Good news- I finally know what I am going to do with this story! Bad news- I couldn't figure out a way around writing this chapter to get to where I want it to go. Therefore this chapter is really short with lots of dialogue and I apologize for that. Don't hate me! -SingingInSilence
Chapter Ten: Explanation Required
The Professor's apparition was a jostled mess thanks to his sudden tag along. How they arrived without being splinched, he wasn't quite sure. However, for whatever relief this might have brought him, boiling vexation took over. A few feet away, Lucy's legs had lost their jellied feeling and she steadily began gaining her bearings. The Department for Mysteries was just as vastly dark and eerie as she had imagined it to be.
She caught a glimpse of orbs of light flickering on and off a ways in front of her. The occasional sharp crackles of spells, accompanied by the echoing shallow cries of their victims could be heard from the distance.
"THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING!" How he wished he could scream at her instead of just the harsh whisper! Frankly Severus Snape would have smacked her upside the head if he could.
"Proving you shouldn't lock me away just yet," Lucy answered back.
Right now they were hidden between towering shelves of prophecies, but there was no telling who, and how many were here. Lucy pulled her wand out from her back pocket, having it at the ready. Inching slowly towards the opening to make sure no one noticed them, she turned back to Snape who beyond was furious.
"You foolish girl, what have you done? If you're trying to prove you're a danger to yourself, your making a splendid point. Enough so, I dare wonder Albus should remove your magic all together! "
"Stupify!" she hissed and raised her wand directly at Snape's path.
The light of a spell spiraled towards Severus Snape, who hit the ground in a split second and shot up the next. He was more than ready to defend himself against anyone; his wand at his student's throat.
For someone whose life was in danger, Snape noted Lucy was remarkably calm. She hadn't moved since she cast the spell and her eyes remained glued- 'behind me?'. The Professor turned his head ever so slightly to see a face he recognized. It belonged to a man who'd been looking to gain ranks amongst the Death Eaters. 'So this was the Dark Lord's latest induction mission. Why wasn't I aware?'When he turned back to Lucy, he was displeased to find her smirking triumphantly.
"Did you honestly think I was about to attack a teacher?" Lucy scoffed quietly.
Snape rolled his eyes, "Potter's idiotic thinking wears off on the fools around him. After the time you've spent around his gaggle of friends lately, I wouldn't put it passed you."
"You've got to be joking- I just saved your life!"
He shushed her harshly, "I would have had him..."
'I'd laugh my ass off at him right now if I could'. Instead, Lucy gave him her infamous look. "...Sure you would."
"Silence," Snape hissed. "I'm taking you back, immediately. The idiots at the Ministry seem to have the area controlled."
"Yah, except for him," Lucy noted as she kicked the wand away from the fallen man's hand. Snape picked up the wand and tucked it into his back pocket.
"Idiots, eh, Professor?" came a deep unfamiliar voice.
Lucy raised her wand to the approaching figure, ready to stun him at the first sudden movement. Her Professor however, placed a steady hand on top of her wrist. Befuddled, she looked to him for an explanation as he slowly brought her arm down by her side. 'What the hell are you doing, Snape?' Brown eyes narrowed to see through the effervescent green haze clouding his identity. 'Tall- purple robes, and- Kingsley Shaklebolt.' She took a step back in surprise as recognition sparked to life.'Awesome! Wait- oh shit, not awesome, not awesome! How the hell am I getting out of this one?'
"Shaklebolt," Snape greeted him with an army man's tone- more out of mere social discipline than anything. As Kingsley grew closer, the auror's puzzled expression was giving away his attempts to identify Lucy. Severus immediately stepped in front of his student.
"Professor," Kingsley responded, though his eyes were locked on Lucy. "I'm sorry," he began motioning to her, "I don't believe we've met? Kingsley Shaklebolt."
Accepting there was no way out, Snape bit his tongue and moved to the side. 'Perhaps this will teach Miss Augustina a lesson.'
Lucy stepped up cautiously. "Luscinia Augustina," she spoke confidently.
"And your an auror?"
"More like student," she answered. Lucy winced as the aurora's eyes grew twice their size.
