Chapter Twenty-Nine

Term Triumphs and Summer Farewells

"Good luck, Ron. You beat him once, you can do it again," Harry reassured him before the final match.

"You'll be fine Ron, just don't get nervous. It's not like you'll fail a final or anything if you don't win," Hermione said, rubbing his shoulders. Ron passed her a dirty look.

"She's got a point," Jennifer grinned at him. "Just remember that if you win this match, Gryffindor will win the house points and pull ahead for the House Cup. No pressure or anything."

"Oh, gee, thanks, Professor," Ron grimaced, stepping up to the ring.

Many of the students and teachers wanted to see the final sparring matches, so Jennifer and Severus had them moved to the Quidditch Pitch, setting up the ring in the center and moving the lower benches in to sit ringside, each side for a different house. Jennifer went to sit on the Gryffindor side next to Minerva, who was watching the ring intently. Jennifer had just finished the last of the matches she had to judge, having done the first, third, and fifth years. Severus had opted to do the rest, so she was free to enjoy the last two matches on the stands. So far Slytherin had won first and second (Amadeus easily pulled off the win for that year with a slippery oil spell), Hufflepuff third, and Gryffindor managed to win both fourth year and fifth year (Creevy against Ginny, so a victory either way, Creevy barely pulled out the win). They went ahead and held the seventh year next, since the match was two Ravenclaw students and not in contention for the house points, and Tony Marrer, one of Filius's best enchantment students, won over Cho within minutes of the match beginning.

But now it was time for the big match of the day, the sixth year class. Admittedly, Ron was one of the best duelists in the club and the favorite, but Draco was quick and liked to take the offensive, often succeeding in unnerving his opponent because of the ferocity of his initial attack. Jennifer knew from the last bout between them that it wasn't likely to happen with Ron.

"Put Weasley in his place, Malfoy," Crabbe shouted from the Slytherin side as they cheered Draco coming into the ring. Severus stood beside the ring, instructing them to bow and take their positions, calling time.

Draco did not leave any time for Ron to think, immediately casting the clumsiness curse on him and causing him to be unbalanced from the start. Fumbling about, Ron somehow managed to steady himself, readying his first spell.

"Tumble!" Ron cast, nearly dropping his wand in the process. Draco attempted to block but the spell was too strong, forcing him into a hard roll on the mat. Ron took a step forward to try and get off a second spell, but tripped over his own feet and fell backward.

"Ha!" Draco said, watching as Ron tried to scramble to his feet. "Preoccupy!"

Ron, who had found himself becoming suddenly interested in the threadbare hem of his cuff, had paid enough attention to his Defense Class to realize that he wasn't normally concerned with how the stitches were crooked or that they were starting to pucker from age. He quickly cast a focus awareness spell on himself, turning his attention back to the match.

"Mercurius!" Malfoy cast, but Ron was able to dodge. Ron knew he was going to have to get out of the defensive if he was going to win. Desperately, he thought of a spell that just might make Draco hesitate, and he was certain that a break in the onslaught was all that he needed to turn things around.

"Reflectus Refractus Unum!" He cast, twisting his wand in a circle.

Suddenly, Draco found himself surrounded by a dozen different Rons, filling the ring and all with their wands pointing at him! Trying to step off to one side to cast at the one he thought was the real Ron, Draco cast the disarming spell, putting all of his force into it.

"Expelliarmus!" Several of the Rons disappeared with a loud * pop!* but Draco didn't have time to contemplate his mistake.

"Petrificus totalus," Ron said in a calm, almost matter-of-fact voice from right behind Draco, sending the other boy stiffly to the ground.

The crowd began to cheer wildly as Harry, Ginny and Hermione jumped into the ring, soon followed by the rest of his classmates, as well as Minerva, Jennifer, and Hagrid. Ron released Malfoy from the spell and helped him up before they got trampled, shaking his hand reluctantly. The smug grin seemed distant but happy, and Jennifer couldn't help but smile at what she read behind the expression.

The next week was final exams. Jennifer kept herself busy, and had, she thought, every excuse not to stop by the hospital wing during the day. Tons of tests needed to be set up and reviews marked, and Jennifer's seventh year physical Defense test, which she herself nicknamed "the Gauntlet," had to be run individually by each student. That kept her busy late enough, conveniently, that she only checked in on her father when he was asleep. Early Friday morning as Jennifer lined up the rest of her finals, Severus stormed into her office with a scowl, not even bothering to knock.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"What do you mean what do I think I'm doing? I'm getting ready for sixth year finals." Jennifer said, a bit surprised that he even asked.

