously.
"That or we can continue to sit here." Vincent scowled at her.
"I can sit."
"Elsie, Mr Weasley is to come this morning. I should be here if he arrives before the spell breaker comes."
"I go to Mr Weasley." She jumped up.
"Why are you frightened of the spell unit?"
"They come when you are ill Master. They not nice. They say bad things."
Vincent looked down at her knowing exactly how they would have treated a Death Eaters Elf. "Thank you Elsie, if you could go tell Mr Weasley that would be fine."
Once Elsie had left, Vincent stood up and walked around to the back of the house hoping to find the lawn furniture. Finding not the furniture but a very unkempt patio, he pulled his wand and began getting rid of the weeds and grass that grew between the paving stones. He lost track of time, and finding peace in doing a domestic job for what may have been the first time in his recent memory he felt himself relax and begin to let go of the tension the last day had piled on him.
"I have a shed full of Muggle inventions that I study when things get too much. You do yard work." Arthur Weasley stepped on the patio and looked at the smooth paving stones. "I used to have a son that did things like this around the house."
"I heard." Vincent looked down at the ground. "I wish that whole day could be done over."
"No." Arthur met his eyes. "I use to think that way, until someone told me it could have been worse. I believe that. I could have lost much more. My whole family was there that night and I only lost one. It could have been much worse."
"I seem to be unable to get in the house." Vincent changed the topic quickly. "Have you spoken to Elsie?"
"She is out front." Arthur looked at Vincent oddly. "You really cannot remember the spell to make the password open for you? On your own house?"
"I would not be out here weeding if I did."
"Let me show you." Arthur pulled his wand and showed Vincent the pattern, correcting him until it was right. He made him repeat the spell a few times before leading him out front to put the two together.
The door sprang open to a delighted Elsie who oh'ed and ah'ed when her Master was able to undo the spell. She ran off to get a pot of tea as Vincent led Arthur into the sitting room.
"She is alone here most of the time." Vincent found himself apologizing for the elf. "She loves to spoil company, so if you could…"
"Sure Vincent." He laughed at the young wizard. "Wives and elves are a lot a like. It is not a good thing to anger them first thing in the morning."
Elsie appeared with the tea tray laden with biscuits and small cakes. She had also included breakfast food and a platter with fresh fruit. Standing near, wringing her hands she waited until both Vincent and Arthur had filed a small plate before she winked out.
"You know Vincent, I could ask one of my sons come over and help with your spell work."
"I don't think that is a good idea Mr. Weasley." Vincent looked up at him from his plate. "We didn't exactly get on in school."
"I am sure there is someone you could turn to." Arthur leaned forward resting his arms on his knees.
Vincent shook his head and frowned. "I am afraid not. I don't know anyone that well who is not dead or in Azkaban. I refuse to have anything to do with that group I used to call friends."
"I can talk to Minerva for you. She may know someone who is looking for a part time tutoring job."
"Don't tell her it's for me." Vincent looked at Arthur and shrugged. "I already spoke to her once since… well, since that night. It didn't go well."
"An ad in the paper perhaps?"
"That may work." Vincent leaned forward suddenly excited. "I can do that. I can set up a meeting someplace other then here. That way they wont know it is me until we meet, and maybe I can convince them it is okay."
"Good," Arthur said as he stood up. "Now, let's get down to that cellar and see what else we can get out of there."
"Whatever it is they want it."
"Who?" Arthur turned, asking him softly.
"Death Eaters. They were here. That is who Elsie was keeping out."
