CH12 The Telling of the Past

Days passed and the man who lay in front of her still did not awake, Stacey was growing thinner and paler from lack of sleep and food and the little sleep she did get was from lying her head on his bed and napping, She didn't dare leave his side incase he were to wake up, she needed to apologize to him, but most importantly make sure he wasn't dead. Dumbledore had attempted to get his granddaughter to eat, but that proved to be futile. She was in a state of depression and it was beginning to worry him

She sat on a chair with her legs drawn to her chin and her arms wrapped around them. Her eyes were red rimmed from all the crying and her voice cracked. But even though her features were pale and dull the one thing that did stand out were her eyes. Her yellow-green eyes were bright with color, the funny thing was that no matter what she did she couldn't hide there color. Oblivious to the world because of her sorrow she didn't notice the older man who stood behind her, watching. He watched as she rocked back and forth humming a tune that sounded strangely familiar to him. "I believe that is the lullaby I use to sing to you when you were just a baby." She nearly fell out of her chair when she snapped her head back to look at him.

"When I was a baby?" Her voice was cracked and barely above a whisper.

"I use to visit you every night and sing you too sleep, much against your mother's and father's will." He pulled up a chair beside her and sat down. "The tune you were just humming would be a tune Fawk sings. From what I remember it was the most effective way to put you to sleep."

"It was something I would always use to hum to myself whenever I was frightened or worried and somehow it always would calm me down." She paused and turned her eyes away from Severus to look into her grandfather's blue eyes. "Why did you stop? I mean visiting me and all, did you just stop caring?" He looked hurt and confused by this and she instantly regretted saying that. But living everyday knowing that someone important in your life who wasn't dead hurt also, she had to know what happened and why he didn't want to be a part of her life anymore.

"Stacey, I never stopped caring about you or your mother. It was a danger to have me in your life, a danger for you to know about the wizarding world. I couldn't risk that chance of having Voldemort destroy your and your parents." Oh yes, him again. This Voldemort character was really begging to be a pain in her side. She now knew that everyone was affected by him in one way or another even if it wasn't direct.

"Why would he come after me though when he didn't know about my power? I mean isn't he suppose to fear you?" Her eyes were filling with tears again.

"Yes, and that is exactly why he would come after you. My family is my weakness, without you and your mother he figured that I would crumble and fall. I lost one of you and I'm not about to lose the other." She was so confused between sorrow and joy that she that she started to cry once again and flung her arms around his neck and began to ramble on about nothing, she sounded like a little child trying to seek comfort from a parent.

"It's all my fault, If it wasn't for my stupidity then he wouldn't be in this condition. I'm tired of that ass Voldemort destroying my life, he's over rated and from what I heard a real coward! I wish the U.S army finds his ass and kicks the shit out of it!" Her voice was muffled, but she was crying so hard that it really didn't matter. Even if her face wasn't buried in her grandfather's robes you wouldn't be able to understand her.

"Not only are you like your mother, but you remind me of myself." She stopped crying and for the first time in days looked him in the face and smiled. For some reason that made her feel better and took her mind off her pain for the moment.

"Really?"

"Oh yes, I can see much of me when I was your age in you. And if I'm not mistaken you also have another gift that you inherited from me." She gave him a baffled look and shrugged her shoulders.

"Mind reading?"

"No, and as much as everyone would like to think I am not a mind reader."

"Yea right." She muttered, but he gave her a look of amusement.

"If you must know it's the ability to see auras." She couldn't believe it, so that's where she got it from and all this time she thought it was a mutation or something.

"Is that how you're so good at telling who a person really is?"

"I knew eventually someone would discover my secret." He winked at her and she laughed. It felt wonderful like all the weight from her shoulders had been lifted." Oh, and before I forget it seems that Miss. Wallach is somewhat attached to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well over the past few days she has come stomping in my office demanding where you were; it even seems that she went as far as blasting Mr. Malfoy into a wall, demanding what he did to you." His eyes gave a twinkle, much like her own when she knew something that the other person didn't.

"Oh my, she didn't! I hope poor Draco is alright." There was no drop of concern in her voice anywhere; truthfully she could have cared less if he was eaten by a dragon. She was acutely very amused about the whole thing.

"Seems that he only suffered a minor injury. He was treated for an arm break and was sent back to class." He sounded just as amused.

"Well I guess that was minor considering I known she could have done a lot worse." Her smiles then turned back to frowns when she looked back over at the bed. "Grandpa?"

"Stacey, he'll be fine. All he needs is some rest and he'll be back on his feet soon." He then noticed the far away look on her face and knew she was mentally scolding herself for letting this happen. "This was in no way your fault; I don't want you blaming yourself for something that couldn't have been helped." She quietly shook her head and gave another smile, but unlike the other one this did not reach her eyes.

"Now, I want you to get some sleep and in the morning after you've had breakfast you may come back and resume your post here as watch dog." He gave a small chuckled. "I will be sending some house elves up to bring you dinner, I want you to eat."

"Ok, I will. Do you mind if I take the week off or at least until he wakes up?"

