Thank you for joining me for year five of the Rachel Snow series. This fic is crossposted on AO3. I update every Saturday. I hope you enjoy it!

Content Notes: Torture. Serious injuries. Threat of rape. Canon typical violence. Potentially disturbing imagery. Anxiety attacks. Difficulty with eating due to anxiety that starts to become disordered eating. Discussion of eating disorders. Past child abuse and neglect (discussed), past sexual abuse (discussed). If you have any concerns, please feel free to comment/message me and I will provide more in-depth content notes on any subject.


The start of the summer felt slow even with all of the students gone from the castle. Rachel and Severus would only be staying at Hogwarts for a few days more; Severus still had a few more meetings to attend and grade reports to finish. Rachel had helped him inventory the student potions ingredients cupboard so he would know what to order before the start of the school year, but for the most part she was at loose ends. She didn't want to start her summer homework just yet, but everything felt a little bit off.

The first thing Severus had done was take Rachel to see Torey on Monday morning. Rachel had dutifully recounted the third task and what had happened in the graveyard. Torey had seemed appropriately concerned, mentioning that she'd seen the articles in the Daily Prophet, but had asked Rachel a question that had caught her off guard. Rachel had been somewhat embarrassed to admit that the part that was bothering her most about what had happened was watching Peter Pettigrew cut off his own hand, and her fear immediately after when he walked toward her with the knife.

Seeing the Dark Lord reborn had been scary. Being tortured with the Cruciatus curse - twice - had been more painful than she could put into words. But something about what Pettigrew had done stuck with her and she was reminded of it at the oddest times. She found herself thinking about it absently, her hand held around her own wrist, and she still couldn't quite believe what she'd seen was real.

Torey had reassured her that it wasn't uncommon for people to have a reaction like that when they saw something gruesome or violent, and that people who had witnessed serious accidents often had these kinds of thoughts. Rachel was relieved that it wasn't just her, but she'd wished Torey had an answer for when it would stop. For now she just tried not to think about it too much.

In a way, even her unconscious mind was protecting her. She had expected that she'd have nightmares about the graveyard, but more often than not her nightmares were about the maze. She spent a lot of time dreaming about climbing through a dark maze with the sounds of creatures rustling nearby, and hearing Cedric and Viktor and Fleur calling out. She called back to them, but they never answered her. When she woke, often finding herself a little bit shaken, she reminded herself to be grateful that she wasn't dreaming about the Dark Lord.

On Wednesday morning Rachel continued her war with herself as she sat down at the dining room table. There was already a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast waiting for her. She was glad Severus and the House Elves seemed to realize she didn't like sausage.

"Good morning," Severus said, looking over the top of the paper.

"Good morning," Rachel said, giving in and looking at the front page of the Daily Prophet. She couldn't see anything of interest, but that didn't mean there wasn't something on the inside. She wavered back and forth between shunning the Daily Prophet and reading it from front to back. "Is there anything I should know?"

Severus set down the paper. "Nothing today. There was an article yesterday suggesting that you had been Confunded during the third task."

"So first I'm a liar, then I'm manipulated, and now I'm Confunded?" Rachel asked. How could anyone believe what was written in the Daily Prophet if this was the way they went about things? And if this was how they were reporting about her, what did it mean about all the rest of the stuff they wrote?

"They're grasping at straws. Right now they wish to blame Albus more than they wish to blame you, but that may change at any given moment. You don't make a particularly believable villain right now," he said. "If they've decided that you're assisting Albus, that will change."

Rachel sighed and poked at her eggs with her fork. "I don't understand how newspapers get to decide stuff like this. Aren't they just supposed to tell people what is happening?"

"Ideally, yes, however the Daily Prophet has been in the Ministry's pocket since the war with Grindelwald. The Ministry bought the paper and made it a department in order to control war news and propaganda. After the war the paper nominally returned to being a business, but the Ministry effectively controls what is printed. And I don't care what Albus says about Binns, we need a proper history teacher." Severus sounded particularly irritated.

"Is there a book I should read on the subject?" Rachel asked. She still had time to borrow something from the library while they were at Hogwarts.

"No. It is not a priority right now," Severus said. "I've worked out some training exercises that we can do over the summer as well as a list of spells to teach you."

"Can you teach me to cast a privacy ward?" Rachel asked.

"Since you managed the basic shielding ward a few weeks ago, I believe you can manage a privacy ward, yes," Severus said with a nod.

"Can we still brew some potions over the summer?" she asked.

"We can, however I also want you to rest and to take a break. Are you sleeping any better?"

"A little bit." That was mostly true, it just depended on the night.

"Good, hopefully it will improve further once we're at home. I have a staff meeting this morning and then I'll be working on grades in my office in the afternoon. What are your plans?" Severus asked.

"Maybe go out on the pitch, or to the library," Rachel said. She didn't really have any plans at the moment. It was nice to go a few days without plans, even knowing that she should put herself back together and get to work again.

"That's fine. Join me in the Great Hall for lunch and we'll have dinner here as usual. Send your Patronus to me if you need anything," Severus said, looking at her intently before picking up the newspaper again.

"I will," Rachel said. She wasn't particularly worried about the Dark Lord or the Death Eaters showing up at Hogwarts. Right now, with only the staff in the castle, she was probably in the safest place in Britain. She slowly finished her breakfast and then went back into her bedroom, trying to decide if she was actually going flying or if she was just going to sit around and maybe reread a book.

She said the password for her new two-way book with her wand tip held against the cover, the cover in dark blue this time, and leafed through the pages to see where their conversation had left off yesterday. There was a new message from Theo.

'I received my invitation to Draco's birthday party today. Rachel, I'm assuming you didn't get one this year?' Theo had written.

'Not this year. Are you going to be okay going alone?' Rachel wrote back. She tried to imagine the Malfoys sending her an invitation this year. Something like: We Cordially Invite you to be Delivered to the Dark Lord on this Celebration of Draco's Birth. It was only funny because of how ridiculous it was. She knew very well that Lucius Malfoy would love to bring her to the Dark Lord.

'I'll be fine, though I'm not entirely sure what to expect. My father isn't pretending that the Dark Lord isn't back with me, but he's told me that in any other company, even the Malfoys, we have to pretend like we know nothing,' Theo wrote back immediately.

'That's really weird. Like. Really. Weird.' appeared in Millie's handwriting.

'Plausible deniability, I guess. They're all pretending they're not Death Eaters. My father has been having a lot of private meetings. I'm listening when I can,' Theo wrote.

'Be careful. Please,' Rachel wrote. She could only imagine the repercussions if Theo got caught.

'I am. He'll never know,' Theo wrote.

'Did you do well enough at making "friends" that he's letting you stay at Hogwarts?' Millie asked.

'I don't know yet. I'm going to be very chummy with Draco at his birthday party. I'm also going to wait until I receive my grades and then talk about my plans for OWL studying. If he intends to send me to Durmstrang, he'll tell me then,' Theo answered.

Rachel frowned. She didn't like this at all. 'If you need Professor Snape's help, tell me, and I'll get him to you as soon as I can.'

'Thanks, but I think I'm alright. I just have to keep everything looking normal,' Theo wrote.

'We're here, if you want to talk. Well, write at least. It should be a quiet summer for me, so I'll be around a lot,' Millie wrote back.

'I should be around too. I check my book multiple times a day,' Rachel wrote quickly.

