Chapter 36 Returning

"Damn it!" Cadence curses, "I told you to stay there!"

"If it hadn't been her, it would have been you." Naomi points out, "Personally, I'd rather have you."

"Shut up, Naomi!" Cadence snaps.

"I'm just kidding…but really, did you expect us to listen?" Naomi asks.

Cadence sighs, "I suppose not."

"Great. Question is, where did they take Jaxon?" Naomi muses as though nothing were really wrong.

"Considering that it was Eleanor and her little lapdogs that took Jaxon, I'm thinking they took 'trinity' home." Cadence points out.

"Trinity?" Markus frowns, "That's her real name?"

"Yes, Trinity Stathis." Naomi answers confidently, "That's her real name."

Cadence glares at her but Naomi just shrugs. "I trust him."

"What's your real name?" Markus asks Naomi.

Cadence could almost see the gears in his head turning. He was an auror. He would know…

"Lela Conners," She answers.

"Then you must be-"

Cadence cuts him off, "Melinda…Melinda Dawson. Roderick's daughter."

Markus stares at her for a moment as recognition dawns on him, but rather than questioning her he changes the subject. "So where do Jaxon's parents live?"

"Probably somewhere close to where we camped out when Jaxon robbed them. We should check that area first." Naomi answers.

"Yes, but no tonight." Markus replies, "We don't know what we would be walking in to. It would be illogical to immediately set off after them…it could be a trap."

"He's right," Cadence sighs, "We need to find a safe place to stay for the night and figure out what they're planning and how to get her back tomorrow."

"We need to go back to Severus's place." Markus suggests.

"The hell we do!" Naomi objects, "We just left there!"

"That is my point precisely." Markus insists, "That has obviously proven to be the safest place for you at the moment. We could use his and Draco's help with rescuing Jaxon. Severus won't turn you away, Cadence."

"That's what you think," she mutters. "Look, he's already had to face charges for harboring convicts. You know who I am. He's your friend. Are you really suggesting that I endanger him that way? He doesn't need my skeletons in his closet."

"His name was cleared. They couldn't hold the previous charges against him if they wanted to." Markus attempts to assure her, "It wouldn't matter to him anyways. He's a brilliant wizard, and I'm sure he would fight for you."

"He shouldn't have to," Cadence objects.

"That's right, so stop pushing him away. Severus makes his own decisions. You can't keep running away. They'll eventually catch up to you, and when they do I guarantee you Severus will find out and he will involve himself anyways. The ministry owes Severus for the role he played during the war. I can't think of anyone else that you'd be better off with having by your side when the time comes."

"You should have been a lawyer," Cadence mutters.

"There's not quite enough action for me in that profession. I prefer working with the ministry." He laughs, "So what do you say? Let's go back."

"Alright, but you can't tell him about me." She agrees finally.

"He needs to know," Markus points out, "and it would be better for him to hear it from you than from the ministry, Cadence. I'm also curious as to what really happened that day."

"Better later than sooner I always say," Naomi cuts in, in Cadence's defense. "It's not going to kill you to wait until she's ready to tell you."

"I agree. If we're going back, you keep my past to yourself, Markus." Cadence agrees.

Markus smirks, "Sure thing."

"Where the hell have you been?" Severus demands.

"Away from here," Cadence snaps back, "Can we come in or are you going to make us stand here all night?"

Severus rolls his eyes and steps back to let them into the house.

"Where is Jaxon?" He frowns.

"With her parents somewhere," Cadence answers wearily, suddenly too tired to be defensive towards him.

"Her parents…deatheaters?" Severus pushes raising his eyebrows.

Cadence nods, moving into the parlor and collapsing on the couch.

"They took a feather out of your book and kidnapped her." Naomi explains in annoyance, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"They have the book?" He snaps.

"No, I have the book," Markus answers, pulling it out of his pocket and restoring it to normal size.

Severus snatches it away from him, his eyes gleaming furiously.

"Didn't I tell you it wasn't safe?" He throws at them.

"Severus," Markus interrupts, "Don't do this right now. I think they've been through enough for tonight. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I told them to stay," Cadence returns, defensive again, "They need your help, not me. It was ok for me to leave, remember. You even encouraged it."

"You did what?" Naomi demands, glaring at Severus.

"We will discuss that privately." Severus replies, holding Cadence's gaze.

"I have nothing to say to you," She answers simply.

"Of course you do," Markus disagrees. "Just as soon as you get up the nerve to tell him why the ministry is after you."

"No, I don't." Cadence snaps firmly.

"Cadence-" Markus starts, but Naomi cuts him off.

"Leave her alone!"

Markus sighs.

"What is it?" Severus demands.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with." Cadence answers simply. "That's my business."

"You're staying in my house. That makes whoever's after you my business as well." He counters.

"You'll find out sooner than I'd like anyways, according to Markus." She answers, standing up and pushing her way past him, "Why rush things?"

Cadence heads straight for her room and slips into bed without changing clothes. A few minutes later Naomi knocks on her door and pokes her head in.

"Do you mind if I sleep in here?" She asks softly.

"I don't mind," Cadence agrees, watching her enter the room, shut the door behind her, and make her way to the bed.

"It wasn't you're fault you know…what happened to Sophie." Naomi tells her, closing her eyes.

Cadence never answered.

"You would tell me if she were in trouble?" Severus demands, turning to Markus after the two girls left the room.

Markus studies him, "I would respect her enough to keep her secret. Isn't that what you would want?"

"If she were in trouble, I would hope that you would respect her enough to help her despite what she wants kept secret." Severus counters.

"I told her I wouldn't tell you," Markus replies hesitantly, "I never told her I wouldn't tell you that there was something to tell. I would hope that you would respect her enough to protect her despite whether you know what exactly you're protecting her from, and Slytherin enough to find out on your own."