Endeavor of the Strong by henri8l
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANY of the HP books, or film franchise, only these invented plot changes and added characters.
C10 Iago's Power Play and Five Knocks at Death's Door
Harry was filled with a trilling nervous energy that seemed to want an escape. His leg bounced, his face twitched, and his fingers unconsciously played in Zinnia's hair. In contrast Neville was enveloped in a deadly calm, still in the dark as to what had happened to spur this on. He knew that whatever happened had been enough to have rattled the nearly unshakeable Harry. The way he grasped at the children, even as they sat in the cab, was telling. Zinnia was in his lap, and Joel was pressed into his side, his hand held tightly in Harry's. Neville took all of this in with deep calming breaths. He did this knowing that, Harry would explain everything once they had a chance and he knew that they were all safe.
As soon as they arrived at the house, Harry quickly paid the driver. He was so distracted that he left without taking the change. Neville stayed behind and took the money that the driver handed off. The cab sped off down the quiet street. As they approached the gate, Harry turned back to Neville who was walking up behind the three, and handed Zinnia off to him. She was sleeping and briefly cracked open her hazel-green eyes as Neville put her head on his shoulder. Joel took out his house key and handed it to Harry.
As the door closed behind Neville, Harry let out a big sigh. He gave Neville a brief glance that told Neville just how afraid he was. They stood in the long dim hallway quietly looking at each other for a few moments. Joel squeezed Harry's hand, and gave him a weak smile. Though he was young, he could feel that something was very wrong. Not knowing what else to do to make Harry feel better, he wrapped his short arms as far around Harry's waist as he could. Harry gave a wobbly smile, at the boy's kindness and knelt down and gave Joel a crushing hug, and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. He then told Joel to take off his coat and shoes, and to put his and Zinnia's belongings away. Joel obediently disappeared into the house, presumably to his bedroom. Neville was still holding Zinnia, who had remained asleep. He toed off his own shoes, while Harry shimmied Zinnia's pink Piglet, covered shoes off of her lace socked feet. Neville then quietly carried her to the couch and laid her down, so she could continue to sleep more comfortably.
"Harry?" Neville started to say as he walked back into the small kitchen. Harry's back was to him as he carried Zinnia's coat and shoes to the closet near the kitchen.
"Just a minute, Nev," he said softly as he closed the closet door. Neville nodded, wiping a hand over his face, stifling a yawn.
Harry re-entered the room and went directly to the fridge. He pulled out the ingredients for strawberry and grape jelly banana sandwiches and set them on the counter. Neville leaned his back on the edge of the counter to watch Harry go to work on the food prep. He watched as Harry's hands shook as he spread the jelly across the bread. He was there to pick up the jar of strawberry jelly that fell from Harry's hands. He could see that Harry was somewhere else, even though he was going through the motions to comfort the children. Neville watched him pick up a ripe banana from the fruit bowl, but he stopped him when he saw Harry absently reach for the knife. Neville pushed him to the side with his hip, and took over the knife duties. He cut the banana into thin slices as Harry went on to pour two small glasses of milk.
"It was Death Eaters," said Harry, as he put the cap back onto the jug of milk.
Neville's eyes widened, as the words began to make it through the silence of the room. "Death Eaters?" he whispered back. Harry gave another sigh, and picked up the slices of banana. He placed them on one side of each of the sandwiches. Neville swallowed. "Death Eaters. You're sure?"
"Who else could it be, Neville?" Harry asked with an annoyed tone. Just as Neville opened his mouth to reply, Joel made his way back into the kitchen. He immediately latched onto Harry.
"Love you, Harry," Joel whispered.
Harry hugged him back and rubbed a hand over the boy's hair, "I love you, too, Dear." Neville smiled at them, and carried Joel's sandwich and milk over to the dining table. Looking at the peaceful scene, Neville didn't have the heart to question Harry any further, at least not at this point. Just as Joel had begun to really enjoy his sandwich, Neville heard Zinnia begin to make sounds of waking. He left Harry with Joel and went to bring the little girl to join everyone.
The children were busy looking at a movie with Harry, while Neville washed the few dirty dishes that they had made. That was when he heard the door close, up the corridor. Neville quickly dried his hands, after placing the last dish in the drying rack, and called for Harry. Just as Harry made it into the kitchen, Senna walked through the door, quickly followed by a heavily tanned man, with a head full of messy strawberry blond hair.