'Thanks. I'll check in with you later today,' Theo wrote.

Rachel stared at her book for a long moment before getting up. She was going to drive herself crazy if she stayed in here watching her two-way book all day. Time to go flying. After all, she had to get herself out of Chaser mode and back into Seeker mode for next year.

With her broomstick in hand and a practice Snitch in her pocket, Rachel made her way out of the dungeons and outside into the warm summer air. She climbed on her broom while she was still on the steps and took off flying for the Quidditch pitch. Up here she could forget everything, just for a moment.


Rachel was on the couch, rereading the Alanna quartet again. She was on the second book, which was her favorite, and Severus was sitting in his armchair with a book open on his lap. It was quiet except for the occasional crackle of the fire in the fireplace. The quiet was one thing Rachel liked about summers. Hogwarts, when full of students, could be frustratingly noisy.

She had just started chapter four when a Patronus came into the room, one she recognized immediately.

"I'm at the gates. I need help. Please," came Theo's voice from his shark Patronus.

"Theo!" Rachel was on her feet before she even realized it.

"I'll go," Severus said, drawing his wand and moving quickly toward the wall that led out of his quarters.

Rachel followed him, having to hurry to keep up with his quick steps. "He sounded like he was hurt. We've got to help him."

"It could be a trap, there could be Death Eaters waiting for us. Go to the hospital wing and stay there with Poppy until I come for you. Let her know we may have an injured student," Severus said, his tone sharp.

Rachel was immediately torn. She wanted to help Theo, but what if there were Death Eaters there? "You can't go alone. What if you get attacked?"

"You are not coming. I will not deliver you to the Death Eaters. Go to Poppy and stay there," he instructed.

"What about Professor McGonagall or Professor Flitwick? Can't they go with you? Maybe Professor Dumbledore?" Rachel asked. She knew she didn't stand a chance fighting against Death Eaters, but the rest of the staff was still in the castle.

"I'll ask Minerva to join me. Now go," Severus said as they reached the entrance hall, pointing in the direction of the hospital wing.

Rachel ran up the steps to the first floor and went down the corridor that led to the hospital wing. "Madam Pomfrey? Madam Pomfrey, are you here?"

"Yes, I'm here, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" Madam Pomfrey called, hurrying out of her office with her wand drawn.

"Theo's hurt. He's at the gate. Severus went to go get him, but he thought it might be a trap with Death Eaters. He told me to come here and to tell you," Rachel said, clenching her hands to try to stop them from shaking.

"How did he get here? Theodore Nott?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Yes, he sent his Patronus to me, but he sounded weak, like he could hardly breathe." Rachel went to one of the windows and stood on her toes to try to see out. Unfortunately the windows didn't look out on the path to the gate.

"I'm sure Theo is well enough if he could cast the corporeal Patronus charm," Madam Pomfrey said, joining Rachel at the window. "Come take a seat while we wait. They'll come directly here."

"Maybe I should send my Patronus? To let him know help is coming?" Rachel asked, drawing her wand.

Madam Pomfrey set her hand on Rachel's. "No, if there's someone else there we don't want them to know Severus is coming. And we don't want to distract Severus either. We just have to wait. Does anyone else know what's happening?"

Rachel bit her lip. She definitely didn't want to tell Death Eaters that Severus was coming. "He said he was going to summon Professor McGonagall to help him. But maybe she can't get there in time."

"She'll be there, don't worry about that. Come sit down," Madam Pomfrey said, directing Rachel over to one of the beds. "Tell me what you're going to do with your summer."

"What?" Rachel asked. Her summer? What did that matter right now?

"Yes, you must have some plans. Maybe seeing your godfather? Or Quidditch perhaps?" Madam Pomfrey prompted.

"You're trying to distract me," Rachel realized out loud.

"I am. There's no use making yourself sick worrying. We'll know what is happening once they're here. There's nothing we can do to speed it along. So think about something else for a moment. Is Severus letting you see Sirius?"

Rachel slowly exhaled, trying to contain her fear. "I think so. I wanted to wait for a little bit before I asked him. Severus doesn't like Sirius very much."

"No, he doesn't, nor Remus either. They fought quite a bit when they were boys. I was always having to patch one of them up after a mishap or a fight. Your father too, for that matter. All of them were very lucky I had been the matron at this school for years before they came. I've learned that with some things it's best not to ask too many questions. If students think they're going to get into trouble, they might not come see me. I'd much rather help someone and let them get away with a spell gone wrong or a little mischief," Madam Pomfrey explained.

"That's good, I think. It's better to help people," Rachel said, her thoughts torn between her worries for Theo and Severus and the idea that Madam Pomfrey had known her parents. "I don't think I'm very much like my dad, from what I hear about him."

"You have aspects of both of your parents, but you're also your own person. Part of what's nice about Hogwarts is students get to grow a little bit without their parents looking over their shoulder and trying to shape them. There is nothing wrong with wanting to carry on your family's legacy, but it's just as important to know who you are," Madam Pomfrey said.

Rachel puzzled over that for a moment. Who was she? Did she even know? She supposed she hadn't thought about it that way before. "Do you like it here, at Hogwarts?" she finally asked.

"Very much. They've been trying to get me to work at St. Mungo's for decades now and I turn them down every time. I do Healing not for the sake of doing Healing, but for the lives I can change with it. And I find that I can best do that here, with young students who need my help. You are always welcome here if you need anything." Madam Pomfrey nodded with a slight smile. "I know you see your Mind Healer, but if there's anything I can do, I want to help."

"Thank you," Rachel said. She didn't like the hospital wing, but she could see why Severus always included Madam Pomfrey on the list of people she could go to if she needed help. She checked her watch. "What's taking them so long?"

"It will be a little bit, it's a good ten minute walk out to the gate and another ten minutes back, and they might have to go a bit more slowly on the way back if they're helping Theo. You can't apparate on Hogwarts grounds you know," Madam Pomfrey said.

"Why is that?" Rachel asked.

"It goes back to the days of Grindelwald's war. I was just a student then myself. The war had been going on for a few years at that point. There were attacks and abductions. The castle itself already had anti-apparation wards from long ago, mostly to stop the older students from causing mischief, but as Hogwarts was drawn into the war, Professor Dippet and Professor Dumbledore decided that we needed more protection from outside influence. They spent a summer expanding the wards, including the anti-apparation wards, to cover the entirety of the Hogwarts grounds," Madam Pomfrey explained.

"Do you think the war is going to be like that this time?" Rachel asked.

"Hogwarts is a safe haven and I can tell you this, Professor Dumbledore was always the one person that You-Know-Who was afraid of. As long as Professor Dumbledore is here, we are safe from You-Know-Who."

Rachel bit her lip as she considered this. "Why is the Dark Lord so afraid of Professor Dumbledore?"

"Well, Professor Dumbledore was the one who stopped Grindelwald, as you know. And Professor Dumbledore has fought with You-Know-Who a number of times, but somehow he always slips away," Madam Pomfrey said.

"Did Professor Dumbledore try to kill him?" Rachel asked. Surely he would have? Wouldn't he? He didn't kill Grindelwald after all.

"Albus is very reluctant to kill. It's always the very last resort for him. I imagine he would have been aiming to capture and incapacitate You-Know-Who." Madam Pomfrey shook her head slightly.

Rachel frowned. She could understand not wanting to kill anyone. She certainly never wanted to and would hopefully never have to. But, sometimes it was kill or be killed, wasn't it?