"Come again?" Kingsley appeared to not want to except the news as much as Lucy didn't want to tell him. "I just witnessed you stun a man twice you're size and triple you're age? Surely you're not a... you're a-"
"Student," Snape added for him. "A deranged and obnoxiously talented student who surprised me upon apperating," he clarified. "Aurthor Weasley?"
"Rescued, and in good hands. You say she surprised you at this time of night?" Kingsley questioned.
Lucy stared at her feet then at Snape.
"Not here," the professor intervened. "Dumbledore will explain."
Back at the castle, both Kingsley and Snape stormed through the dark halls to the Headmaster's office with Lucy right on there heels. She had finally grown accustomed to the long hurried strides of tall angry men since she'd arrived. As they approached the office door, Lucy could hear quiet mummers of voices inside of the Weasley children, Professor McGonagall, and Dumbledore. Quiet until-
"Look at me!" Harry's voice came booming through the cracked door.
The mummers ceased immediately. Snape, Lucy, and Kingsley now found their sudden entrance interrupting an uncomfortable silence they weren't keen on being part of.
Snape moved leisurely into the room- as though he was not sure he wished to uncover whatever was going on. "Headmaster?"
"Oh, Severus," Dumbledore began, "any news?"
Kingsley stepped forward, more gathered now than he had been at the Ministry. "Aurthor Weasley was discovered by our people and I assure you he is in good hands." He looked more to the Weasley children then at Dumbledore as he spoke- something Lucy found rather honorable. "Shortly there after," he said now more Dumbledore, "I discovered Miss Augustina stunning a skilled attacker- rather impressively."
"I beg your pardon?" Professor McGonagall said in disbelief while the rest of the room looked on.
'... and now everyone is watching me like this is some juicy soap opera,' Lucy thought and grimaced. She sensed her Head of House's gaze was far more surprised then the rest. Ginny's eyes were wide and begging for and explanation, but all Lucy could do was provide a sorry gaze and hope she wasn't expelled before she could explain to her best friend. 'Secrets,' she suddenly decided, 'are highly overrated if you must keep them from your friends.'
Meanwhile Harry's rage was yet to be quelled. "She had a part in this! She's responsible?"
"What? No!" Lucy was mortified. The uneasy feeling from a flopping stomach grew at the thought and she suddenly felt very nauseous. "Harry, how could you think that!"
The Potions Professor rewarded Potter with a nasty look. "Quiet now- both of you," he said sharply. Snape stopped to stare a short second at Lucy then Kingsley, then to McGonagall, and then to the Weasley children before he whipped around to face Dumbledore.
"Explain her," Snape motioned to Lucy, "before the boy opens his big mouth to anyone with ears."
"Miss Augustina?" her Head of House muttered baffled. McGonagall's normally sharp presence was dulled by the long nightgown and braided long hair, though her pointed gaze was as fiercely demanding as it always was. "Explain what, Snape? Albus, what is he talking about?"
"Yes, that must be done," Dumbledore answered quickly without acknowledging Professor McGonagall. "All will be explained once the children are safe at Grimmuald place."
"No," Ginny's quiet, yet fiery voice spoke up. "If you say my father's alright, I'd like to know now too, Luce."
Dumbledore's age was showing even in the dim light of his office. He silently asked Lucy's permission, who nodded her head wearily. "Alright," Dumbledore agreed, "but I believe it best if we all gather at Grimmuald's Place for this discussion. You three," he said turning to Harry, "should all be there."
"I'll go wake up Hermione then" Ron announced, who stood up after spending the whole time studying the floorboards.
"And I'm going with him," Harry grumbled then stormed out the door leaving Ron to catch up.
Lucy decided she had enough courage to speak- or was rather less likely to vomit from all the chaos. "So everyone is going to know, now?" Dumbledore nodded, though they where both quietly aware that explaining somethings- like she wasn't from their world- would be out of the question.
Meanwhile Snape looked more furious than ever. 'Leave it to Dumbledore to give me only pieces of Miss Augustina and Potter the whole puzzle at the hint of him asking.'