Disclaimer: All you recognize belongs to Hogwarts' benevolent goddess, JK
Rowling. Sevvy Snape's disclaimer has something about playing in her
backyard. Well, I'm playing in her front yard, the bathroom, the living
room, the kitchen…
Author's Note: Nothing special to say, really. I got reviews! I'm so happy…lookit my nice reviews…
Thanks to: Umm. Er. I think I've thanked everybody there is to thank…so refer to other chapters.
Dedicated to: My mum, since it's mother's day.
~*~
Chapter Fifteen: Love, Fear, and Numbness
~*~
"We have to get you out now," Remus told Harry and Morag. "The fighting started about half an hour ago – we need you away from here before Voldemort thinks to use you."
Morag nodded. "We can come out the window pretty easily, if I get the Keeper to do a few things."
"Such as?" Severus asked.
"Keep the door shut tight until we're safely away—" Morag was cut off by her mother, who suddenly looked very frightened and upset.
"We're – oh my god…" Morganna couldn't see Severus, Remus, or Sirius.
"Malfoy died, evidently." Sirius muttered. "Your wife's awake."
"I gathered that." Severus replied. "Morag, can you get her to come over here?"
"Yes, Father." Morag went and coaxed her mother over to the window.
"Severus?" Morganna looked startled. "And Remus, and Sirius…are we going to get out of here?"
Harry saw the worry and fear in Mrs. Snape's eyes, and felt for her – having felt that way not too long ago.
"Yes." Severus nodded, and Morganna sighed in relief. "Morag's going to have the Keeper attend to a few things, and then you're coming out the window."
~*~
"…so you know what you are doing?"
"It will be as you command, mistress." The keeper smiled at Morag, and did as she was bid.
"Open the window, Harry." Morag ordered.
Harry complied readily, waiting for Morag's next tyrannical order – the 'self-proclaimed empress' was back in full swing. It wasn't really the orders she gave, just the tone in which she gave them.
"Mother goes first." Morag said firmly.
Morganna hesitated, but the three men outside the window nodded encouragingly, and she climbed out, allowing herself to be helped to the ground. She stood close to Severus, and his arm encircled her waist protectively.
"Next you, Harry." Morag's voice shook, she hoped that their plan would work. The keeper had promised a distraction for Voldemort, but Morag was something of a pessimist.
Harry nodded, figuring that arguing with her was pointless, and climbed out, dropping easily to the ground.
"Your turn, Morag, then the Keeper." Remus told her.
Morag took a deep breath and then hurried out the window, followed by the keeper, who sealed the window after them.
There was no time for tears of joy and happy reunions, for they could all see the blood and fire where Auror fought Death Eater.
"Come, we brought extra brooms." Sirius told them, and led the way to the secluded patch of forest where the brooms were hidden.
~*~
"He's really dead?"
"Yes, Draco." Dumbledore nodded. "His spells ended with his life, five people witnessed Mrs. Snape coming out of the Imperio Curse."
Draco nodded. It was strange, but he didn't really feel any particular grief at his father's death. He greeted the news as if it were someone telling him that a car hit a cat – since he didn't really know what a car was, it didn't register.
The Dementors were being taken away from Azkaban, replaced with specially trained witches and wizards.
Most of the wizarding community slept easier at night after that was announced.
Draco walked out of Dumbledore's office, oddly numb.
Dumbledore sighed. "Lucius may not be as dead as we think."
~*~
For once, it was not Harry that faced Voldemort.
The majority of his Death Eaters had, well, died.
Was it poetic justice that Lucius Malfoy died of a dagger flung into his mouth as he hurled insults while fighting?
True Death Eating, one could say.
Voldemort did not stay and fight. He vanished into the forest with what was left of his Death Eaters, and all knew that the fight would go on.
Until Voldemort and all his Death Eaters were dead – really dead.
In the meantime, maybe – just maybe – they were safe for a while.
~*~
Author's Note: Yeah, yeah, I know, lame ending. I suffered writers block and this is the best I could come up with! Those who want to know what happens to the Draco/Morag/Harry thing, stay tuned for the sequel…truth comes out in chapter five of 'A Summer of Secrets'. Thanks for reading!
