Disclaimer: Not Mine.
I Need to Breath
Chapter 29
Searching for an End
The old House of Black once again stood empty, collecting dust and gathering darkness to it as if it were a beacon for every foul spirit it could find. Severus had arrived before Harry and had started in the top rooms, resetting wards and searching for any sign that the old wards had been breached. Finding a window on the second floor unwarded, he thought of Hermione's tea as he vainly searched for trace magic. If anyone had used this as an entry, it was too long ago to find any evidence.
"Up here," he shouted, hearing movement on the ground floor.
"Sorry I'm late," Harry ginned sheepishly. "Between Ginny and the kids it's hard to get out on time."
"Are you complaining Potter?" Severus intoned.
"Umm, no, just saying." Harry shrugged. "What's the matter?" He pointed to the window that still shined as it accepted the new ward.
"It won't hold." Severus frowned and recast the spell. "Who had this room?"
"It was just an extra. We had thought to make it into the nursery until we knew it was going to be twins."
"No one stayed here?" Severus mused. "What of recent guests?"
"Only Neville on occasion. If he and Hermione stayed up too late she always insisted he stay here rather than travelling alone."
"And?"
"And nothing," Harry said evenly. "She is just like that. You know better than…"
"I am merely determining who had access to the window."
"It opens onto the back yard. Anyone with a broom could reach it."
"Potter, listen closely because I am no mood to repeat my self." He waited until Harry stopped fidgeting and gave him his full attention.
"I have very good reason to believe Lucius Malfoy has, or will soon, accomplish the creation of a vessel, as Voldemort used Quirrell, he is working on a way to house his soul without the weakness of a man's own desires to hinder him. All he needs is to create his Horcrux."
"And to do so, he has to take a life." Harry finished his thought.
"Yes, if he uses the same method. However, I am inclined to think he has a new plan. We cannot be sure but I would suggest you reset the wards at the Burrow and make sure you and yours are safely behind them in the event I am wrong. This includes Mr. Weasley and his intended. I have no doubt that Lucius will try to use this opportunity to rid himself of someone involved in the last conflict. I want you to find Minerva and warn her as well."
"It's Hermione. That's why you are here."
"Yes, by taking her life or my son's he would also be sending me a clear message. I also fear for Draco. My guess would be that he will use someone close to him in the original cause that he now perceives as a traitor, or the wife of a traitor."
Harry snorted, "Yeah right, he would go after his only heir."
"If he does not plan on dying, he has no need for an heir. I have often wondered as to his mindset in becoming a father. At one time, I believed it to be the only reason he had a child. Furthermore, you must have slept through your history lessons. Perhaps you should ask your wife to refresh your memory on mad men and their families."
"I don't need a refresher. I think if anyone would know what mad wizards are capable of I would."
"By the time you came to Hogwarts, Voldemort was already well recognized. No, Mr Potter, the trick history teaches is how to find the next one before the madness starts."
"And?"
"First we need to clear this house. Then we must be ready to gather a few we can trust." Severus looked at him solemnly.
"You want to call back the Order?" Harry clenched his jaw.
"Not at this time, but it would be wrong not to be prepared. We need the house ready in case we have need of it." He waited until he saw the young wizard nod. "I will not take the same path as Albus. I will cast the killing curse as soon as I am sure it is him, and take down his collaborators. Make no mistake in what I am. I am not a kind grandfather who has faith in love and its ability to save the world, and I will not allow it to go on to see my son die in a war not of his making because his father was unable to protect him."
"Who did you have in mind to use before calling in the entire Order?" Harry frowned.
"Kingsley will be of great assistance and if the Order is needed would be the most logical to lead."
"I would have pegged you for that title."
"I am beyond titles and accolades, Mr. Potter." He again cast a ward toward the window and shook his head, seeing it was of no use. "Are you familiar with the name, Mulciber?"
"Of course I am. I was there."
"His widow has been … helpful." He watched Potter closely and saw the tightening of his neck. "She can be so again."