"No, you're not. I'll take care of that, you have more important things to do," Severus snapped.

"What are you talking about? What could be more important than finals? Besides, you have your own to worry about."

"Your father is going to be transported to Azkaban this afternoon, so this will be your last chance to make some sort of amends with him without force fields and goggling guards in the way. The man has had little comfort in his life for years, nor has he much hope of ever finding any. At least give him the chance to have some peace of mind. Now, you will stop the stubborn act this instant and go see if you can converse with him for one morning without getting into another shouting match!"

"Severus…"

"No arguments, enough is enough. If I have to, I'll go speak with Dumbledore about this and have you both locked up until you've straightened this out." Jennifer stared at Severus. He was quite serious, and she had a feeling that Dumbledore wouldn't be completely closed to the idea.

"Fine, I'll go, but the non-written portion is…"

"I'll figure it out. I'm getting used to reading this disorganized half-sentenced conglomeration you call class notes. Now go," he glared, opening the door. Jennifer glared back and stuck her tongue out at him, then left with her nose in the air, walking as quickly as she could to get out of his range without looking as if she were hurrying.

Her father was sitting up talking to Audi when she arrived, distractedly rolling a set of exercise balls in his new hand with his arm tightly wrapped for support but lying free from its sling. Audi quickly got up, making an excuse about needing to speak with Dumbledore before leaving. Poppy followed behind, pausing only momentarily to ask Jennifer to try and keep the conversation a little quieter this time so not to disturb her other patients.

"So," Thomas said, not even looking at her as she sat down. "Came to see your old man before he left, eh? Who put you up to it?"

"What makes you think someone put me up to it?" Jennifer asked defensively.

"You're a Craw. You wouldn't have come back up here on your own. I know I wouldn't have," he grunted. Jennifer grimaced.

"Okay, fine. Severus thought I should talk to you so he took over for me this morning."

"Ah, I should have guessed. I figured it had to have been him or Dumbledore. Severus and I have had more than a few chats this past week; gave me a chance to get to know him a bit better. He'd been a boy when I'd last saw him, barely out of school when he got caught up in the Voldemort mess in an attempt to get revenge on some of his former classmates. And to think, at the time I had branded him as foolish for going to such lengths for vengeance, and yet now I've gone much further to try and make some amends for your mother's death. Revenge is a game only successfully played when one has nothing to lose, remember that, Jen-girl. It's when there are stakes involved that things get messy."

"I'm not much for revenge anyhow, family creed or not, Dad. I guess the closest I've gotten to it was putting Malfoy in prison."

"Had Pettigrew not paid him a visit the day you had him arrested, he would have been a corpse before he made it to Knockturn," Thomas growled, hatred flashing in his eyes. "I'd expected to find Malfoy alone in his office and had been able to get inside his house without being detected… not an easy feat, let me assure you, the foul wretch has gotten as paranoid as old man Moody used to be."

"Who?"

"Suffice it to say he had everything trapped and cursed every which way, but nothing that used to compare to the old Craw mansion. Too bad they burnt that place to the ground when we left. In any case, it seems you got to him first. Twice you ended up saving Malfoy's life… have you no feeling at all for what he did? Have you not ever wanted anyone dead?"

"Yes, I have. Pettigrew," Jennifer admitted. "And I would have killed him had Severus not stopped me, which is why he's festering in jail now instead of being picked by vultures somewhere."

"Spare the vultures from that stomachache," Thomas chuckled. "Although I can't imagine Severus trying to stop you. I'm sure he wouldn't mind him dead as well."

"He did it to save me, not him, Dad," Jennifer said softly. "Just as I did what I did to save you and Severus, and not Voldemort." Thomas gave her a long, hard look.

"I still think you should have let me kill him and end this once and for all," he said flatly. "But then, as you pointed out, if your mother had been down there, perhaps I would have hesitated. I doubt it, for I think she would have been more than willing to die along side us, yet I may have. But know this, Jen-girl; what you've done allows the blood to keep flowing, and the only thing that will stop it is more blood. This is war, Jen-girl, and the only one who seems not to know it is you."

"You're wrong, Dad, I do know it. But I don't think that death is the answer any more than Mom ever did." They looked at each other thoughtfully for a moment; Thomas putting the exercise balls down.

"I have something I need to give you… something your mother and I had set up for you just before we left," he said, taking off a chain around his neck. Strung on it was a small gold key; a vault key, Jennifer realized as he passed it over to her.