Author's Note: Nothing special to say, really. I got reviews! I'm so happy…lookit my nice reviews…
Thanks to: Umm. Er. I think I've thanked everybody there is to thank…so refer to other chapters.
Dedicated to: My mum, since it's mother's day.
~*~
Chapter Fifteen: Love, Fear, and Numbness
~*~
"We have to get you out now," Remus told Harry and Morag. "The fighting started about half an hour ago – we need you away from here before Voldemort thinks to use you."
Morag nodded. "We can come out the window pretty easily, if I get the Keeper to do a few things."
"Such as?" Severus asked.
"Keep the door shut tight until we're safely away—" Morag was cut off by her mother, who suddenly looked very frightened and upset.
"We're – oh my god…" Morganna couldn't see Severus, Remus, or Sirius.
"Malfoy died, evidently." Sirius muttered. "Your wife's awake."
"I gathered that." Severus replied. "Morag, can you get her to come over here?"
"Yes, Father." Morag went and coaxed her mother over to the window.
"Severus?" Morganna looked startled. "And Remus, and Sirius…are we going to get out of here?"
Harry saw the worry and fear in Mrs. Snape's eyes, and felt for her – having felt that way not too long ago.
"Yes." Severus nodded, and Morganna sighed in relief. "Morag's going to have the Keeper attend to a few things, and then you're coming out the window."
~*~
"…so you know what you are doing?"
"It will be as you command, mistress." The keeper smiled at Morag, and did as she was bid.
"Open the window, Harry." Morag ordered.
Harry complied readily, waiting for Morag's next tyrannical order – the 'self-proclaimed empress' was back in full swing. It wasn't really the orders she gave, just the tone in which she gave them.
"Mother goes first." Morag said firmly.
Morganna hesitated, but the three men outside the window nodded encouragingly, and she climbed out, allowing herself to be helped to the ground. She stood close to Severus, and his arm encircled her waist protectively.
"Next you, Harry." Morag's voice shook, she hoped that their plan would work. The keeper had promised a distraction for Voldemort, but Morag was something of a pessimist.
Harry nodded, figuring that arguing with her was pointless, and climbed out, dropping easily to the ground.
"Your turn, Morag, then the Keeper." Remus told her.
Morag took a deep breath and then hurried out the window, followed by the keeper, who sealed the window after them.
There was no time for tears of joy and happy reunions, for they could all see the blood and fire where Auror fought Death Eater.
"Come, we brought extra brooms." Sirius told them, and led the way to the secluded patch of forest where the brooms were hidden.
~*~
"He's really dead?"
"Yes, Draco." Dumbledore nodded. "His spells ended with his life, five people witnessed Mrs. Snape coming out of the Imperio Curse."
Draco nodded. It was strange, but he didn't really feel any particular grief at his father's death. He greeted the news as if it were someone telling him that a car hit a cat – since he didn't really know what a car was, it didn't register.
The Dementors were being taken away from Azkaban, replaced with specially trained witches and wizards.
Most of the wizarding community slept easier at night after that was announced.
Draco walked out of Dumbledore's office, oddly numb.
Dumbledore sighed. "Lucius may not be as dead as we think."
~*~
For once, it was not Harry that faced Voldemort.
The majority of his Death Eaters had, well, died.
Was it poetic justice that Lucius Malfoy died of a dagger flung into his mouth as he hurled insults while fighting?
True Death Eating, one could say.
Voldemort did not stay and fight. He vanished into the forest with what was left of his Death Eaters, and all knew that the fight would go on.
Until Voldemort and all his Death Eaters were dead – really dead.
In the meantime, maybe – just maybe – they were safe for a while.
~*~
Author's Note: Yeah, yeah, I know, lame ending. I suffered writers block and this is the best I could come up with! Those who want to know what happens to the Draco/Morag/Harry thing, stay tuned for the sequel…truth comes out in chapter five of 'A Summer of Secrets'. Thanks for reading!