The world of Harry Potter does not belong to me. There are some parts of this story that are taken directly from the source. If you recognize it, it's not mine.
Many, many thanks to my beta YellowAsphodel.
If you have any negative comments, keep them to yourself. Or as my grandma used to say, "If you can't say anything nice, keep your mouth shut!"
Broken
Chapter 7
June 30 9:30AM
Headmaster Dumbledore's face was gray with pain, but he was dressed and eating breakfast while he worked at his desk. The smile that lit up his face when Minerva entered the room vanished when he took note of the anguished look in her eyes. "What's happened?" he asked gruffly, pushing aside his plate.
Minerva immediately flopped into one of the comfortable arm chairs and sighed. "A terrible mistake, Albus," Minerva said as she rubbed her temples, "one that I'm sure isn't over. Go on, finish eating."
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, then grunted and pulled his plate back. "Would you take something? Tea? Toast? I do hate to eat in front of others, or to take bad news on an empty stomach. Dobby," he called behind him, "please bring Professor McGonagall some tea."
Together sat in companionable silence while he ate. When he was finished, the gray had eased from Dumbledore's complexion. "All right then," he said, "Minerva, what happened?"
"The short of it is this: someone, posing as her young man, drugged Hermione Granger in an attempt to abduct her last night. Severus, who happened to be present, rescued the girl, receiving another broken nose in the process," Minerva explained. She paused to sip her tea. "When the girl did not return home and the real young man was found unconscious in the shrubbery at Hyde Park, the Muggle authorities became involved."
"I'll send a patronus to Kingsley," Dumbledore began. "If there was an attempted kidnapping of an Order member, he should be informed."
"A good idea," Minerva said with a sigh. "In all the commotion, I'd forgotten. Where was I? Oh, yes, Severus returned here with the girl, intending to have Poppy take care of her; however, because you had just summoned him, no doubt about your hand, he gave her over into the care of his new house elf, Weena."
Dumbledore grunted again. "Go on."
She took another long sip of her tea. "This elf, a gift from Narcissa Malfoy, had been working for Lucius Malfoy in his flat in London, and when Severus told her to 'take care of the girl,' Weena followed the instructions instilled in her by Lucius."
"I'm beginning not to like your story, Minerva," he commented.
"You'd be wise not to," she retorted. "After following what she perceived to be Severus' orders, Weena visited the Grangers, telling them that their daughter and her professor are shagging like two pygmy puffs and that the girl would be home when he was done with her."
Dumbledore's eyebrows shot up like a rocket. "Sweet Circe, Minerva! Tell me you're joking."
She only glared at him. "It gets worse. The Grangers, naturally horrified as any good parents would be, contacted the school through Charity Burbage. So Charity came rolling into the office like a Matilda bent on a killing mission. She, Poppy, and I went in search of Severus to see what was going on." She sighed. "That's when we found him and the girl naked and sound asleep in his bed."
"You what?" he thundered. He slammed his blackened fist on the desk, upsetting the teapot.
Minerva lazily waved her wand cleaning up the mess. "Sit down, Albus," she said mildly. "It's not at all what you're thinking."
"Just as it wasn't at all what you were thinking either," Snape drawled derisively from the doorway, "but it didn't stop you from thinking the worst of me and holding me naked at wand point." He marched decisively across the Headmaster's office, helped himself to tea and toast, and settled into a chair next to Minerva.
"In my defense," Minerva responded, "we found Miss Granger's blood-drenched clothing lying on your floor -"
"From my broken nose," he retorted. "As to the girl being unclothed and in my bed, I swear I had absolutely no knowledge that. It was entirely the fault of that idiot elf."
"I believe you, Severus," Minerva told him earnestly. "I ought never to have doubted you, and I'm sorry. I hope you'll forgive me."
Nodding, Snape set down his mug. "I'm sure I will, Minerva. Eventually."
"What of Miss Granger and her parents?" Dumbledore asked. "Has anyone set their minds at ease?"
"I asked Poppy to examine her and give her breakfast," she replied. "I also saw to it that she had some more suitable clothing -"
"Thank Merlin," Severus muttered into his tea.
"-and Charity, polyjuiced to look like Miss Granger, has taken Weena to see the Grangers and straighten out the whole situation."