The sound of footsteps and voices in the corridor caught their attention and Rachel jumped to her feet. Severus entered the hospital wing, Professor McGonagall with him, and a stretcher was floating between them.

Theo was lying on the stretcher. There was a lot of blood.

"Bring him here, we'll need a Blood Replenisher to get started with," Madam Pomfrey said, all business now that she had a patient.

Rachel took a step closer, trying to see what exactly was wrong, but Professor McGonagall placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come over here, they need space to work," Professor McGonagall said quietly, guiding Rachel over to a bed that was two beds away from where Severus and Madam Pomfrey were standing over Theo.

"Is he going to die?" Rachel asked, a little afraid of the answer.

"No. He was cursed and he splinched himself. They can treat him," Professor McGonagall said.

"Splinched?" Rachel asked, looking up at Professor McGonagall.

"He left part of himself behind when he apparated," she explained.

Rachel felt sick. "That can happen?" Why had Severus never told her that could happen?

"Yes, but generally only those who are inexperienced or apparating under duress, and this was both. You have no need to fear apparating in general."

"Can they get the parts of him back that he left behind?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey can set him right, it will just take a little time. Would you like to come to my office while they work?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Rachel shook her head and sat down on the bed. She wasn't leaving until Theo was okay. "No, thank you. Were there Death Eaters there? Was it a trap?"

"No, it was just Theo. I need to go see Professor Dumbledore. Make sure you stay out of their way while they're working," Professor McGonagall said, patting Rachel's shoulder before hurrying away.

Rachel watched as they worked, her heart in her throat, and she prayed to a god that she didn't really believe in that Theo would be alright.


Rachel stood as Severus stepped away from Theo's bed. The blood was gone now, with bandages in its place, and Theo's chest fell and rose as he breathed.

"Can I see him?" she asked, moving to Severus' side. Now that she was closer she could see how pale Theo looked, how frail.

"He needs to rest. He should be awake tomorrow," Severus said quietly. "Let's go back to our quarters."

"I can't leave him. What if he dies and I'm not here?" Rachel asked, feeling her heart jolt at the idea of leaving the hospital wing.

"Theo is not going to die," Madam Pomfrey said as she joined them. "He is entirely stable and is getting some much needed rest. I assure you that if his life was in danger we would have moved him to St. Mungo's."

"You cannot stay here tonight. If Theo is feeling well enough you can see him tomorrow afternoon," Severus said.

Rachel looked back at Theo and reminded herself that magic was much quicker at healing people than muggle medicine. "You're sure he'll be alright?"

"Positive. Believe me, I've seen worse than this and my patients were just fine," Madam Pomfrey said. "Do you need a Sleeping potion for tonight?"

"No, thank you," Rachel said. She didn't know that she would be sleeping, but she definitely did not want to take a Sleeping potion of any kind.

"I'll brew you another batch of Healing salve tomorrow," Severus told Madam Pomfrey.

"I appreciate it, I thought we were done for the summer," Madam Pomfrey said.

"I'll be by in the morning," Severus said, gently placing his hand on Rachel's shoulder and guiding her out of the hospital wing.

Rachel twisted back in the doorway, double checking that Theo was still there. "What if his father shows up? Tonight?"

"Then he will not get past the wards. The gate is locked and only people who are keyed to be here can open it," Severus said.

"But if he demands that Theo go back with him, then what will happen?" she insisted.

"Let's talk about it in our quarters," Severus said. "Nothing will happen to Theo tonight. He's safe here."

Reluctantly Rachel walked with Severus back down into the dungeons. "Thank you for going to get him, even though you thought there might be Death Eaters waiting."

"I would have done so for any of my students, though very few of them would have been able to send a Patronus message," he said. "Your entire study group can cast a corporeal Patronus now?"

"Yes, we can. I think we should learn it earlier than seventh year," Rachel said, wondering what Theo would have done if he hadn't been able to send his Patronus. What if he'd been too badly injured or too weak?

"Perhaps. The fact that you and your friends were able to learn it at such a young age suggests we may have some misconceptions about how the Patronus should be taught," he said. "If we had a permanent Defense teacher, it might be an option."

Rachel nodded, trying to keep her mind focused. Her chest hurt and she had the strange urge to run back to the hospital wing to make sure Theo was still there.

"Do you want some tea?" Severus asked once they were inside their quarters.

She shook her head and sat down on the couch. "They're going to send Theo back to his father, aren't they? And then he's going to kill him."

"No," Severus said. "Albus will have already contacted the MLE and Family Services. Ignatius cannot simply come and take Theo."

"But his father will just say he didn't do it and they'll give Theo back to him." Rachel felt her brow furrow as she fought the growing pain in her chest. "They can't stop him."

"They can stop him. They aren't simply going to take Ignatius' word for it. The curse that was used, Ondine's curse, is very dark magic and it's illegal. The MLE will investigate," Severus said, a hint of anger in his voice.

Rachel placed her hand against her chest as she tried to breathe. "This is my fault. I should have stopped him from going back."

"It is not your fault and you could not have prevented Theo from returning to his father."

"I knew something bad was happening, but Theo wouldn't say anything," Rachel said, stopping to take a painful breath. "He could have killed him, and then we never would have known what happened to him. He would have just stopped writing and then he'd be gone."

"Rachel, listen to me. Theo is alive. He is safe in the hospital wing. It does no good to dwell on the what ifs. We must focus on what is," Severus said firmly.

Rachel shook her head. "This is my fault, I should have done something." She could feel the panic welling up in her, twisting all of her muscles and leaving her gasping for air.

"There was nothing you could do. Rachel, you need to calm down. Remember what Torey said about slowing down your breathing."

How could she slow her breathing when she could barely breathe at all? She wanted to close her eyes and curl up and just cry but she couldn't. Everything felt like it was collapsing on her, like every thought and feeling was caught in a destructive whirlwind that she couldn't break out of.

"Do you need a Calming draught?" Severus asked.

"No," Rachel managed to say. She didn't want to take potions. Not like that. She didn't want something that would change the way she felt or the way she thought.

"Then you need to calm yourself down. Torey told you how to count your breaths. Do you remember?" he asked.

Rachel nodded and began to try to count. She could get to three before she gasped for air again, her right hand clamped against where it felt like her throat was closed off.

"What else has Torey told you to do when you're panicking?" Severus asked.

She managed to swallow. "Grounding. I'm supposed to think about my senses."

"Where do you start?"

"Seeing. Five things I can see," Rachel said. She closed her eyes for a moment and managed to count to four before she took another breath.

"Five things you can see. What can you see?" Severus prompted.

Rachel took another breath. "The hearth rug, your armchair, the dining table, the couch, and you."

"Good. What's next?"

She closed her eyes again, feeling like she was caught between the panic and trying to do what Severus said. "Four things I can touch. The couch, my skin, my trousers, and my shirt."

"Good. After that?" he continued.

"Three things I can hear. I can hear the fire cracking, I can hear your voice, and I can hear myself breathing," Rachel said, stopping again to count. She could get five for breathing in and six for breathing out.

"Taste, I presume?"

Rachel nodded. "Two things I can taste. I can taste the chocolate from the dessert, and I can taste my own spit I guess. And one thing I can smell. I can smell the mint scent from when I washed my hair this morning."

"Good. Is that the entire thing?" Severus asked.

