A/N: This is it. Final chapter, gang.
Greetings to Captain Dick!
AC -thanks for the review You made it just in time for the last chapter. S'mores sound great.
LadyCat - I hope you're feeling better. (And so does Sirius. *wink*)
Severus stands with his arms folded across his chest and frowns at Nytd. "You know, that's the second time you've nearly killed me."
"I didn't nearly kill you, Lorien just thought you were dead," Nytd replies.
"Yes, but you seem to have a penchant for doing me bodily harm," Snape complains.
"Your point?" asks Nytd as she continues to type.
"I haven't seen you take a shot at the werewolf yet," Snape complains. "And what about Black? Feel free to lay into that arrogant...."
"Oh, come on, Severus. You can take it. It all worked out fine, didn't it?" Nytd asks, cutting Severus off.
Snape moves closer to Nytd and she watches him carefully out of the corner of her eye as she types and he leans closer. "Well then, Nytd, tell me. This is the last chapter. Do we have a little celebrating to do?"
"That we do, Severus. Grab a bottle of wine. Rioja maybe? We're going to celebrate completing 32 chapters," Nytd replies. "Thirty three if we count the one I wrote for you."
Severus leaves for a moment and returns with two glasses of wine, hands one to Nytd and sits next to her. "Anything else we need to celebrate?" he asks, trying to get a look at the computer screen.
"You'll just have to wait until the chapter is up like everyone else, Severus," Nytd replies. "Meanwhile, cheers!" She clinks her glass against his.
Nytd passes out chocolate frogs to all her readers, and then takes a very large step back. *Covers face with hands and cringes while protecting herself*
Another Decision ~*~
It was the next evening before the medications wore off enough so that Lorien started to become aware of her surroundings again. She opened her eyes and looked around her slowly. She was aware that someone was with her and she was able to turn her head just enough to see Remus standing next to her hospital bed, staring out a window.
It took her another minute or two before she could actually say anything. "Hi," she said, aware of how weak her own voice sounded.
Remus turned to look at her, and seeing that she was awake, he came to the bed and picked up her hand in both of his. "Hi, yourself. Doing ok?"
She gave a small nod.
He smiled at her. "It's kind of odd seeing you as a patient, for a change."
"Tell me," she croaked.
"The hospital staff feels you'll be out of here in no time," he told her.
"Good," she said with a look of relief.
Remus grinned. "That was a pretty neat stunt you pulled on the roof last night."
She smiled at him. "Thank you," she said quietly.
He became quite serious. "Lorien, I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am that you're alright." He sat on the edge of the bed. "When I saw you fall, I thought..." His voice trailed off as he became choked up. Remus reached out and touched her cheek as he looked into her blue eyes. "I don't know what I would do if you had died," he said.
She leaned her cheek into his hand and closed her eyes. "It's ok, Remus." She paused for a moment and then looked up at him. "It's going to be ok."
Remus finally smiled at her again, and leaned down to kiss her tenderly. When he gently pulled away, he looked thoughtful for a long moment, and then finally sighed. "Guess what?"
"What?" she asked hoarsely.
"I have a surprise for you," Remus said, rising from the edge of the bed...
"What is it?" She frowned as he held up a finger to indicate she had to wait a minute and he stepped into the hallway.
Snape was pacing outside Lorien's room when he saw Lupin step out in the hallway to speak to him.
"Severus, she's awake," he said quietly.
Snape went quickly to where Lupin was standing and walked into the room.
Lorien waited to see what Remus was doing. He had gone to the hall to say something to someone out there, but she never imagined who.
She looked absolutely stunned for a moment as the dark haired man entered the room, and then suddenly she was trying desperately to push herself to a sitting position.
Snape started to go to her, but hesitated for a moment and glanced at the man beside him as Lupin briefly put a restraining hand on his arm and cautioned him with a look.
Snape snorted and pulled his arm free and went to where Lorien had succeeded in getting herself part way off the pillow.
He sat on the edge of the bed quickly and gently helped her the remainder of the way up and then pulled her close in a gentle embrace. They sat like that for a moment until she was finally able to speak.
"I thought you were dead," she said, her voice choked with emotion.
"I see how little faith you have in me, Sylvanesti." His own voice was barely more than a whisper.
"Not true." She smiled weakly, and as he laid her back gently on the pillow she closed her eyes again.
Snape stood up. He would have liked nothing better than to stay sitting by her side, but he decided against further disrupting the tentative truce he and Lupin had arrived at for Lorien's sake.
He went back to where Lupin had been watching, and noted the man looked less than pleased.
"You'll keep an eye on her for now?" Snape asked.