Dumbledore frowned. "Why in the world would Charity do that? Polyjuice herself to look like the girl, I mean?"
"Because the Muggle authorities are involved," Minerva explained. "If it appeared that the girl had returned home of her own accord and unharmed, the authorities would be inclined to let things go."
Snape frowned and set his teacup down. "I believe that the girl's would-be abductor was working on the Dark Lord's orders." He looked slowly back and forth between the two. "And I fear that the culprit may have been Draco Malfoy."
"Draco? Severus, how can you be sure of that?" Dumbledore demanded.
"According to Mrs. Malfoy, the Dark Lord has commanded Draco to kill Potter's girlfriend. If he completed the task, his father's failure at the Ministry would be forgiven. Failure, however, would result in his mother's death," he answered. "Besides he drove away in a green, vintage Triumph Spitfire that, unless I am badly mistaken, belongs to Narcissa Malfoy."
"Do you think she's involved as well?" Minerva asked with alarm.
"No." He shook his head. "Cissy cares nothing for political machinations. Like your protective feelings for your favorite student, her only concern is for her child."
Minerva nodded, knowing that if Severus wasn't ready yet to forgive her, he at least understood. "Thank you," she told him sincerely, and he nodded.
Dumbledore frowned. "I wonder why the boy didn't just fulfill his order and kill the girl," he said. "I mean, that is what Tom ordered him to do."
Snape shook his head. "Draco," he explained, "is a bully, but, for all his high talk, he's no killer. And, he's in way over his head."
"Missy Min," her elf Sosty spoke softly, "you has another problem." She had appeared suddenly holding Weena by the arm. Her gray eyes were hard, and the younger elf was covered in blood and shivering from shock.
In one fluid movement, Severus knelt down beside little Weena. He grabbed her by both arms, heedless of the blood, and shook her gently. "Weena!" he called her. "Weena, what's happened?"
The little elf blinked until her green eyes slowly refocused on her new owner. "Oh, Potions Master, Master, sir," she whispered. "Awfulness it was. Poor Muggles!"
Suddenly, Dumbledore, bending at the waist, was there. Gently but demandingly, he asked her, "Weena, what happened? What was awful?"
The little elf began to cry, and Sosty stepped forward, pulling Weena from Severus' grasp. She draped a tea towel over the younger elf's shoulders. "Weena must tell," the older elf implored.
Weena looked into the deep gray eyes of the other elf and began to weep. "Missy Charity fooled Muggle aurors. They leave. Missy Charity tell Missy 'Mione's parents truth. Then they arrive." The little elf paused, nearly at her breaking point.
"Weena not stop," Sosty urged her. "Weena tell all. Weena be brave."
The terrified little elf nodded and swallowed. "Wearing black," she said, "they kill all. Father Granger, Mother Granger, Missy Charity still looking like Missy Hermione. All dead. Blood, blood everywhere. Weena so scared. Weena come back alone!"
Severus stood, grim faced and silent. He looked his colleagues steadily in the eyes.
"Thank you, Weena," Minerva said abruptly. "Sosty, please take care of Weena."
The older elf nodded, anger and worry on her wrinkled face. "Sosty take Weena."
As the two elves vanished from sight, Dumbledore scrubbed his blackened hand across his face. "I'll contact Kingsley," he said.
"And I'll go tell the girl," Minerva stated with a sigh. "I'll vouch as guardian for her, Albus, and get my brother Robbie to draw up the legal papers. She comes of age in September, so that -"
"No," Severus said quickly, "the Dark Lord believes the girl is dead. Let's not enlighten him. Perhaps we can turn this to our advantage."
"Agreed," Dumbledore stated firmly. "Only the three of us, Poppy, and Kingsley need know the truth. Miss Granger can work on her studies while staying hidden, and perhaps we can put her brilliant mind to work for the Order as well." He glanced back and forth at them. "I find myself in need of a research assistant."
"We'll leave you then," Severus said softly as he headed for the door. "I'll go with you to speak to the girl," he told Minerva. "She may remember something of importance." He held the door open for her.
"Thank you, Severus," Minerva replied. "Oh, hello, Kingsley."
"Good morning, Professor," the tall dark man replied.
"I wish it were," she said. "I wish it were."