"Yes," she said, opening her eyes. They sat quietly for a few moments, Rachel counting as her breathing slowed down. "You really think they won't let Theo's father take him?"

"Not right away at least, and most probably not at all. I will do everything that I can to ensure that Theo is safe, and so will Albus," he said.

"Is there anything I can do that will help?" Rachel asked.

"No, but you can probably speak with Theo tomorrow," Severus said. "He should be well enough for visitors by then."

Rachel nodded. Her chest still hurt, though not as bad as before, and she felt utterly drained. "What if it wasn't Theo's father who cursed him? He said that there were other Death Eaters visiting their house."

"Then we'll have to figure that out tomorrow, when Theo is well enough to tell us what happened," Severus said. "Though I think that it's most likely that it was Ignatius. There wouldn't be a reason for another Death Eater to curse Theo."

She remembered what Theo had written about listening to the Death Eaters that were meeting with his father. If he'd gotten caught, that might be reason enough.

"Do you feel like you're not going to sleep tonight?" he asked.

"I'll sleep," Rachel said. Probably. Eventually. "I might read for a while first. Or take another shower."

"That's fine. Do you want company?"

Rachel shook her head and got to her feet, realizing that all of her muscles were still fraught with tension. "No. I'm actually going to go get ready for bed. Sorry for freaking out."

"There's no need to apologize. Please knock on my door tonight if you need anything," Severus said, also standing.

"Thanks. Goodnight," Rachel said.

"Goodnight," Severus said.

Rachel went into her bedroom and hesitated over her two-way book. She didn't want to reveal what had happened to Theo to everyone - she wouldn't like it if someone did that to her - but she also didn't want them to worry when they didn't hear from Theo. After a moment she decided it could wait until tomorrow. If Theo was well enough, he could tell her if he wanted her to say something to everyone. If he wasn't well enough, she'd let them know he was safe at Hogwarts but she couldn't reveal more than that.

She sat down on her bed, feeling a strange mixture of guilt and embarrassment. She hadn't expected to panic that badly, but the more she'd thought about Theo, the more afraid she'd become.

Caught in the space between exhaustion and anxiety, Rachel kicked off her shoes and pulled herself into bed fully dressed, holding on tightly to her stuffed bunny. She had no idea if she'd actually sleep - or what dreams would be waiting for her if she did - but she felt like she couldn't manage anything more than just lying there or she'd find herself panicking again.


Severus woke early the next morning. He had not slept well. His thoughts had preoccupied him late into the night, and he'd half been waiting for Rachel to surface from nightmares. He regretted telling her that the wards were set to wake him when someone entered his quarters or office at night. It seemed likely to him that she hadn't slept much last night and he would much rather know she was struggling than have her keep herself shut away in her room so she didn't bother him.

After having a House Elf send a tea tray, Severus sank down into his armchair and organized his thoughts. It was rare that he saw Rachel get as upset as she had been last night, though he suspected it was two-fold. She had obviously been remembering her own time with her relatives and had been fearful that Theo would continue to be subjected to abuse.

He did not know why no one had helped Rachel when she was a young child. It seemed clear to him that she'd been suffering, but perhaps muggles simply didn't view child abuse the same way the wizarding community did. In retrospect, Severus had thought that his own family situation had been obvious enough to anyone who had cared to look. Perhaps that was the problem. Even in the wizarding world, oftentimes no one cared to look.

Severus thought the other reason for Rachel's breakdown was simply that she had been keeping everything shut up since the third task and the night of the Dark Lord's return. She'd been quiet and withdrawn ever since that night. He needed to find a better way to address Rachel's worries, but he found himself uncertain what to do. He couldn't tell her that it would be alright or that war was not at hand. The best he could do was promise that he'd do everything he could to keep her safe.

Theo was an entirely separate problem. Severus had no idea what had happened to cause Ignatius to cast Ondine's curse on Theo. It was a spell meant for slow torture, usually used to extract information from someone before killing them. The curse slowly sucked the life force from the victim's organs and caused significant and worsening pain. It was deadly if it wasn't lifted within twenty four hours.

If Ignatius had cast this just because he'd learned of Theo's true friendships, then Severus had seriously underestimated the man.

Severus had assumed that most of the children of Death Eaters who would still be attending Hogwarts would be relatively safe over the summer. Alice Jugson and Thomas Rowle were both old enough that they wouldn't be coming back to Hogwarts. Severus suspected that both of them would join the Death Eaters.

Jacob Turner and Avery Acker seemed to want to follow in their father's footsteps, though neither of them had come to him again after the first time they'd cautiously asked about the Dark Arts. He was also assuming that the Dark Lord wouldn't Mark a student who hadn't completed their NEWTs, but it was possible that could have changed since the last war.

The Carrow twins were more anomalous for children of Death Eaters. They behaved appropriately and had asked for no instruction from him over the years, but were also isolated. Tracey had confided to him that Hestia and Flora barely spoke to anyone but each other in their dorm room or in the common room. Severus couldn't tell what that meant, but he planned to reach out to them under the guise of NEWT advising to see what influence he might have. It was possible, now that his position as a spy was revealed, that they might feel more comfortable talking to him.

He feared that Draco was a lost cause. Whatever rapport he'd managed to build with him would be gone once Lucius spoke to Draco this summer. Crabbe, Goyle, and Matthew Pike were likely the same, though it wouldn't stop him from trying.

Malcolm Baddock was the one he thought he had the best chance of saving. He had spoken to Malcolm before the students were sent home for the summer, offered him an optional text to read, and let him know he was available by owl. The best thing he could do at this point was make himself a trustworthy source of information so that Malcolm would feel comfortable talking to him when the time was right.

"Severus?"

Severus turned and found Rachel at the edge of the hallway. Her clothes were rumpled, like she'd slept in them, and her curls were starting to come out of her plait. "Yes?" he asked.

"Is Theo still here?" she asked.

"He is, Poppy would have told me if they'd needed to move him," Severus said, checking the time. "We're expecting the MLE will come by this morning to speak with him. If Theo is feeling well enough afterward, I will send you a message and you can come see him."

Rachel entered the room and went to sit on the couch. "What are the MLE going to do?"

"They'll ask him what happened and they'll take a report from Poppy describing the condition we found him in. Afterward they will go question whoever attacked Theo," he explained.

"What if they can't find Theo's father? What if he's hiding with the Dark Lord?" Rachel asked.

"Then the MLE will tell all of its employees that Ignatius is to be apprehended on sight and brought in for questioning." Severus watched Rachel closely, waiting for any signs of the panic that had engulfed her yesterday. "Someone from Family Services should be coming to talk with Theo today as well. They'll help decide where it's safe for Theo to go."

"But Theo's going to stay in the hospital wing for now, right?" she asked.

"For at least another day, perhaps two, until he's fully recovered," he answered. "Do you want breakfast?"

"I'm not really hungry."

Severus had been expecting that answer. "Perhaps some toast, with some milk or pumpkin juice?"

She nodded, not looking particularly enthused.

He flooed the kitchens and ordered breakfast for them, also asking for eggs and fruit in hopes that it might look more appetizing to Rachel than she believed. "Did you sleep?" he asked, once his head was back in their quarters.

"Yeah. I was more tired than I thought I was," Rachel said, dropping into her chair at the dining table. "You think Theo will be well enough for me to see him soon?"

"Later this morning or afternoon perhaps," Severus said, watching as their breakfast appeared.