"She is the one you … her picture is in the paper with you." Harry spat. "You plan on bringing her into this without telling Hermione?"
"No, I plan on bringing Hermione in without telling Renee. Hermione is aware of my … friendship with Renee Mucliber, and I would suggest you not hint that it is more than just that. I believe we have both been down that path before and have learned from it."
"I don't trust her and I won't have her here." Harry said firmly.
"I would, and have, trusted her with my life and the life of others, yours included. This house would be useful but not necessary, I will go elsewhere." Severus pushed Potter aside and stormed into the hallway, hurrying down the steps.
"Wait!" Harry thundered after him. "What do you mean with my life?"
"Mrs. Mulciber was instrumental is securing information in the last conflict that she then passed on to me. Not all wives followed their husband's inclinations, Potter."
"Why don't we know about her? Why didn't she stand at the trials and speak against Malfoy?" Harry yanked Snape's arm back, forcing him to stop and look at him.
"Why didn't I, Mr. Potter?" he sneered and pushed Harry away, turned and proceeded to the next level to start checking for trace magic.
"I was told you couldn't while you were on trial yourself," Harry said running after him. "Damn it Snape, talk to me."
Severus turned and looked at Harry with disgust. "Did you really think that it was over? Were you so stupid as to believe another would not step in and try to fill the void? No, Potter, we needed to keep her safe and her contributions to our side protected for when she was needed again."
"If Malfoy had been …"
"Stop it! If it were not Malfoy, it would be another! And another after that!" he stormed. "This is the chance we have been waiting for. A chance that the Headmaster you worshipped missed over fifty years ago. This time we can finish it before it gets out of control. This time I finish it as it should have been."
"You expect us to trust you? You really expect us to just get in line …"
"I expect you to get Weasley and have him figure out what is different about that window to the rest in this house. He seems to be the only one that has the patience and knowledge to read blueprints for more than where to hang curtains. We need to know if what we see has been altered from the original, and why it would matter. Kingsley was quite impressed with his work at the Goyle Mansion. I expect he can do the same thing here."
"Why would a window be…?"
"I do not know! You must learn to consider all possibilities," he sneered at the younger wizard. "You are hot headed and brash. You want to jump in and save the world without knowing the danger and by doing so you put people at risk. It is time you grew up."
"I'm not the same schoolboy that …"
"Good, I trust you will not kill my wife the way you did your godfather by rushing to a wrong conclusion!"
"Take it back," Harry raged, pulling his wand and levelling it at Snape.
"This is not a schoolyard, Potter," he smirked. "You know what your father was. I suggest you fight the urge to become him."
Severus turned his back and walked away, furious at the younger wizard but confident that he would not have the gall to fire a hex at his back. He angrily stepped into the floo and called out for the Ministry as he threw down the powder.
He arrived at the Ministry unannounced and demanded to be put in touch with Kingsley. After what seemed an unnecessary delay he was lead to a secured floo and allowed to step though to France.
"Severus?" Kingsley rushed to the floo, his face full of concern. "What brings you here? I take it this is more than your standard demands for Hogwarts supplies."
"It is starting over," he said stonily. "If you want stone cold evidence I don't have it, but if you will listen to what I have I am sure it is time to take action."
Kingsley frowned and indicated that Severus should stay where he stood then went to the door and spoke softly to the guards that watched the outer entrance. He threw up silencing spells around the portraits and with a flick of his wand turned them toward the wall. He took the floo off the network, then holding his finger to his lips he wrapped his arm around Severus' shoulder and took him away in a side-a-long.
"I take it you do not trust your French counterpart," Severus looked around to get his bearings. "Where the fuck are we?"
"No place." Kingsley frowned. "I thought it would be more private here."
Severus looked out at grape vines growing as far as he could see, turning in a circle he saw long rows of pruned vines, heavy with grapes, and smelled the air, heavy with their perfume. "Private? I would say desolate."
"Talk," Kingsley smirked. "You are just pissed that I did not take you to the winery."
"I would have been more receptive to the finished product than this," he waved his arm to indicate the fields. "It has started. I fear for my wife, and my son."