"Senna! What? What is he doing here?" asked Harry, shocked. The tremors in his hands were back, and his skin had gone pale. 'What is she playing at? How could she bring him here? Here into this house? Why?'
Senna looked down at her feet for a moment, and then looked up to meet Harry's eyes. "Harry, it's all right. Haem, he's changed, Harry. I thought that he could help me today," she replied, calmly.
"Help you, how? Have you forgotten what he has done?" Harry asked with an incredulous look on his face. "How much damage he has done? How could you bring him here? You know our agreement." Harry was now completely ashen, and was grasping at the edge of the countertop, to brace himself. Neville moved in behind him, to stabilize him.
"He's been around for months and you haven't noticed. He hasn't done anything to the children or me or even you! He doesn't like you, but he never talks bad about you in front of the children," Senna shot back. "He's good for us and I think. And I think- we, think, that you and your friend need to leave."
"Like hell, I'm leaving! You have my daughter here, and I will not allow you to bring her into this sick relationship you have with that man. Do you understand me, Senna?" Harry yelled, his eyes flashing, dangerously.
Neville saw the man, he now could identify as Haemish, smirk. His blue eyes danced in delight at the chaos his very presence was causing.
"Sick relationship? Do you understand what you're saying? It's you that had the sick relationship! You still have a sick relationship! It was you that killed my brother to bare your abomination! Zinnia, has only made it this far because of me! Without me she would be a lost child, only destined for troubles and evils. But I have raised her for my poor brother! She is the only thing I have left of my brother, and that is because of you! If you hadn't been so set against Haemish. If you hadn't wanted my brother all for yourself. You didn't even want Lyle to be around me. But he came back for me, didn't he? Hmmm? You were so angry, that you couldn't have him! Haem told me how you enchanted him into attacking my brother. All of this drinking, and killing yourself... It's all been in penance for the wrongs you have done to this family! Get out of my house! Now! The both of you!" Senna yelled.
"Penance? Penance! You crazy, bitch! My husband died because of this filthy bastard! And you take up with him, again? We only came back here because of you and your drama with him. Lyle would still be alive you, stupid cow- We are not having this out here. The children are right in the next room. He needs to leave now, Senna," Harry ordered.
"No. You are the ones that are trespassing," Senna said, puffing up her chest, self righteously, as she gripped Haemish's hand in her's.
"I am not leaving the children here with this man. He will not stay in this house, where my daughter sleeps!" Harry said, coldly.
Another voice, calm and almost cheerily, piped into the fray, "I've called the police. They should be here any minute now," said Haemish, smiling. He even had the audacity to send Neville and Harry a wink.
"You, fucking bastard! I should've killed you!" Harry yelled as he lunged at Haemish. Neville caught harry by his biceps, and pulled him to his chest, before his fists could make contact with Haemish's face.
"See, Harry, you're too, dangerous. You are dangerous to everyone. If you care about the children at all you will leave now, and not contact us again," said Senna, her voice calming down.
Neville cursed her in his mind, cursed her for all of her manipulations. 'How does she manage to not sound like a raving bitch, while this tripe comes out her mouth, I don't know. She knows just how to hurt Harry. Dangerous? To the children? Fucking hell.'
"Look at what happened today? What did happen today, Harry? Why did you have to pull them out of school? Harry, this is why you need to stay away from us. Haemish will look after us. We will be fine on our own, without your freakishness," Senna said, steadily continuing her verbal attack on Harry.
"Freakish?" Harry managed to get out, sounding wounded.
"Yes! You're just that. You will not contaminate those children any further. Any other man would have been dead now, Harry. You are a freak. You died, I saw you dead. I tried to revive you, and you were still dead. You died! I called Haemish and he told me to wait for him. He told me to wait before I called the ambulance. I almost didn't listen to him, but you came back, before he even made it. You, freak, you came back! It was no miracle, because things would've been better if you had stayed dead."
The room was silent for a few moments after this revelation. Neville was holding Harry up by this point; his strength seemed to have left him. He held onto him, but said nothing because he knew that this was something Harry had to confront her about without his input. The next words that Harry said and the tone of voice in which he said them, wrung at Neville's heart. "Dead? What? When was this? I would know if I had died! I wouldn't leave Zinnia! I'm all she has! And this afternoon... this afternoon was an emergency! I just knew something was wrong! I had to make sure they were safe. How is that dangerous?" Harry pleaded, for an answer.