Rachel ate a little, seeming more interested in staring at her toast than actually eating it, and Severus wondered if this was something he needed to bring up with Torey. When he pressed Rachel on it, she simply said that she wasn't hungry or her stomach was upset, but Severus had a student several years ago who had seemed intent on starving herself for reasons he still did not understand.

"Severus, could you join us in the hospital wing please?" Poppy's voice came through the fireplace.

"On my way," he called back. "Will you be alright here?"

"Yes," Rachel said, though she looked even more worried than before.

"Send your Patronus if there's a problem. I will send you a message once Theo's able to see you," Severus said, giving her one last look before he flooed through to the hospital wing.

Minerva and Poppy were both there, along with a witch and a wizard in the dark blue robes of the MLE Patrol. Theo was sitting propped up with pillows, and while he was still unnaturally pale he seemed to be alert.

"This is Professor Severus Snape, he is Mr. Nott's Head of House," Minerva introduced him. "Severus, this is Mr. Jack Baker and Ms. Maisie Green with the MLE. They'd like to ask Mr. Nott some questions about yesterday."

Severus bowed his head in their direction and turned to Theo. "Mr. Nott, would you like me to be present while you speak with them?"

"Yes, sir, if you don't mind," Theo said, appearing nervous for a brief moment before he schooled his expression.

"Not at all," Severus said. He would actually prefer to hear what had happened directly from Theo.

"I'll be in my office when you need me," Poppy said.

"Send me a message if you need me for anything," Minerva said, nodding to him before leaving the hospital wing.

"Do you mind if we sit down?" Green asked. "That way you're not having to look up at us?"

"Whatever you'd like," Theo said with a glance at Severus.

"We're just going to put up a privacy ward here," Baker said, pulling out his wand, while Green conjured a few chairs.

"Do you prefer to be called Theodore?" Green asked once they were all settled, Baker with a notebook and quill.

"Theo," he said. "Just Theo."

"Alright, Theo. We received a report that you arrived at Hogwarts yesterday, cursed and injured. Do you think you could tell us what happened?" Green asked, her tone almost annoyingly gentle.

Theo looked at Severus, seeming to want to know something. After a moment, Severus realized what Theo wanted to say and gave him a very slight nod.

"My father is a Death Eater," Theo said, glancing at Severus again before looking at Green. "Last night, just after dinner, he told me that I'm going to take the Dark Mark when I come of age, that I'm going to serve the Dark Lord, and I told him that I wouldn't do it."

Severus kept his expression impassive though he was now very curious as to what had actually happened. Surely Theo had known that this was his father's plan for him for years now.

"I see," Green said, sounding a little flummoxed.

"When you say that your father is a Death Eater, how do you know this?" Baker asked.

"I've seen him in his mask and robes. I've heard him talk with other Death Eaters. He talks about the Dark Lord, he's talked about serving the Dark Lord," Theo listed, his tone sharp.

"I can corroborate Theo's statement. Ignatius Nott is a Marked Death Eater. I have seen Ignatius Nott at Death Eater gatherings," Severus said.

"Recently?" Green asked, her eyes wide.

"Fourteen years ago," Severus said.

Green and Baker looked at each other. "Let's focus on last night," Baker finally said.

"Yes, let's. So what happened when you told your father that you wouldn't do what he wanted?" Green asked.

"He knocked me to the floor, kicked me in the chest, and then drew his wand on me," Theo said. "I don't know what spell he used, but it felt like I was dying."

"Ondine's curse," Severus said.

"That's what the Healer's notes say," Baker said, looking at a piece of parchment. "Was the curse lifted before there was permanent damage?"

Theo looked alarmed.

"Yes, it was, we were able to lift it before two hours had passed since it was cast," Severus said, nodding to Theo.

"He told me that the pain would stop when I saw reason," Theo said, frowning. "I refused, and when he pointed his wand at me again I apparated to the Hogwarts gate. I thought he was going to kill me."

"Has your father cast other damaging spells on you before, at any point in your life?" Green asked.

Theo looked down at the blanket covering his legs. "Once. When I was eight. It was shortly after my mom died, and I kept asking my father about her. He got upset and cast a spell that removed my tongue. He regrew it a few days later."

Severus barely restrained himself from grimacing.

"I'm sorry that happened. Has your father hurt you in other ways, physically perhaps?" Green asked, Baker busily taking notes.

"No. I stay out of his way," Theo said.

"Do you have other family members?" Green asked.

"Not really, not in Britain. My father's parents are dead, I don't know where my mother's parents are. My uncle and his family are in America, but I don't want to live with them either. Can I be emancipated?" Theo asked.

"Well, you're a little young for that, but Family Services will help find an appropriate place for you to live for now. We'll send our report to them and a case witch should be by today or tomorrow," Green said. "Is there anything that you think we should know?"

"My father will kill me if you send me back to him. He will kill me, vanish my body, and tell everyone he sent me to Durmstrang," Theo said bluntly.

"We will be bringing your father in for questioning, no need to worry about that," Baker said, closing his notebook.

Theo looked at Severus, clearly not reassured.

"Will you keep us apprised of the results of the investigation?" Severus asked.

"Yes, if it comes to trial you'll receive an owl. Family Services will also keep you up to date," Baker said. "Do you have any other questions for us?"

"No," Theo said, frowning. "I can stay here until I speak with Family Services?"

"Yes," Severus answered for them.

Baker dismissed the privacy ward. "We'll be in contact. Can we use the floo?"

"Yes, did you need to speak with our Healer before you go?" Severus asked.

"No, we've got everything here," Baker said, tucking away his notebook and the parchment and pulling out a pouch with some floo powder. "Thanks for your time. Contact us if Nott senior shows up."

"We will," Severus said. He watched as Baker and Green flooed out of the hospital wing and then returned to Theo.

"I don't think they believed me," Theo said, shaking his head.

"Perhaps not about him being a Death Eater, but they have Madam Pomfrey's report about your injuries," Severus said.

"If I hadn't come here when I did, the curse would have caused permanent injuries?" Theo asked.

"Yes," Severus said, seeing no reason to lie to Theo. "You did well to come here."

Theo shook his head. "Luck, really. Luck that Rachel taught us the Patronus charm, and that my father taught me to apparate last summer. Otherwise I'd be dead right now."

"And your skill and mental fortitude. It is not easy to apparate or to produce a corporeal Patronus under duress," Severus said. "I will do whatever I can to ensure you are not returned to your father."

"Will Family Services believe me better than the MLE Patrol did?" Theo asked with just a hint of bitterness to his tone.

"I believe so," Severus said. "They should be more willing to look at the situation holistically rather than just the events of last night."

Theo sighed. "I know I messed up. I just couldn't take it anymore."

"It is not your fault," Severus said firmly, forcibly reminded of his own situation when he was a little older than Theo. He'd spent most of the summer between his sixth and seventh year in Knockturn Alley, unwilling to live with his father any longer after their last fight. The Death Eaters had helped him when he'd had nowhere else to turn. They'd gotten him a temporary job in a run down apothecary and got him set up in a tiny flat for the summer.

"What now?" Theo asked.

"You still need some time and rest to recover. Do you want me to come by again when the case witch from Family Services shows up?" Severus asked.

"Would it help?" Theo asked.

"I would be willing to offer them my opinion as your Head of House that you should not be returned to your father," Severus said.

"Then, yes, if you wouldn't mind being here, anything that will help," Theo said.

