NOTE: Just a heads up here, but I started working on a little website where I'm going to be putting my fics for archive purposes. I have a couple of these fanfiction (dot) net accounts so that will be a place to consolidate as well as someplace to post drabbles and other stuff I'm not putting up here for one reason or another. It can be found at www (dot) freewebs (dot) com (forward slash) teawithremus. There's a link in my profile now too. Feel fre to take a look.
Warning: For character death.
L'inattendu
"What is it? Lucius! What's going on?" Narcissa Malfoy demanded as she rose from an otherwise sound sleep to the sensation of deep panic. Sitting up rapidly, she blinked against the darkness. Something, a recent explosion, remained visible behind her closed eyelids, a silvery flare, but the bedroom was dark and still and the candles and lamps surrounding the bed were unlit. Instantaneously, Narcissa's thoughts turned to her son. She even made to slip out of bed and rush to Draco's room to check on his safety, until she remembered that he was gone.
Stiffly, Lucius made no gesture to calm his wife. Instead, he ignored her. He too was sitting up straight, his keen flinty eyes searching for explanations. "A light," he commented after a moment, without looking at Narcissa. "A flash," he corrected. "Like a spell cast. I saw it quite clearly, out the window. Something's happening to the north."
Frowning, Narcissa leaned forward for a better view out the window. The scenery was uniformly dark and bland, and all she could make out was the gentle rise of the hills far beyond the manor grounds, and here and there clusters of trees or other tall foliage. Nothing moved, and there was no light.
"Perhaps it's only Muggles, playing with their fireworks," Narcissa suggested.
Impatient, Lucius shook his head. "Impossible. It was green light -- killing curse light. Someone out there just murdered somebody. No Muggle is capable of creating that flash."
"But that's not possible --"
"I know what I saw," snapped Lucius tightly. He pushed back the luxurious sheets and comforter that covered his nude form. Grasping his wand from the bedside table, he flicked it once. On command, a set of neatly pressed dark trousers winged their way to him; he put them on, and then set to work pulling on his boots. "That shade of green -- Muggles don't have that colour, Narcissa, not so as I've ever seen. Besides, there are no Muggles this close to the manor. The village is ten miles away, and the light, it seemed to be less than a mile or two off."
Ill at ease, Narcissa shook her head. She wanted to make sense of it all, to provide an easy solution to the problem that would allow her to slip back into slumber free of worry. "But, well, they walk about, don't they? Perhaps a number of them came up from the village, to camp."
For the first time that night, Lucius looked at his wife. His glare was cold and cutting as he looked her over. "Don't be ridiculous," he spat. "When have you ever seen Muggles on the hills?"
"Well, never, but --"
"Precisely." He finished tying his left boot and stood up, snatching a silk lounging jacket from a nearby hook.
"Where are you going now? You can't just leave the manor -- anyway, it's late! Lucius?" Narcissa asked pedantically. She clutched the curled up hem of the bed-sheet with one hand, and reached for the nearby lamp. "Lucius, tell me what's --"
"Don't switch that light on," Lucius ordered, and Narcissa's hand jerked away from it as though she had been burned. "You want to give away our presence? Someone out there could be watching, checking for any sign that we know of their proximity to the manor. Leave it be."
She paled slightly. "I want to know what's happening."
"As do I," Lucius said crisply as he draped his silk garment over his shoulders and ran a hand through his long, blonde hair, instantly smoothing it. "Which is why I am going to investigate the matter personally. Whoever is out there, prowling around near my home, shooting off killing curses in the middle of the night, had better have a swift answer when I come looking for them."
"But, it's the middle of the night!"
"I'll have Fenrir accompany me, he rarely sleeps and I'm certain he would be excited at the prospect of nocturnal action, tonight of all nights. That should set at ease any lingering fears you may have about my safety," Lucius answered, with a touch of sarcasm.
Narcissa bit her lip reflectively. She could form no argument, but still, she felt nervous instead of reassured. "Lucius..." she began, but when he cocked an eyebrow at her, she faltered. "Can't you also ask some of the others? If you believe it's dangerous, then a party should be sent out."
"Such faith you have in your husband," Lucius quipped in annoyance. He tied the sash of his silk robe and gave his wife a look of contempt. "I have led Death Eater missions numerous times, and yet you despair of my safety when I investigate a suspicious flash on the horizon, which you yourself have already claimed is nothing more threatening than an itinerant pack of Muggles celebrating Merlin knows what. Unless I am mistaken, it seems you no longer regard me as competent." He sneered, leaning in close and threatening. "I advise you to consider how precious little you do know, Narcissa, before attempting to advise me in the future."