"Yes." Lupin met the other man's gaze steadily.
"Then I'll be back in a few hours to take second watch," Snape informed him.
"Fine," Lupin said coldly.
The Potions master left the room.
Not far down the hall, Kaneene Moody sat at the bedside of her recovering brother. He still had a ways to go but, he was going to pull through. She looked up at a knock at the door.
"May I?" Sirius stood in the doorway.
"Yes, come in." Moody looked a little surprised to see him. "You risked coming in again so soon?"
"The Daily Prophet jumped on the story today," Sirius informed her.
"So, everyone knows?" she asked.
"Yeah. Judging by some of the looks I've been getting not everyone believes it yet, but the word is out." He smiled at her. "Thanks to you."
"It needed to be done. Right away. You've already suffered enough." The auror knew what Azkaban was like.
"How's Keath doing?" Sirius asked, changing the subject.
"Much better," she admitted.
"Good," Sirius said.
"So, what are you going to do now, Black, since you're not a convicted murderer anymore?" she teased.
"I don't know, really. I wasn't sure this day would ever come," he said quietly.
Kaneene brightened. "Speaking of convicted murderers, I thought you'd be interested to know that five Death Eaters, including Pettigrew went to Azkaban this morning."
"Five?" Sirius asked.
"Yes. Nott we got on the stairs. Your friend Lupin took out Crabbe and Goyle..."
"Moony did?" Sirius was impressed.
"Yes, evidently he'd been busy while you were dragging me down the hallway." She smiled.
"Who was the fifth?" Black asked her.
"Snape trapped Lucius Malfoy on the roof... in a birdcage." She held her hands one 8 inches above the other. "Shrinking potion."
Black's eyes went wide. "Ho! Malfoy went to Azkaban?"
"Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, doesn't it?" Kaneene quipped.
Sirius was curious. "What happened to the one that pushed Lorien? Did he get away?"
Kaneene became very serious. "Snape killed him."
"Is that going to be a problem for Snape?" Black may have sounded just a tiny bit hopeful.
She shook her head, knowing that Fudge owed Dumbledore a large debt. "I believe they're calling it self defense."
Lorien was released from the hospital two days later, and returned to her duties at Hogwarts. She was still a little stiff and sore, but most of her injuries had been healed and she was thankful to no longer be on the receiving end of treatment.
It was later that week that the Ministry officials came to take statements from Desjardins, Snape, Lupin and Black, and they were questioned individually and then as a group. The four now knew what had transpired with each other while they were separated on Halloween.
When the last interview was ended, Dumbledore stepped into the room before any of them could leave.
"I wanted to speak to all of you together while I had the chance." The headmaster knew keeping all four of them peacefully in a room again for any length of time was going to prove unlikely. "I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of all of you."
All four looked a little uncomfortable.
"You all set a grand example. Saving Fudge from Voldemort's grip may go a long way to show the wizarding public that we can stand up to him successfully. You're all to be commended for that and for the capture of so many dangerous men, but most important to me is the fact that all of you returned." The headmaster looked from one face to the next. "Thank you all." He let the group disperse.
Lorien stayed away from Lupin's room the night of the full moon. She knew that Sirius would be with him and she felt it would be too awkward at this point in time for all of them if she were there.
Over the next few weeks she kept herself busy with her duties and avoided spending time with Remus or Severus. She'd smile at each one if she saw them at dinner or speak cordially to them in the hallways when she encountered them, but her heart was heavy with the burden of the decision she knew she had to make.
The problem was, she was in love with them both.
On the one side was Remus. The handsome Gryffindor had opened his heart to her and trusted her with his innermost doubts and fears. He had been there to support her in her times of need, a caring sensitive man. It was not often that she didn't find herself laughing in his company, and they had spent many a night in each others arms.
On the other side was Severus. The enigmatic Slytherin had fascinated her at first with his complicated past and she admired his sharp mind and talent. She knew she was one of the very few people that he placed any degree of trust in, especially in showing the side of him that most people would never know existed beyond the stern and often irritable exterior. He had also trusted her to make her own choice on the roof of the ministry.
It was a major dilemma and one that she didn't know if she could solve.
At the beginning of December, she was called to see the headmaster.
"Thank you for coming, Lorien," Dumbledore said.
She smiled as he indicated they should sit together in armchairs across the room instead of behind and in front of his desk.
"I wanted to talk to you since the end of the term is nearly at hand," he began.
She knew her stay at Hogwarts was almost up, and she had mixed feelings about leaving.
The headmaster watched her reaction as he spoke. "Poppy has informed me that she'll be able to resume her duties after the first of the new year."