"Just have Madam Pomfrey send for me then. Did you want to take more time to rest? You also have the option of seeing Rachel, but I can keep her away if you don't want to see her right now," Severus said, a little curious as to what Theo would say.

His expression brightened. "I'd like to see Rachel. She's still here in the castle, right?"

"She is. I do not want you to exert yourself. You are to remain in bed while you heal and Rachel is to leave once you start to feel tired," Severus said, unable to tell if this was simply a close friendship or if Theo still had a crush on Rachel.

"Yes, sir," Theo said.

Severus cast his Patronus. "To Rachel Snow. Please join us in the hospital wing. Theo is ready to see you."

"Thank you, sir. And thank you for being here while the MLE talked to me. I think it would have gone worse if you weren't here," Theo said.

"No need to thank me for that," Severus said. He would do what he could to protect Theo.


Rachel took off running out of Severus' quarters as soon as his Patronus finished speaking. She knew that Theo was obviously still in the hospital wing, Severus wouldn't have called her there otherwise, but some anxious part of her couldn't believe it until she'd seen it with her own eyes. She had woken multiple times last night, each time wanting to go check on Theo, but she knew that the wards would alert Severus if she left her room.

Out of breath, and maybe five minutes after she'd gotten Severus' message, she arrived in the hospital wing and saw Theo sitting up in bed looking much better than he had yesterday. She was still torn between relief and fear - relief that Theo was actually getting better, and fear that Theo's father was going to show up at any moment and take Theo.

"Where are your shoes?" Severus asked, looking down at Rachel's sock-clad feet.

"In my room," Rachel said. She hadn't even given it a spare thought. "I'm not going to go outside, I'll go back and get them later. Hi Theo."

"Hi Rachel," Theo said, his gaze falling briefly to Rachel's feet before he arched an eyebrow at her.

"You may visit until Theo gets tired, then he needs to rest. I will either be with Albus or in our quarters. If you need me send a Patronus message," Severus said.

"I will," Rachel said, waiting for Severus to leave before she sat down on the edge of Theo's bed. "Are you feeling better than yesterday?"

"Much. Still a little sore, but not bad at all. You know, you could have taken the time to put on shoes, it's not like I was going anywhere," Theo said.

Rachel shrugged. "Just didn't think about it."

Theo smiled. "I'm glad to see you too. I know it's only been five days, but it was a long five days."

She nodded, not quite sure what to say. She didn't want to ask Theo what happened, she knew she wouldn't want to be asked if the situation was reversed. "Do you want me to write something in our two-way books, so everyone isn't worried that you're missing?" she finally asked.

"No, I'll do it, I just haven't figured out what to say yet," Theo said.

"You have your book with you?" Rachel asked.

"In my trunk," Theo said, nodding at where a tiny trunk sat next to his wand on the bedside table. "I packed the first evening we got back and have kept everything with me. I wanted to be prepared, in case something happened and I had to run."

Rachel nodded again, though she found herself filled with dread. Theo had gone back home knowing this would happen, and he had still told them that he thought he'd be okay.

"You can ask, Rachel," Theo said after a moment.

"What happened? Did he find out we're friends?" Rachel asked, giving voice to the worry that had been circling in the back of her mind since Theo had sent his Patronus yesterday.

"No, nothing like that," Theo said. "I fucked up."

"You got caught listening to them?" Rachel asked, somewhat relieved that she at least hadn't been the cause of Theo's father hurting him.

"No. There's a spot in the library that is next to my father's office. I used to find my mom listening there. He never knew about it," Theo said, pausing to lick his lips. "I told him that I wasn't going to be a Death Eater. It was right after dinner, and he was telling me what he expected of me. That I was going to finish school, take the Dark Mark, join the Ministry, serve the Dark Lord, and marry a pure-blood woman that I've never even met. And I just couldn't do it. I couldn't just sit there and say 'yes, father' and let him introduce me to the Dark Lord and arrange a marriage contract for me."

Rachel frowned as she took all of that in. "He wanted to introduce you to the Dark Lord?" she asked, choosing the most troublesome part first.

"Not this summer, but after my OWLs," Theo said. "I know I should have just pretended that it was okay."

"No," Rachel said. "It's not okay. What about this marriage contract?"

Theo sighed. "Her name is Julia Fawley, she's twenty-two. I didn't even know the Fawleys supported the Dark Lord."

"Has it already been arranged or do we still have time to do something about it?" Rachel asked.

"We still have time, and if Family Services removes me from my father, then he won't have the legal right to arrange a marriage for me," Theo said. "I don't know if that's going to happen though. Professor Snape said that Family Services would be better than the MLE patrol, but I don't know."

"There has to be something we can do," Rachel said, her mind racing as she thought about places they could hide Theo from his father.

"Well, if both parties disagree with the marriage contract it can be mutually dissolved once both parties are of age, you just have to take it before the Wizengamot," Theo said. "I can't imagine that Julia Fawley would want to marry me, there are probably better prospects for her."

Rachel nodded, filing that information away for later in case Neville wound up needing it too. "Is there anything we can do to convince Family Services that you can't go back to your father? What if Professor Dumbledore talked with them? He helped with arranging my adoption."

"It's probably best if we leave Professor Dumbledore out of it, he's not exactly popular in the Ministry at the moment. I take it you're not reading the Daily Prophet anymore?" he asked.

"Depends on the day," Rachel said, a little bit embarrassed that she'd been avoiding something so silly. "Apparently now I was Confunded during the third task. I don't know why I thought anyone would believe me about the Dark Lord returning. It's not like I have proof."

"It was enough evidence for Professor Dumbledore. And they could have questioned you about it or viewed your memory. If they were being reasonable they would have at least tried to investigate what happened," Theo said.

"I offered," Rachel said, caught up for a moment in the whirlwind of events that had happened after she'd returned from the graveyard. She shook her head to put it aside, right now she needed to focus on helping Theo. "If Professor Dumbledore can't help, then is there anyone else who could?"

"Professor Snape said he'd talk to them for me. I think that's probably the best we can do. I told the MLE that my father is a Death Eater, but they didn't seem to believe me, even when Professor Snape said that he'd seen my father at Death Eater meetings," Theo said, his brow furrowing. "I don't know if I should leave that part out when I talk with Family Services."

"I don't think so. What if Family Services talks to the MLE and you said one thing to one of them and something else to the other?" Rachel asked.

Theo nodded. "You're probably right. I should be consistent. I just wish I sounded more believable."

"And me telling them that I saw him when I saw the Dark Lord reborn probably wouldn't help," Rachel said, trying to think of something that she could do that would help.

"Probably not. I guess we'll see what Family Services says, and if they say I have to go back, I'll make a run for it," Theo said.

"What about the Room of Requirement?" Rachel asked. "At the very least you could stay there until school starts in September. It would be safer than being out in the world somewhere."

"Maybe," Theo said, grimacing as he adjusted the way he was sitting against the pillows. "We should try to visit there anyway, once Madam Pomfrey releases me from the hospital wing. There's something we need to talk about, but we can't do it here."

She glanced in the direction of Madam Pomfrey's office. "How urgent is it?"

"We should talk about it soon, but it can wait for a few days. It's private though, so we need to be somewhere we can't be overheard by anyone," Theo said, frowning as he looked at Rachel.