Lowering her head slightly, Narcissa affected the pose of someone ashamed, though she did not truly feel it. "I'm sorry. I'm merely worried about Draco -- I've no idea where he's gone, Lucius, and if I lost you as well --"
Unconvinced, Lucius cocked his head. "Let's spare both of us the farce of pretending my loss would be more devastating to you than Severus'. Your priorities have always been in disarray, Narcissa."
"Very well." Narcissa's eyes flashed. "Then let's also stop pretending you care anything for our son, except that you mourn the loss of your ability to give yourself selfish pleasure. Yes, I know," she said forcefully, looking straight into Lucius' eyes. "Lucius..." She trailed off, as a brief spot of blue shone outside, in the darkness, from the same vicinity as the green blast.
"Stay here!" he snapped. "I must attend to the matter at hand, but when I'm finished, we will discuss this," he said, warningly. He glared at her, then spun on his heel, hurrying out the door and slamming it for good measure before he bounded down the stairs, already calling for Greyback.
"All better," whispered Severus, his face pressed close to Ginny's ear as he cast the last healing spell over the bad burn on her leg, where the curse had slid past her close enough to burn her skirt. "You can open your eyes now, Ginerva," he said, in a far more formal voice as he drew back, conscious of the proximity of the others. "The worst should be over."
Harry, hands jabbed into his pockets, frowned mightily at Ginny's swooning smile. "I could have done that," he said, perturbed.
Severus raised one eyebrow mockingly. "Sure," was all he said, but with a decidedly sarcastic lilt. As furious as he was with the young man's rashness and idiocy, and as much as he wanted to castigate Harry for his foolishness and how close he had come to irrevocable action, Severus forced himself not to go on. He knew that once he started lecturing the boy, his own anger would come pouring out, and Severus did not want to risk anyone's safety by having it out with Harry, knowing the boy's ineptitude and clumsiness might harm others, or even cost a life.
Sitting up slowly, Ginny gingerly touched her leg. The limb felt numb and warm; she could feel the healing spell at work. "Thanks," she said softly as Severus looked her over.
Nodding, he held out the wand he had used. "Here," he said, and then, "This is yours, is it not? May I ask, where did you get this wand anyway? I thought they had broken yours when you were first brought in. In fact, I'm certain of it."
Weakly, Ginny nodded. "It's mine now. Peter -- Pettigrew. He gave it to me, that night they attacked the house."
Fred, George, Ron and Harry pressed in slightly, eager for the truth, while Hermione, who had already heard the full story, with details, leaned tiredly against the propped up tent. Ginny scarcely noticed them, and for Severus' part, he ignored them completely.
"Pettigrew?" he said, in bald shock. Behind him, Harry tensed and the twins looked at each other, trying to place the name.
"Yes. I know it sounds strange, but it's true. Once I went out the back door, Peter and I decided to run for it. I guess we meant to Apparate, but I wasn't thinking very clearly at the time, obviously, and I hardly remember now. All I really remember is the terror. We ran and ran, and some of the Death Eaters caught up to us. Peter -- he fought them. Some of them. He got hit by the Avada Kedavra" -- she shuddered -- "but before he did, he made his wand into a port-key somehow, and once I grabbed it, I was transported to the woods."
"Woods?" Fred interjected, white-faced at the tale of his sister's close encounter.
"By Hogwarts," she clarified. "The Forbidden Forest. But, yes, it was Peter's, and now it's mine." She looked sad for a moment, and blinked up at Severus, stricken. "I didn't want to go, you know. If I'd known it was going to be a port-key, I never would have touched it. All I wanted was a weapon, so I could help you fight them. But I didn't help," she added, with a note of bitterness. "I got to safety."
"A fact for which I am immensely grateful," Severus commented, with feeling. He looked at her seriously. "Once I heard from Lupin that you have survived --" he broke off, shaking his head, unable to voice his thoughts. I think it was what kept me going. "I -- I was very relieved," he said carefully, slightly embarrassed.
Hermione leapt up, spurred by the name. "Lupin? You've seen him?"
"How long ago?" Ginny demanded, equally excited. "How is he? Have they hurt him badly?"
"He has had better days, let me assure you," Severus said dryly. "However, the last time I saw him, he was in reasonably good health, and his perpetual optimism seems to have kept him in a relatively stable frame of mind."
Harry glared, setting his jaw. "If you saw him, how come you didn't take him with you? Why didn't you bring him when you left?"
Severus drew a long, deep breath. "I did not simply leave, as you suggest, Potter. One hardly waltzes out of the prisons on one's own whims. My escape was lucky; I am fully willing to admit I deserve no spectacular credit for derring do in this case. It was chance, good fortune. Lupin was simply not afforded the same opportunity." Grimly, he remembered how light he had felt, leaping the fence, believing that Remus would be joining him in freedom, thinking the worst was behind him. "Would I had the opportunity to take him with me, I most certainly would have done."