"It was a few months ago, maybe seven months, it was after one of your binges. Daniel wasn't home; I came to check on you. You had forgotten to pick up the kids. You killed yourself. And guess what, Harry? I didn't care. I only attempted to bring you back because it's what God would want me to do. But you know what, Harry? I still don't care. I don't care anymore, Harry. Haemish has made me see what a danger you are, and I cannot have you hurting my children anymore. You-"
"Your children! Zinnia is mine! My little girl! You cannot take her from me!"
"Who do you think the police will believe? Will they believe that you and your male lover had a child together- naturally? That is impossible! There are no official records. If anyone does any digging they'll see. And I will win. If you don't leave now, you will never see them again, I swear it!" Senna ruthlessly sneered. Just as she finished her piece, banging could be heard from the front door. It was the police, and Neville watched Haemish's face light up with joy, as he relished the pain that was being caused. Neville gave Harry a squeeze, Harry didn't look up. He unwrapped himself from Neville's arms and headed to the living room. Senna followed close behind him.
"Come on, Zinn, it's time to go. You're going to stay with Daddy, tonight, " Harry said, playing with Zinnia's hair. Joel looked between his mother and Harry confused. "Zinnia, please, baby," Harry said when the girl had continued to stare off into the television. Zinnia then jumped up from her seat on the floor and ran to the closet. She stretched as high as she could and pulled down her coat from the hanger.
"You are not taking her, Harry! You gave her up, you, measly freak!" Senna said from behind Harry. Harry shot a glare at her over his shoulder. He gave Joel a kiss on the cheek and stood up.
"Okay, Daddy, I'm ready!" When two officers came into the kitchen, Zinnia was dressed in her coat, but shoeless as she held her arms up for Harry to pick her up.
"She's not going anywhere with you! You'll hurt her!" Senna began to scream, sounding unhinged.
"She is my daughter. I haven't done anything wrong!" Harry said back, as he hugged Zinnia to him. Haemish and Neville were both being watched by one officer who was turning down the volume on his radio.
"Okay, everyone, calm down. Sir, please put the child down," said the other officer, who had approached Harry, Senna, and Zinnia. Senna turned to him with tears in her eyes.
"Please, officer! He's trying to take my baby. He's not supposed to be here," Senna said, sending a quick glare at Harry. The police officer did not miss it.
"Is there a restraining order?" questioned the officer.
"No, but I think I need to get one. He'll hurt her. He shouldn't have her. He's not taking her!" she screamed, with her arms flailing.
Zinnia had begun crying, gesturing for her father to pick her up again. Harry did, keeping his eyes on the officer the entire time, daring him to put a stop to it. Zinnia continued to cry even louder, and Joel came into the room from the living room and also latched onto Harry leg.
"Don't leave, Harry! Please, can I go with you? I love you! I love you, Harry!" Joel cried out. The officer took this in and sighed. He saw far, too, many of these.
The other officer was on the other side of the kitchen questioning both Neville and Haemish. "I'm Officer Ramirez, now, who are you two? You first," the officer questioned, pointing to Neville.
"I'm Neville Longfellow, Harry's friend," Neville started saying, handing over his identification. Haemish snorted and crossed his arms. "Harry is Zinnia's father."
Haemish didn't wait for the officer to refer to him. "He's more than that, he's that freak's fuck buddy. I'm Senna's fiancé. She owns this house. In fact I helped her buy it, and these two freaks are trespassing." Officer Ramirez lifted a brow, unimpressed.
"Do either of you live here?" asked Officer Ramirez, impatiently. Both men shook their heads, to the negative. He gave them a harsh glance, provoking them both to speak.
"No," both said in unison. The officer nodded, and began to gesture them towards the door.
"Could I get my coat?" asked Neville. Officer Ramirez nodded and watched as Neville made his way to the coat closet that was closer to Harry, Senna, and the other officer. Harry's eyes met Neville's as he made his way back towards Officer Ramirez and Haemish. His eyes were full of despair and called out to him, but Neville knew that he had to follow orders to keep the situation from escalating further. The last thing they needed was an international/magical/mundane incident.
As the three made it out of the house onto the front porch, the breeze cut into them, and Neville stood straight, Haemish shivered. "Officer, when can I press charges?" asked Haemish, in between breathing hot air into his hands.
The officer rolled his eyes,"Did he hit you? Did anyone in that house injure you?"