"I've asked Severus to teach me how to cast the privacy ward. I'll ask him about it again tonight," Rachel said, her mind working on what Theo might want to tell her. If it was something about the Dark Lord or Death Eaters, surely he would have wanted to tell Severus? And what else could it be?

"That would be good to know, you can teach it to the rest of us too," Theo said, covering up a yawn with his hand.

"Do you want me to go, so you can rest?" she asked.

"No, but I might fall back asleep," Theo said. "I slept all night and I'm still tired."

"You can sleep. I'll wake you if anyone comes close," Rachel promised.

"Thanks. I just need a few moments, I'll be fine," Theo said, sagging against the pillows and closing his eyes.

Rachel sat and watched as Theo fell into a fitful sleep, her mind busily working. There had to be something she could do that would keep Theo safe.


Rachel had spent the rest of the morning with Theo before being banished from the hospital wing so that Theo and Severus could speak with the case witch from Family Services. Rachel spent the afternoon in the library, trying to find anything that would give her ideas about how to help Theo, but didn't find anything that was truly relevant. It seemed as though law was just as complicated in the wizarding world as it was in the muggle world.

When she checked by the hospital wing in the late afternoon she found Theo sleeping and decided he clearly wasn't as well as he looked if he was sleeping as much as he was. It wasn't until dinner time that Severus emerged from his private lab.

"What happened this afternoon?" Rachel asked once he'd sat down.

"The case witch from Family Services interviewed Theo. They'll have made arrangements for him by the time he's free to leave the hospital wing," Severus said, looking weary.

"They're not sending him back to his father?" she asked, not entirely sure from Severus' description.

"Not right away, at least. Their decision is contingent on the results of the MLE investigation," Severus said.

Rachel frowned. "Meaning that if the MLE didn't believe Theo, that he'll be sent back?"

"There is sufficient enough evidence to show that Ignatius attacked Theo, that is not in question," he said, sighing. "There will be a hearing at a later date to determine if he is allowed to keep custody of Theo. For the time being Theo will reside with another family."

"Could he stay with us?" Rachel asked hopefully.

"No. The Ministry would be very unlikely to grant me custody over him in the current climate. Albus is checking to see if the Zabinis will take him. They would be ideal, they are in good standing with the Ministry," he said.

"Blaise's family? They'd be safe, right?" Despite having shared classes with him for four years now Rachel still did not know a lot about Blaise. He was friends with some of the Ravenclaw boys, but he didn't hang around the Slytherin common room very much. She knew he didn't hang out with Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"They're politically neutral and Theo would be safe from the Death Eaters there. Their manor and grounds are heavily warded," Severus said.

Well, that was better than Theo having to run away or hide in the Room of Requirement. "Is there anything we can do that will help prevent Theo's father from getting him back?"

"I will speak at the hearing, in the role of Theo's Head of House," Severus said. "There's nothing else we can do for the time being."

Rachel sighed. "Was it this hard for you to adopt me?"

"No. The Ministry never approved of you being sent to live with muggles, and muggles don't have much legal standing in the wizarding world regardless. And, at the time, Albus was able to smooth things over. Is there anything I can do or say that will help ease your worries about this?" Severus asked.

She thought about it. What she wanted was to know for sure that Theo's father couldn't hurt him again, but there was no real way to guarantee that. "I don't know. I just want Theo to be safe."

"For now, he is. We'll take the future as it comes," he said.

"Can I go see Theo after dinner?" she asked.

"For a little while, then he needs to rest, he's still recovering," Severus said. "What do you want for dinner?"

"I'm not really hungry," Rachel said.

"You need to eat. Can you tell me why you don't want to eat?"

"My stomach feels like it's just one big knot and that I'm going to get sick if I try to put anything into it," she said. It had been feeling that way since last night.

"Would you try a Stomach Soothing potion?" he asked.

"Isn't that for when your stomach is hurting or when you're going to throw up?" Rachel asked.

"It can be used for both of those things, but it can also help your stomach feel more settled in general. Some people who struggle with apparating will take it directly before so they don't become sick afterward," Severus explained.

"Why didn't you tell me that people could get hurt apparating?" she asked, remembering as soon as Severus said the word.

"Splinching only happens when someone is inexperienced at apparating or someone who is apparating while ill, injured, or intoxicated. You have no need to worry about it until you learn to apparate," he said.

"I guess. I just didn't realize it was so dangerous. Madam Pomfrey was able to fix all the parts that got left behind?" she asked.

"Yes, Theo's fine now. It's a relatively easy fix for a Healer or someone who is trained to reverse splinchings. Now, what about a Stomach Soothing potion?" he asked, undeterred.

"Will it have any other effects?" Rachel asked. She'd been in the magical world long enough to know not just to take any potion that was handed to her, at least not without asking first.

"You'll feel a somewhat chilly sensation going down your esophagus and settling into your stomach, that's all," Severus said.

Rachel considered it. She supposed it didn't sound bad, she just wasn't sure it would work. "Can we try it once and see if it works? Are there problems like with Sleeping potions where I can't take them very often?"

"You can take a Stomach Soothing potion twice a day, indefinitely, as long as you aren't taking a Pain Relieving Potion within four hours of it," he said, getting to his feet. "I don't expect you'll need it every day, but it's important that you are eating. Did you get lunch?"

"I ate a little in the hospital wing with Theo," Rachel said, though truthfully she'd only managed about half of her sandwich and some pumpkin juice.

"I'll get you a dose to try. You'll have to wait five minutes after taking it before you can eat," Severus said, walking away.

She sighed again and settled in on the couch. She supposed she should eat, it just seemed difficult at the moment. For whatever reason everything seemed difficult at the moment - sleeping, eating, going into small spaces. She'd looked at the shower stall this morning before deciding it simply wasn't going to happen. During the school year she'd hoped that everything would be better after the tournament, but it seemed like one thing kept happening after another.

"Here, take the full dose," Severus said, returning with a small vial of a milky white potion.

Rachel uncorked it and took it without smelling it, but instead of tasting foul it mostly tasted of mint and honey. "That wasn't so bad," she said, looking down as she felt a cool sensation somewhere in her chest leaking downward.

"Good. Can you think of anything that you'd like for dinner?" he asked.

"Maybe fish and potatoes of some sort," she said. She didn't feel like eating anything heavy.

"I'll see what the kitchens have," Severus said.

Rachel watched absently as he flooed the kitchens while she shivered a little bit. The cold in her stomach was a little uncomfortable, but it also felt less tight now as well. She would try to eat, and then she would go see Theo. And hopefully things would be better tomorrow.


"Anything in the paper?" Rachel asked as she sat down at the dining table for breakfast. She'd forced herself to shower that morning, and while she'd felt a little confined in the shower stall it wasn't as bad as yesterday.

"Nothing about you, thankfully. Mostly it is speculation on the next meeting of the Wizengamot. There are rumors that Albus is going to lose his position as Chief Warlock," Severus said, looking up from the newspaper.

Rachel frowned. "All because he publicly stated that he believes the Dark Lord is back?"

"Fudge and some factions of the Wizengamot have been looking for a reason to limit Albus' power for years now. There was a lot of backlash from Albus' decision to announce the Dark Lord's return to the school, they think he's trying to frighten and manipulate children," Severus explained. "Do you need a Stomach Soothing potion in order to eat breakfast?"

"No," Rachel said, looking down at the ham and cheese omelette on her plate. "Why does Minister Fudge hate Professor Dumbledore so much? This seems like more than just him not believing the Dark Lord is back. Is he a Death Eater sympathizer?"