"We set up a dowry trust for you. I suppose it's a little early, since Severus tells me you don't plan on getting married until this is over. But with you stopping it every chance you get, well, use it whenever you need it. It's yours. I already gave Severus a letter that releases the vault to you, but I told him that I was hoping to give you the key personally if you ever came around. I know you probably don't care one knut about whether or not I approve of the two of you, but I have to admit I like him… even if he's a bit old for you. Didn't imagine you with the quiet type, though."

"Oh, he can be very loud when he wants to be," Jennifer assured him with a grin. "Ask any student if he can't." Thomas chuckled softly, but then grew somber.

"Promise me that you will bring my grandchildren to see me on occasion," Thomas said with a serious expression. Jennifer blinked at him.

"Dad, I haven't even gotten to the point of seriously thinking about the wedding yet! I don't even know if Severus likes children," Jennifer protested.

"He's a Hogwarts teacher, isn't he? Just promise me if you do have them, you'll bring them so I can at least have something to look forward to," Thomas grunted.

"I promise, Dad, Craw's honor," Jennifer swore and hugged him. Hesitantly he hugged her back and grimaced… and not from the pain of his injuries as much as the painful memories of years gone by.

Jennifer stuck the last of the finals on the door of her classroom and then made her way down to the lab. Harry was glumly trying to finish putting away every last piece of equipment, cleaned and polished to order, the ingredients shelf already neatly categorized and inventoried.

"Are you still here?" Jennifer grinned at him, waving at Severus who was standing on the opposite side of the room glowering at Harry. "Severus, he really needs to start packing, you know. The awards dinner is in an hour."

"I'm not responsible for Sirius thinking he can waltz in tonight and pick him up early. Potter's not leaving until he's finished his detention," Severus snapped, scowling at Harry.

"Well, next year I want the last detention so I don't have to clean up my classroom," Jennifer pouted.

"I warned you not to use Peeves in your insidious gauntlet. You got what you deserved," Severus said.

"Harry? Are you still here?" Dumbledore walked in, a mischievous gleam in his eye. Harry quickly finished putting the decanters on the shelves, glancing over at the Potion Master expectantly. Jennifer and Dumbledore were glancing over at him expectantly too.

"Oh ,very well, he can go," Severus said sourly. "And you had better not misplace any of our post…"

"Severus, calm down. Harry can handle it," Jennifer said. "Don't worry, Harry. I'll make sure you both are up to date on what's going around here as well."

"There, now that's all settled. I can't think of a better pair to keep secrets for each other than Professor Craw and Harry. I expect you will have a marvelous summer and a safe one," Dumbledore smiled at them. "Harry, you should probably run along and find your friends. The feast is only an hour away, you know."

"So, any last minute surprises for points this year?" Jennifer asked after Harry had left.

"Nothing that should upset the totals too much," Dumbledore reassured her. "I take it that you are all settled in your new location?"

"Yes, I rented a little cottage for the summer that is close enough to help out if needed," Jennifer said.

"Little?" Severus sneered. "I've seen bigger broom closets." Jennifer glared at him.

"Good, it'll be nice to have you close by this year," Dumbledore smiled. "But we ought to get going. We should meet up with the other professors in the staff room before the feast. Ah, and this is for you, Jennifer," Dumbledore winked and put a galleon in her hand. "I had a few words with Audi after we arrived at Azkaban. I hear they couldn't get Malfoy in the operating room fast enough for his liking."

"Ha! I knew it," Jennifer smirked, holding out her hand to Severus, who scowled and handed her a coin as they headed out the door. "And I bet he won't be the last."

"That much we can be sure of," Dumbledore said with a smile. "This year has seen the fall of Pettigrew and Malfoy, brought back Audacious and Thomas, and Voldemort has seen Severus' true colors. I believe the tides are definitely beginning to turn, and Jennifer, if I may say so, you've been quite a catalyst in this mix."

"Well, I suppose then Severus is the heat source since he's always getting hot under that high collar of his," Jennifer teased.

"Potter would be the mixing stick, always stirring things up," Severus muttered with annoyance.

"The school would be the cauldron, and the rest of the students, staff and friends are the components, so I'd guess Dumbledore is the one making the potion," Jennifer finished with a grin.

"Ah, yes, that is I," Dumbledore said with amusement. "Making sure nothing boils over, and hoping it doesn't blow up in my face." Severus and Jennifer exchanged amused grins as they followed Dumbledore into the staff room.

End of Book Two

A/N Thanks for reading, and please review! The next in the series is Jennifer Craw and the Forbidden Tomb. It's much longer, darker, more complex, and introduces several fun new characters, so I hope you continue to reading. Thanks a lot, and hope you enjoyed this book! JCWriter. !Last edit finished 8-2021