"No," stated Haemish, confused.
"Did they damage any of your personal property?"
"No."
"Then there is nothing to press charges for. Now shut up, while Williams figures out what to do with you."
Now it was Neville's turn to smirk, 'Dunce.' Haemish simply sulked as he sat on the ledge of the porch.
Inside the children began to cry louder as they saw Neville escorted out of the house. They gripped onto Harry as though their lives depended on it. Officer Williams looked from the faces of the children, to Harry's forlorn expression and Senna's nearly mad twinkle gleaming in her eye, and knew what he had to do.
"Ma'am, sit down, please. Sir come, and stand over here," the officer gestured towards the refrigerator that was close to the door. Harry trudged over, balancing both children who still held fast to him. Senna began to object, but was slammed with a harsh look from the officer who pointed his finger to the chair he had asked her to take a seat in. "Sit down, now." Senna nodded and took a seat, glaring at Harry all the while wishing that he would die on the spot.
Turning back to the grieved father and children, the officer knelt down to Joel's eye level. "What's your name, little guy?" the officer asked, with a kind smile. Joel ignored him at first, hiding his face into Harry's hip. "My name's Officer Williams, what's yours, big man? I know you have a name." Joel peaked an eye out, and the officer caught a glimpse at the boy's distraught face. It was wet with tears, and his nose was running. The officer pulled a tissue out of his pocket and beckoned the little boy closer. Joel looked up at Harry for permission to go to the stranger, and Harry gave a stiff nod, holding back tears of his own.
''Blow," Officer William's said as he put the tissue to Joel's nose. Joel did as asked. Afterwards he backed up, attempting to wipe the tears from his wet face. "Now, can you try and tell me what your name is?" his volume was quieter now that Zinnia's cries had also diminished. She was simply hiccoughing now, into Harry's neck.
"My name is Joel," he whispered.
"Well, Joel, it is good to meet you. Could you tell me your sister's name?"
"Zinnia. Can we go with Daddy, please?" Joel begged.
Officer Williams looked up at the father and saw a tear fall from his green eyes, that he had been attempting to hold back.
'He's never called me Daddy, before,' Harry thought as he held Zinnia even tighter.
"Well, Joel I have a few questions first. Where do you live everyday? With Mommy or Daddy?"
"With Mommy, but Daddy takes care of us all the time. We really want to go live with Daddy, now," Joel said in a rush, sending a guilty look towards his mother, who now looked less angry than she had before.
"Joel, I'm sorry to say this, but you and your sister have to stay with your Mommy, then," said Officer Williams.
"No!" both Joel and Zinnia cried out.
"But, I'll tell a friend of mine, who is a judge-," Officer Williams gave both parents strong looks when saying this, "He will have you come to him, and you can tell him that you want to live with your Daddy. Okay, young man?"
Joel nodded, and subsequently reattached himself to Harry's leg.
"Now, Miss Zinnia," Officer Williams said standing up so he could look into the little girls eyes. "What were you and your brother doing before everything got loud?" Zinnia gave him a confused look; she looked first at her Daddy and then to Joel.
"Remember, Zinnia, we were watching Nemo," Joel offered. Zinnia looked back to the officer and nodded, resting her head back onto Harry's chest, tiredly.
"Do you think the both of you could go finish the movie while I talk to your Mommy and Daddy?"
Both children sadly nodded. Joel hugged Harry tightly and pulled on his shirt until he put down Zinnia, and bent down to his level. "I love you, Daddy. You are my Daddy, now. Okay, Harry?" said Joel. Harry nodded, openly crying now; he hugged the boy and gave him a wet kiss on his forehead and cheek.
Zinnia reached up and brushed Harry hair away to take a look at his old red scar. She tugged at his hair, urging him to bring his head lower. She kissed him through his hair over the scar. "Love you, Daddy." Harry could only whisper that he loved her, too. He didn't trust his voice not to break, if he went any louder.
"Good night kids, I'll see you tomorrow, 'kay?" Harry managed to say as he watched Joel take Zinnia by the hand and lead her back into the living room.
Harry sniffed a few times attempting to get himself back under composure, and was failing miserably. He chanced a look at Senna and saw her face to be blankly staring at the table in front of her.
"Now, you two. I don't know what has caused your problems, but those kids love their father. They shouldn't have to see the two of you fight like this. I know that you're young, but damn it, you two are the adults now. Act like it. Miss..." Officer led.
