Chapter 20: Strangers and Necklaces

Severus strode with confidence into Raven's Rock Pub and immediately went up to the bar to order a pint – he needed one. Taking his drink he weaved round tables till he made it to a booth at the back. Unlike The Leaky Cauldron where non-human patrons kept to the outskirts and shadows here the room was a diverse mix with all sorts of characters filling the space. Severus people-watched as he sipped his beer and thought about Sophie and where would be best to hide Albus's recording device - and how quickly he could get away with doing it.

"You look like something's troubling you"

Severus looked up to see a tall, heavy set man with strangely familiar messy hair and eyes, also holding a pint. Before Severus could respond the man had sat down without asking if he was welcome.

"Can I help you?" asked Severus

"Yes. I was wondering where you got that necklace?" replied the stranger bluntly

Surprised Severus looked down, he was wearing the necklace Sophie had got him for Christmas – but it was hidden under his robe, not even the black cord was showing.

"It was a present." He replied cautiously

"From…Sophie?" asked the stranger. Severus's pause must have confirmed it in the man's mind for he went on "I'd recognise her magical handiwork anywhere." He said pulling out a nearly identical necklace from under his shirt "Any idea where she is now? Been trying to track her down for over a year."

"And who might you be?"

"I'm Elijah, one of her brothers. Sophie's a bit of a black sheep in the family, fell in with a… interesting crowd. Got caught by our parents and took off. Nothing too odd about that but this time she didn't come back and by the time we started looking her trail was long gone. Despite what my parents think, I believe she does have a good judgment of character and she wouldn't make a necklace like that for just anybody."

"I've known her since last August." Severus wasn't too sure about the man – he looked like he could be a relative of Sophie's, despite the height, but as she had never talked about her family and that he was complete stranger - he was loathe to bring him into confidence about her current location or state.

Oddly 'Elijah' smiled, seemingly pleased with Severus guarded response "Well it's good to know that she's still around and that her judgment of people seems as good as ever. When you see her again tell her to come home would you? We might have differing views but we still miss her."

And with that Elijah stood up and headed off, vanishing into the crowd. Stunned Severus sat there for a few minutes, deep in thought. When a brawl started – not an unusual occurrence at Raven's Rock –he took his chance. Standing up Severus headed towards the ruckus, and surreptitiously taking out Albus's device as he moved stuck it on the underside of a table, under the pretence of ducking out of the way of a flailing arm. As soon as it was in place the device turned invisible and as it was fairly small Severus hoped it would remain undetected. Then in a fluid motion he kept moving past the fight, out the door and apparated away with a crack.

-

An unusually sombre Black opened the door for Severus and led him up the stairs to the guest room Sophie stayed in whenever she visited Grimmauld Place on her messenger trips. Inside Severus found Poppy, Dumbledore and Lupin tending to a still unconscious Sophie, who was lying on the bed. Fawkes was still there too, sitting on the headboard.

"Ah Severus." Greeted Dumbledore warmly, though his normally twinkling eyes seemed duller than usual. "Sophie is stable but we've put her into a dreamless sleep for now. Did you manage to plant the device?"

"Yes. What injures does she have?" Asked Severus as he moved next to the bed.

"Her nerve system is damaged from prolonged exposure to the cruciatus curse, her mind appears to have suffered an attack from You-Know-Who himself, though it appears, thankfully, to have been unsuccessful – this coupled with the stress and poor nutrition from her time at the Ministry… I'm afraid she has fallen quite ill and her body is still in pain." Answered Poppy promptly. "I've done the best I can, but as you know Severus, only time and rest can really help the body after that curse has been cast. In the mean time I've given her some potions to help her fever, a pain reliever and a dreamless sleep draught. I've also put her on bedrest for the next two days, and I want to come back and reassess her condition before she goes gallivanting off again."

"Thank you, Poppy." Said Dumbledore, "I'll have to see what the Ministry believes happened to Miss Sophie before we can determine if it's safe for her to return to Hogwarts. Severus I imagine you'd like to stay with her for the time being?"

"Yes Headmaster, I do have a couple of classes after lunch tomorrow though."

"I can cover them for you, Severus. I wish you'd be able to stay here longer but I want you back at Hogwarts tomorrow night so that Poppy can be there to help when Voldemort calls you. I know the two of you have discussed a treatment plan for the mark. "

Severus nodded his agreement, though unhappy at the prospect of leaving Sophie here, he wanted her back in their quarters in the dungeon. Poppy and Dumbledore soon departed with Fawkes back to Hogwarts, Sirius went back downstairs followed shortly by Remus after he had told Severus there was a spare room next door he could use, that they had monitoring charms on Sophie in case she needed anything and to just ask if he needed anything himself.

Knowing that he wanted to be the first one on hand when Sophie woke up, Severus instead transfigured a chair into a bed and lay down. Soon he too fell asleep, comforted by the sound of steady breathing coming from the other side of the room.