"I know," said Ginny, at the same moment Harry snorted in derision.
"Yeah, sure," Harry said. "Like you care about Lupin's life at all. I remember the way you treated him that year he taught at Hogwarts. You kept trying to get him sacked!"
Ginny turned fiercely. "Harry, that was years ago --"
Severus set his hand on her shoulder, and shook his head slightly. "No, no, let him go on and get it out of his system. Go on, Potter. Share your criticisms with all of us, tell us how much of a hero you are, keeping in mind that if Ginevra had stood an inch to the side when you rashly fired that curse, she wouldn't be here to listen right now."
Blushing and angry, Harry stalked away. He kicked open the tent flap and stormed in, away from the rest of them.
"Oh," said Hermione sadly, watching as the tent flap fluttered closed. From within came muffled swears delivered in a fiercely whispered tone.
"Never mind him," George said, with valiant effort as he elbowed Ron playfully. "He's just upset, but he'll come around." Cheerfully, he ruffled his brother's hair until Ron jerked away, looking put out.
Ron sighed. "No, he won't. And I don't see why he should either," he went on, addressing himself to his brothers, though Ginny, Hermione and Severus were all within earshot. "Snape's a murderer, you know. Harry's right -- he did kill Dumbledore. Even if he's reformed, or done some good stuff, that doesn't mean he's a saint, right? I don't think you can expect Harry to forgive him."
"Like he requires Harry's forgiveness," Ginny said, her eyes narrowed. "What happened to Dumbledore was all planned!"
"Ginevra," Severus interjected, reaching for her hand. "As much as I delight in your willingness to come to my defence, I think the subject has reached the stage of -- how do we term it? 'Beating a dead horse', isn't that right? I am hardly concerned with Potter's personal feelings toward me. As I understand it, you have all come here to see about rescuing Lupin, and in that endeavour I can be of assistance." He looked coolly toward Ron, who shrugged, glanced at Hermione, frowned, and made for the tent. Ignoring this, Severus remained calm. "I suppose you have some sort of plan?"
"We thought of using Polyjuice," Hermione said brightly. "And sneaking into the manor."
Severus was almost amused by her tendency to supply answers. He was half surprised not to see her arm shoot eagerly into the air like it had at school, when she had been most insistent, borderline disruptive, in her excitement to provide the right answer to his questions.
"Polyjuice," he said softly. "As a disguise, you mean?"
"Yes," Hermione answered.
Nodding, Severus looked to Ginny. "And your role in all of this?"
"We haven't decided everything yet. I don't know," she admitted with difficulty. "When I came out here a bit ago, I was going to walk down near the manor, to get a scope on the grounds and what we're dealing with trying to enter. I'm unfamiliar with all that, and no one else here has been inside, so I thought we could use the information." She sighed. "Harry found me, and he didn't think that was a good idea, which is why we were out here when you came."
"For once, I find myself in agreement with Mr Potter," Severus said. "How distasteful," he added as an afterthought. "It would not be safe to send you, or anyone, out alone to investigate, and I can tell you from vast experience, the likelihood of anyone venturing near enough to learn anything being caught -- well, the odds are astronomical. I am also at odds with the idea of using disguises such as the Polyjuice. While I trust you know enough from your close observation during your imprisonment, no one else in this group has seen Death Eaters closely enough to know their individual quirks, mannerisms or habits. Right?"
Deflating, Hermione nodded while Ginny sighed.
"That's true," Ginny agreed reluctantly.
With uncharacteristic charity, Severus shrugged. The action surprised Hermione, who goggled at him in shock, though Ginny took it in stride. "It wasn't wholly faulty," he said, "just not good enough. Polyjuice has merits, although one must be reasonably equipped with factual information about personality, gestures, codes, inflection, that sort of thing. But in any case, even if one could enter the manor and leave freely, it's another matter entirely to escape with a prisoner."
"Several prisoners, at least," chimed in George. Beside him, Fred nodded vigorously.
"Yeah!"
Severus raised his eyebrow quizzically. "Precisely how many prisoners are you intending to rescue, aside from Lupin, of course?"
Fred crossed his arms over his chest, looking unflappable. "Well, all of them, I say."
"All?" Severus' eyebrow rose further.
George straightened up, his posture indicating his seriousness. "We aren't leaving anyone behind. Whether we know them or not doesn't matter; nobody deserves to be left in that place! We're not going to allow anyone else to be -- to be tortured and murdered, like our family." He winced, and seemed tense even after Fred slung his arm over his shoulders in a brotherly gesture.