"Senna."
" And Mr..."
"Harry Pride."
"Yes. Well, Senna, you should put those two to bed. I am going take Mr. Pride outside to cool off a bit. You lock up your doors now, do you understand?"
"Yes, Officer," said Senna. She avoided Harry's gaze as she got up from her seat, and followed the two up to the corridor. She closed the door and locked it behind them.
Neville waited for what could have only been a few minutes, for the door to open. Harry came out first and the other middle-aged officer, exited after.
"You! Ramirez, what is his name?" Officer Williams, asked pointing straight at Haemish.
"Haemish Hughes. This one's a real bigot. Idiot too, I think," said Ramirez.
"You can't talk to me like that!" and with that Haemish threw himself at the younger officer trying to land a punch. The only thing that landed was Haemish, on the cold ground. 'Serves him right,' thought Neville, as he stood off to the side for the entire incident.
"Wrong move, Pal. Ramirez, his rights. I have to talk to this one over here," Williams said as motioned his head towards Harry. Neville watched Officer Ramirez read Haemish his rights and escorted him to the police car. On his way down the steps, Ramirez reminded Neville not to move until Officer Williams had a word with him.
"Now, Mr. Pride. I know that this is frustrating, but you can't do things like this. You understand me?" started Officer Williams. Harry ducked his head in bobbing nod. "I know things are hard now, but those kids, I see that they are precious to you. You need to do everything in your power to not cause them pain. That includes brawling in front of them, carrying on screaming matches and the like. Trust me, they remember these things. Here, take this card; it's a good family court lawyer. She'll do right by you, and those kids. You're a good guy, I can see that. Now go home. Straight home. I don't want to pick you up back here or somewhere else on the street. You got me?" The officer gave Harry a slap on the back, and began to make his way down the steps. Just as he made it to the gate, he turned back. His eyes had an odd look in them, as if unsure about what he was about to say. He blinked the uncertainty out of his eyes, and called back to Harry, "It gets better, Potter. Trust me."
Neville was the first to react. He pulled his wand and aimed for the older officer's chest. He still stood at the top of the stairs, but knew that he had deadly aim. "How?"
"I used to go by the name Shaklebolt, once upon a time." After saying that, he closed the gate, leaving both Harry and Neville in stunned silence.
The two men quietly made their way down the cold, dark street. Both Neville and Harry were exhausted, but as Harry pointed out half way to the hotel. He hadn't checked on Daniel. He hadn't thought of calling him. So they made their way to Harry's apartment, only to find the street lit up with emergency lights and vehicles. Neville spotted the couple that lived across the street from Harry, the squib and her husband, the one's with the miniature wizard. There was an officer that seemed to be questioning her. He had half a mind to duck out with Harry under his arm, when Neville saw the woman point out Harry emphatically. 'Shit,' he and Harry both thought.
Before the two could think of moving, another officer caught up to them, having run from the opposite side of the street. Once the officer had his hands on Harry he called over a detective.
"Are you Mr. Harry Pride?" she asked, with an accusing tone.
"Yes."
"Who is your friend? Why don't you introduce us?"
"This is Neville a friend of mine. Listen, is Dan all right?"
"I'll ask the questions, Mr. Pride. Your friend, who isn't just a friend, by the looks of it. Does he have a last name, to go with that possessive streak?" she asked, keeping an eye on the arm Neville had firmly around Harry's waist.
Harry went to answer, but Neville beat him to it. "My name is Neville Longfellow, Harry's boyfriend. Now can you answer his question? We've really had a tough day."
"I bet you have. I think you two need to accompany me to the station," she said, enjoying every minute of this. She thought she had her men. 'Boyfriends, jealous exes, and cheating boyfriends equal to jealous rages and dead exes,' she thought to herself as she had the two men handcuffed. She turned to a colleague and actually scared him because she smiled. "Looks like we'll be going home early tonight, Boyd."
Neville and Harry were put in separate rooms to cool off, before the detectives came into question them.
"I have a few questions for you, Mr. Pride. Do you know of anyone that would want to hurt your roommate? Did Daniel have any enemies? Did you want to hurt your roommate?"
Harry's mouth dropped open. "What happened to Daniel?" he asked sounding resigned. Detective Peirce was sure she had him. 'Resigned, must mean guilt.' The detective behind the glass saw something else. He saw a look of defeat, but he also saw the look of a clear conscience on the face of the man.