Lorien nodded silently. It was what she had expected. "She's probably looking forward to getting back to work," she replied.
"I think she is." Dumbledore smiled. "That, I believe, leaves you out of a job."
She shrugged and smiled.
"I have a proposition for you." The blue eyes twinkled.
"Really?" she asked.
"Things have been busy for you lately, and I have a suspicion that there may be a greater need for your services in the months to come," he said.
She listened carefully.
He gave her a wry smile. "What would you say to staying on?"
"You're serious?" Lorien asked with surprise.
"Yes, but I have to tell you that I would like you to do something else for me besides working with Poppy," Dumbledore said.
"What do you need from me?" Lorien was anxious to hear what he had to say.
"Would you consider a little teaching?" Dumbledore asked.
Lorien looked puzzled.
"I know that you've been spending time working with Harry Potter, and I'd like to see you continue. I believe there are perhaps a handful of other students that might benefit from such instruction as well," Dumbledore explained.
She wanted to say yes, to jump at the chance to stay. She could practice medicine and teach at the same time. Nemorosi magic at that. Dumbledore saw her face drop.
"I can't," she said sadly. "At least not yet. There are too many....."
"I understand, Lorien," Dumbledore said kindly. "I know how much you'd like to stay. Perhaps you'd consider returning in the fall? It would give you a chance to resolve your present conflict."
Lorien blushed. The headmaster knew exactly what her conflict was.
"It's alright. I understand." Dumbledore patted her arm reassuringly. "I must say I don't envy your position though."
Lorien looked into the wise blue eyes. "It's so difficult," she whispered, trying not to let her emotions overtake her.
He nodded knowingly. "Take your time, Lorien. You have to decide what feels right for you." He smiled at her warmly. "I believe both of them would wait a little longer."
When the holiday break arrived, and most of the students were returning home, Lorien knew what she had to do. She had to leave Hogwarts.
She needed more time to make her choice and seeing the two of them each day was not helping her decide. She needed to distance herself for a while, and she decided that she would go back to the Nemorosi to work out her problem.
The day she was leaving Hogwarts it was snowing outside, and she could glimpse the large flakes floating lazily down each time she passed a window on the way to Lupin's rooms.
She knocked on his door and entered when she heard him reply.
He was standing at the window across the room, watching the snow fall to the ground, and he turned as she came in.
"Lorien? Is everything ok?" he asked.
"Everything's fine," she answered. " I just came to say goodbye."
"You're definitely leaving then?" he asked.
She answered softly. "Yes, for a while."
"I understand." He smiled a little. "I'll miss you."
"And I will miss you," she said.
They were both quiet for a moment and then he spoke to her and held out his arms. "Come here."
She went to him and clung to him tightly as he held her for a long minute. "Take care of yourself, Remus." she said, as she let go and moved away.
"You too," he said.
"Say 'bye' to Sirius for me?" she asked.
"You bet." He winked at her.
She looked at him for one more minute and then ran back to him. Quickly she kissed him and then she was gone out the door.
Remus turned quietly back to watching the snow fall.
Lorien went to the dungeon and knocked on the door to Snape's rooms. When he didn't answer after the third knock, she backtracked to his empty office and finally to the classroom. It was empty and Lorien turned around to see Dumbledore standing in the hallway behind her.
"I don't believe you'll find him today, Lorien," he said quietly.
"Why? I just wanted to say goodbye." She sounded a little hurt.
"He knows. I believe it might be one thing that proves too awkward, even for Severus." The blue eyes met hers. "It's not that he doesn't care."
She nodded, understanding that Severus might feel he wanted to avoid the emotional situation just now. It was ok. That's just how he was.
"You'll tell him I looked for him?" she asked the headmaster.
"Of course. I'll relay your good-byes," he said.
"Thank you. For that and everything." She went to the older man and hugged him and then turned to leave.
Dumbledore spoke once more. "Doth artou, Lorien."
She merely smiled and walked out of the dungeon.
As Lorien walked in the falling snow across the Hogwarts grounds, a dark robed figure watched her go from the shadow of the doorway. He knew he wouldn't be able to say goodbye in person, but he at least had to see her.
She was nearing the boundary and he contemplated how much his life had been affected by recent events, and the invisible marks that had been left upon him by the witch, the wolf, and the serpent. He was alive because of the wolf, and he had killed because of the serpent, but he'd definitely been most affected by the witch.
As Lorien disappeared beyond the flurry of white snow, Snape turned and swept back into the castle in a flurry of black robes.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Now, if you haven't reviewed before but have made it to the end of this story, feel free to jump in and let me know what you thought of it!
I'll have a final A/N up for you in a day or so.