Ginny forced a pleading smile. "It -- otherwise it really wouldn't be fair --"
"Fair?" Severus cocked his head slightly, as though he'd never heard of such a word and could not immediately identify its meaning. "Fair," he repeated, trying it out. "Fair has nothing to do with it," he stated eventually, his voice even. He addressed his remarks to Ginny, although Hermione was listening keenly and biting her fingernails, and the twins were still nodding. "You alone among your -- " he grimaced "-- friends have firsthand experience within the Malfoy dungeons. I trust you have not forgotten what it was like?"
Shaking her head, Ginny sighed. "No, but --"
"No," Severus confirmed. "So then it is clear to you the sheer improbability -- nay, impossibility -- of rescuing even a single soul from those held captive. We shall probably all die simply coming to Lupin's aid, though I suppose it is a worthy risk, and as you term it, only fair after all he has done in return." He pictured Remus' face for a moment, and sighed. "One individual -- one -- might not be missed if we have the luck and grace to escape undetected. With our concentration on just Lupin, we might even be able to fight a way out, if we catch them off guard. We cannot, however, imagine that we would have any sort of chance in attempting to completely overthrow the little prison system the Dark Lord has established. It's madness."
"But we have to," Ginny protested. "I couldn't live with myself, if I --"
Her words were abruptly silenced by Severus, who placed a hand over her mouth. Immediately, Fred began storming towards him, but Severus held up his other hand, calling for silence, and indicated for the others to be still.
Closing her eyes and listening carefully, Ginny could just hear the sound of Lucius' footsteps as he walked sedately over the hill. She opened her eyes in shock. His wand was out, but he held his hand down at his side in a non-threatening way. Despite the lateness of the hour, he looked highly alert as well as casual; he was wearing creased trousers and his chest was bare where the silken robe he wore had fallen open.
"Lucius," Severus spoke cautiously as he stood up, dusting himself off with one hand. He squeezed Ginny's hand tight with the other. His expression and the sudden tension of his body indicated wariness, and he narrowed his eyes in a way that was both challenging and defiant.
"Severus," Lucius answered calmly. He glanced at the wand in Ginny's hand and sighed magnificently. "You've come back," he said, ignoring the others, including Ginny, who edged slightly behind Severus, he own wand out. "You should have been more careful with your casting; I saw the green light through the window. It's rather disappointing, actually. I've always considered you far more intelligent than to be so careless."
Wrinkling his brow, Severus looked unaffected. "That curse you saw came from Potter's wand, not my own."
"Potter?" Lucius blinked, then smiled faintly. "Harry Potter? Here? Within reach of the manor? How exceptionally foolish of him. The Dark Lord will be impressed with the boy's daring."
"Indeed," Severus agreed. "Lucius..."
"Greyback!" Lucius called out, startling everybody. Nearby, a bulky man appeared without warning as if formed from the very shadows. He leered at Ginny and Hermione, grinning savagely. "Dispose of them quickly, before any of the others at the manor wake. We shall have full credit for these kills. Severus -- you come with me." He narrowed his eyes as Severus looked at Ginny. "Bring the Weasley chit, if you must," he added, believing himself to be magnanimous, and sighing in a long-suffering way.
"No!" Hermione screamed as the massive werewolf lunged towards her. Fenrir hit the ground hard enough that she could feel the vibrations of his movement beneath her feet even as she flung herself backwards before turning tail and running. The twins immediately began firing spells at the massive man, who rounded on them, teeth bared, and struck Fred so that he slipped.
Severus snatched Ginny's wand from her hand before she had time to consider using it. He raised it in a deadly arc, already mentally casting the unspoken curse that would end the werewolf's life, but a sudden green jet emerged from the nearby trees. It hit Fenrir directly in the back, and he leapt forward as though stung, except that he did not land on his feet. Fenrir pitched forward, his hooked fingers nearly swiping Hermione across the face in a last hunting gesture. Then he fell hard against the ground, and lay still, his eyes open and glassy.
"Who's there?" Lucius demanded, steely and trying to maintain control. A moment earlier, he had looked nearly tranquil, watching the werewolf chase down the Mudblood girl as though it was fairly amusing sport. Now, he looked worried, even a shade nervous. He paid no attention to Harry and Ron's shouts as they clambered out of the tent, demanding to know what was happening. Instead, he rushed over to the trees, beckoning Severus to join him.
"Something's moving back there --"
"I know," snapped Severus impatiently. He thrust Ginny's wand forward, silently calling forth light from the tip, and shone it around through the leaves. "I see -- a shadow -- there!" he called, ignoring the brambles and scratching branches as he forced himself into the foliage.
Lucius blasted apart the close-centred trees, sending branches and leaves flying, but as soon as the melee settled down, he shone light from his wand over the scene, bewildered. There was nothing there at all.