In Neville's room another detective, Boyd, arrived. Throwing pictures for Neville to see of Dan's dead man's stare. "Dan...," Neville sighed.
"So you knew him? You're not going to pretend that you never met him before in your life?"
"No. He's, he's Harry's roommate, Daniel. Daniel Marist. We met when I came into town looking for Harry a few months ago."
The next three hours passed with all of them going in circles. Their alibis checked out, right down to the domestic dispute call at Harry's ex's place. In fact both men were accounted for, for the entire day in one way or another, conveniently enough. Detective Pierce was spitting nails by the time she got the last piece of corroborating evidence taking the two men away from the crime. The only things she had managed to get out of the short fellow, was that someone had tried to kill him this morning at his shop. He gave all of those details in great, cold detail. Even she could see that he was in shock still, over what had happened. Her partner, Boyd wanted to commend him for taking such swift action and getting his children to safety. For her something simply didn't add up. What would anyone want with a runt like Harry? If the evidence was to be believed, he had been the target. Instead Daniel and his girlfriend had fallen in his stead.
Once the expedited report arrived to her desk, given by the officers who went to the domestic dispute thought the two men expressly innocent, Detective Pierce had to let them go.
Harry was let out of the station first. He slowly made his way out of the maze like building. He hoped that Neville wouldn't be long, but he couldn't stay inside those stuffy walls any longer. The smell of stale coffee, the sounds of shuffling paper, murmuring conversations and the clanking of doors was all beginning to blend together for Harry, dizzyingly so. 'They're making me dizzy, or was it that they're making me confused?' With those hazy thoughts, Harry stumbled out of the front doors, welcoming the cold air. He paced for a few minutes as he waited for Neville, trying to walk off the onset of his queasiness from his dizzy spell. The pacing brought on thoughts of Dan and where he was going to stay tonight.
He knew that they would be heading straight to the hotel next, now with the apartment off limits, with Dan and his girlfriend, dead. Harry having yet to have met her, realized sadly that he hadn't even known her name until the questioning tonight. 'Rebeccah.' Harry remained lost in thought as Neville made his way out of the station. He turned to greet him with a tired look, after Neville called out to him and then fainted dead away. Neville only had just enough time to catch him. Though relieved to have caught him, Neville couldn't believe that Harry fainted on him on the police department steps. Neville knew that it had to be the stress. Today was one hell of day. It had to be getting to Harry. He hadn't been drinking; he'd been staying away from the stuff, almost as carefully as he had seemed to have been staying away from food for the past few days. With a shake of his head Neville made ready to carry Harry, very nearly the whole way back. Before he could make a proper attempt, a cab honked for him, hoping for a fare. Neville carefully placed Harry in the cab, and gave the address.
It was while in the cab that Harry began to come to, feeling nauseated again. The cab pulled over and Harry lost everything he hadn't eaten for the day and then some. He then fell into a fitful sleep in Neville's lap all the way to the hotel.
"All I want is my bed," said Neville to himself as he closed the door behind him. He carefully divested Harry of all his clothing and slid him under the blankets. 'Please let tomorrow bring better things.'
Not an hour had passed when Neville's eyes were burned from behind their lids, by the light being turned on. He threw his body around away from the light and looked to Harry who had also flung an arm over his own face, and was letting out a pained moan.
Neville turned back towards the only light source that was close, the lamp beside the bed and saw Severus Snape. "Damn," Neville spat.
"Yes, Longbottom, damn indeed. That seems to be where all of our lives are headed," Snape muttered as Neville sat up and Harry rubbed his eyes.
"Sev? What's wrong? Why are you here? You said that you'd only use that emergency portkey if there was danger," Harry hurriedly said, grasping the other pendant that hung around his neck, a small golden disc that lay flat on his chest.
With shaky hands and red-rimmed eyes, Severus took in a deep sobering breath. He gave a sorrowful look to both Harry and Neville and shared his terrible news.
"Draco and Luna Malfoy are dead." Even as he said the words Severus Snape wished he couldn't understand them, they ripped out his very heart. His son, the boy who he looked to as a son was dead, along with his beautifully young and eccentric wife.
"Dead?" Neville asked, not understanding.
"Yes, Neville. It was the Ministry. It is finally closing in."
A/N I'm glad this one is finished. It was a good bit harder to do than the others. Hope you like it. As always crits. are welcome. H