"Son? Congratulations old man! I knew she would be good for you. How is your young bride doing? Well I hope." He slapped Severus on the back and smiled broadly. "I am pleased for you friend."
"Hold your congratulations until you can assure me he will not be fodder for the next war that comes as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow. As for Hermione, she is not well. I fear the effects of her tea additive still wrecks havoc with her. However, there is a slight improvement. She is fighting again."
Kingsley chuckled and studied Severus. "It is strange to measure a witch's health by the number of hexes she can cast."
"This is the former Miss Ganger we speak of, she not only relies on her wand."
Kingsley laughed as he transfigured two chairs, which they sat in and started to discuss everything Severus had learned since finding the first of the centaurs in the forest. He told him of Hermione's research, and how non-magical animals had also been found, but nothing since the Unicorn, making this sound like the most logical choice for the vessel. He spoke of Horcruxes, and his fear that if a death were needed it would be his wife and unborn son.
"I thought at first Draco would be sacrificed, but recent facts lead me to believe that not to be true," he leaned forward, placed his arms on his legs and looked at the ground as he told Kingsley of Lucius' attack on Hermione, polyjuiced to look like Draco.
"You think the two are connected?" Kingsley mused. "I would agree Lucius would not seek out Hermione just for rape, but if, as you said, the vessel is not yet ready, what other reason would he have?"
"One of two reasons came to mind. The first would be to rid Hogwarts of Draco, freeing yet another position, giving him reason to step in and claim a position for himself, or … to remove me as Headmaster and take that appointment for his own." He raked his hand through his hair. "The second would be to drive Hermione away. First the addition to her tea, the reaction to the calming draught, the … pensieve he brought me, which he no doubt took from Astoria with or without a memory charm, as I am unsure as to her allegiance, although I believe her to be loyal to Draco. I just have not figured out why this would help his cause."
"I am not at liberty to talk of Draco, suffice to say you may trust Draco and his wife explicitly." Kingsley scowled.
"He had knowledge of the attack on my wife." Severus locked his eyes on Kingsley's.
"I am aware of that." Kingsley pressed his lips together, obviously not planning to give out more information.
"Understand me Kingsley, and make no mistake in what I say. I will trust you on this, as we have trusted each other in the past, but if he harms my family, I will exact my punishment not only on Draco. It will be on your head as well."
"I expect no less," Kingsley said solemnly. "I want to bring Lucius to trial for his actions against your wife."
"We are in agreement."
"If we can find enough evidence, and get him on the stand, he will have to deny the charges. At that time a truth serum can be administered and bring the rest to light."
"Only if we know who his second is. I will not merely do this to face it again in twenty years."
"Work on it, Severus. Find out who is with him. It is all we need. If we are ready, I will order the Aurors to sweep them in the moment Lucius takes the stand. They will not have time to hide this time."
"You need to assure Hermione's safety. If she does this, if she puts her name to a complaint she will be at risk. The wards at Black's old house have been breached, I suspect the same at the Burrow and I know I cannot keep him out of Hogwarts without letting him know I have some plan."
"I can assign Aurors to patrol the school and station a couple at the Burrow, but you know all we can do is try. She needs to know she is in danger."
"No, she needs to know her son is safe." Severus stood and waited for Kingsley to remove the chairs. "She has lost weight and is unable to sleep. It is the first sign that she worries, she stops eating, and I will not have her worried further at this point in her pregnancy. She is still ridding herself of the poison he managed to give her and is easily…undone."
"We will do what we can." Kingsley smiled widely. "I am truly happy that you are back with her. She fits your anger well."
"That she does," Severus chuckled. "I will ask you to look after them in the event I do not come out of it this time."
"You, my friend, are like a cat, with nine lives."
"I have used ten already. I will not survive another war." He sighed heavily. "Before it did not matter."
"And now?"
"Now? Now I want to see my son grow. I want to be around for his mother to hex me, and I want peace."
"Then, we should make sure it ends."