"He's not, but he might as well be for all that he allows them to influence him. He'd never take some of the more extreme party lines that the Death Eaters advocate for, but there are plenty of harmful policies that pass with his vote," Severus said, glaring briefly at the paper. "When it comes down to it, Fudge likes being in power, and he views Albus as a threat to that power. If Albus had wanted it, the Minister position would have been his after the war. Fudge never forgot that."

"When is the next election?" Rachel asked, realizing that she had no idea.

"Summer of 1998, for both the Wizengamot seats that are decided by popular election and for the Minister. This is Fudge's second term as Minister and he'll undoubtedly try for a third, though our world will likely have undergone some changes in that time," he said, pausing to eat some toast.

"Because there will be a war," Rachel said. She still wasn't sure what that would mean exactly. Attacks and people trying to kill each other, sure, but how would a war work if there weren't any soldiers or front lines?

"I believe that it is inevitable, though it may take some time for it to become an outright war. The Dark Lord will want to use this time to plan and to recruit in secret. We will do the same. You should eat before your food gets cold," Severus said.

Rachel considered this as she started on her omelette. She supposed there couldn't be a real war until people realized that the Dark Lord was back. Still, it would be better if the Ministry was actually doing something about it now rather than waiting for more people to become Death Eaters. "Can I start learning the privacy ward soon?" she asked.

"Yes, once we're home for the summer. I have a few more meetings to attend and grade reports to file," he said. "What are your plans for today?"

"I'm going to go see Theo, and I'll go up to the library when he needs to rest," Rachel said.

"I suspect Theo will be released from the hospital wing today, try to join me in the Great Hall for lunch," Severus said, turning a page in the newspaper and then frowning as he closed it entirely.

"Okay," Rachel said. She finished her omelette, though her stomach was a little uncomfortable when she was done, and then left Severus' quarters - wearing her shoes this time.

When she entered the hospital wing she looked over the empty beds and tried not to feel panicked. The door to Madam Pomfrey's office was open and Rachel knocked on the door frame.

"Oh, good morning, Rachel," Madam Pomfrey said as she looked up from where she'd been reading the newspaper.

"Good morning, Madam Pomfrey. Where did Theo go? Was he released already?" she asked.

"Just about an hour ago. Celeste Zabini came by to pick him up," Madam Pomfrey said.

"Already?" Rachel asked, fighting back the wave of panic that had emerged.

"Yes, they wanted him safely tucked with the Zabinis before anyone else could offer to take him. He should be just fine with them," Madam Pomfrey said.

"They're not going to let Theo's father come around, are they?" Rachel asked, wishing she'd thought to ask more about Blaise's family.

"No, absolutely not. The Zabinis didn't participate in the war, they had enough to be getting on with, but they are virulently anti Death Eater. Theo will be as safe there as he would be here at Hogwarts," Madam Pomfrey said.

That was a relief to hear, but Rachel wished she'd gotten the opportunity to say goodbye. And she hadn't forgotten that Theo wanted to talk with her about something.

"Did you want tea or anything while you're here?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"No, thank you. I had breakfast with Severus," Rachel said, deciding the best thing she could do was go to her two-way book and check on Theo there.

"Alright, dear. Come by if you need anything," Madam Pomfrey said.

Rachel went back down into the dungeons, thinking over what Madam Pomfrey had said. If they had to send Theo to the Zabinis so quickly, maybe it meant another Death Eater family had tried to step in. That would be just as bad as Theo going back to his father.

"Was Theo not well enough to see you?" Severus asked when Rachel entered his office.

"No, he's gone. Mrs. Zabini came and got him," Rachel said.

"Albus must have made it clear that it was urgent," Severus said with a nod.

"He'll really be safe with Blaise's family?" she asked, wanting to hear it from Severus.

"Yes. The Zabinis would sooner cast an Unforgivable than speak with a Death Eater," he said, shuffling some of his stacks of parchment.

Rachel nodded, deciding that was probably as good as they could get and went through the wall into Severus' quarters. She got her two-way book from her desk, skimming through a conversation between Hermione and Neville that had taken place yesterday evening and saw that Theo still hadn't written anything since he'd left his father's house.

'Theo, could you write to let us know you're okay when you see this?' Rachel wrote, not wanting to say anything more since she didn't know what Theo wanted to tell everyone.

After waiting for a moment, deciding that Theo must still be settling in at the Zabini's house, she collected the book she'd been reading, her quill, some parchment, and her two-way book and put them all in her school bag. She could at least look through the legal section of the library again and see if she could figure out how to help Theo.

"You'll be in the library?" Severus asked when she came back out into his office.

"Yes, I'll come down to the Great Hall at noon for lunch," Rachel said.

"Try not to study for the whole day, it's important to take a break," Severus said.

"I will," she said. Besides, this wasn't really studying.

By the time she had settled at a table in the library and had collected a few books to look through, she found messages waiting for her in her two-way book.

'We haven't heard from Theo since Wednesday, which I thought was a little odd. I wish we had another way to get messages to him,' Hermione had written.

'Any idea what we should do? It's not like anyone can have a friendly firecall with Mr. Nott,' Neville had written after that.

'Maybe we could write a coded letter. Make it seem like it's from Draco or someone, but only Theo will know it's from us,' Millie had suggested.

'That would be tough, I'm sure they'd recognize the Malfoy's owls,' Ginny had written.

'An advertisement then, with a secret message,' Luna had written.

Just as Rachel was trying to decide if she should tell them she knew where Theo was, his handwriting started to appear.

'No need for secret messages, though it wouldn't hurt to have a back-up plan in place now that we've thought of it. I'm okay. I'm with the Zabinis,' Theo wrote.

'Why are you with the Zabinis?' Millie asked.

There was a long moment where just a dot of ink appeared on the page. Rachel could imagine Theo sitting there, trying to decide how much to tell them.

'My father cursed me, it could have killed me. I apparated to Hogwarts to get help,' Theo finally wrote.

'Does your father no longer have custody over you?' Neville asked.

'Temporarily, at least. There's an investigation by the MLE. Then there will be a hearing. Rachel, would Professor Snape be willing to speak at the hearing?' Theo wrote.

'He said he would,' Rachel wrote quickly.

'I'm glad you're in a safe place for now at least. And I know this is besides the point, but when did you learn to apparate?' Hermione wrote.

'My father taught me last summer. I bet he wishes he hadn't now. It's pretty common in some of the more old-fashioned pure-blood families to teach their children this sort of thing early. I wouldn't be surprised if Draco and the Carrows know how as well. Maybe Crabbe and Goyle too,' Theo wrote.

'I think my Gran thinks I'll splinch myself if I even try. I'm going to wait for lessons,' Neville wrote.

'Probably for the best. Anyway, I should go be around the Zabinis, at least for a little while. I had really only come up here to unpack and get settled in,' Theo wrote back.

'Good luck,' Rachel wrote. She decided she'd have to wait for Theo to tell her what he wanted to talk to her about, in case he didn't want to talk about it with the rest of the group.

'I'm off to the library, but I'll be in touch,' Hermione wrote.

Rachel tapped her fingers against her two-way book and then left it open in case there were any more messages. At least now she had a little bit more information. She had to figure out what Severus needed to say at Theo's hearing that would prevent Theo from being sent back to his father. She only hoped she had enough time in the library to figure it out.