"I have no problem; I will fill in for your classes in the mean time." She gave him a hug and slowly walked to the door, stopping at the door way.

"Goodnight, Grandpa." She then left

"Goodnight, my little sun and stars." He whispered to himself.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

There was a buzzing noise and Stacey couldn't figure out weather it was in her head or the outside world. Last night had been horrible, she couldn't sleep until two in the morning and she had such a head ache that when she woke up it felt like a hang over, but it was only from all the crying she did. The buzzing noise was from that infernal alarm clock she had, it was the most annoying sound in the world, but it always got her up in the morning. Reaching over she tried to shut it off, but before her hand reached it the noise stopped. Someone was in her room, with her and whoever it was better run before she lifted the covers off her head otherwise they would be in for a nasty surprise.

She flung the covers off, but the surprise came to her when she was looking in the eyes of her best friend Laurelle. Her fists were clenched and from the looks of it she wasn't too happy.

"Where the hell have you been!? Do you know what kind of hell I went threw looking for you? I was worried sick that you might have been killed by that slime ball Malfoy."

"Whoa, calm down I-"

"Calm down! Calm down! I can't, you were gone and I-"

"Well if you will stop venting off steam then I can tell you what happened." Stacey couldn't tell weather it was a blush of embarrassment or a flushing from the anger. She and Laurelle had spent over an hour talking about what happened and her new power that she discovered. Also that Dumbledore was really her grandfather, which must have been something of amazement to Laurelle because she looked shocked.

"Really, he's your Grandfather? I wouldn't have guessed in a million years!"

"Well no shit, I mean really what qualities do we have." Laurelle gave her a stern look. "No I mean an obvious quality, something you can see right off hand. Not many people would know that he and I are able to see auras."

"Umm your both not afraid of Snape I mean-" Laurelle took one look at Stacey's sadden face and stopped talking. She had forgotten the Stacey nearly killed him and felt termendisouly(Yea spelled wrong.my spell checker won't correct it.) guilty. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring it up, you know how forgetful I can be sometimes and-"

"No don't worry about it, I rather talk about it to someone then keep it inside all bundled up and have it eat away at me. I still feel as if it's my fault that he almost died and even though everyone says it's not I know that I could have prevented it."

"You talk as if he's already dead and six feet under. They're right you know, It wasn't your fault, but I won't lie to you. You could have prevented it by being under there yourself. To me that doesn't seem like a big improvement, well partly because it's not. But the one thing I know about Snape is he's a fighter and I'm sure he won't give you or anyone else for that matter the satisfaction of dieing."

"Are you serious?" Laurelle's smile grew

"His stubbornness and pride rival that of Lockhart's fat ego."

"Well I do have to admit that he seems determined to make everyone's life a living hell."

"Too late for that." She muttered. Stacey glared at her while she tried to cover it up with a cough "Stacey please don't worry about it, your intoriable when you're upset, remember Valentines day."

"Yea." She paused for a minute not quit sure what else to say. "Look I can't forget about it, but I promise that I will try to be a little happier around you."

Laurelle gave a warm and happy smile then sat down next to her on the bed "I think Dumbledore is a little peeved at me."

"Why?"

"Well for one I nearly destroyed that stone gargoyle of his when it wouldn't let me pass-"

"Is that what happened to his head?" She was talking to herself just as much as she was talking to Laurelle.

"What, did you pass his office?"

"No."

"No?"

"I saw the head of the statue a few halls down." Laurelle rolled her eyes at the ceiling and whistled innocently to herself. "Aw, don't worry about it I took out his wall in his office. He now has a wonderful view of the lake." Stacey saw the shocked expression on her face and laughed.

"How the hell did you manage that?"

"Umm he wanted to see if I could control my power or not."

"And?"

"And I missed."

"That must have been some miss I mean you took out a whole wall."

"Your not being very helpful."

"Sure I am, you just don't know it."

"Huh?"

"Never mind." Stacey shook her head and hugged her best friend.

"Hey I heard you did a number on Malfoy."

"Oh yes...Malfoy." Her voice was dripping with hate for him.

"What exactly did you do to him?"

"I blasted him into a wall with my wand and asked him how it feels to kiss the floor."

"I would have loved to see that."

"Oh, but that's not the good part."

"What did you do?"

"Well when he didn't tell me what he did to you I blasted his arm and broke the bone." For a little person she sure did pack a punch.

"But Laurelle, he didn't do anything to me. I had spent the past few days at the hospital wing watching and waiting for Severus to wake up. I don't even want to imagine what's going to happen when 'His father hears about this'" Stacey was mocking Draco and Laurelle was nearly fell on the floor in a fit of laughter.

"Imagine what I was thinking when I heard he didn't do anything. Not only was I scared shitless, but I ran to Dumbledore and told him the shit I had gotten myself into."

"What did he say?"

"Not to worry about it, although I should probably avoid his dad if I see him in the school."

"I would imagine so...I mean it would be idiocy to run into the man who I'm sure by this point wants to kill you."

"Gee, now look who's being helpful" Laurelle said, voice dripping with sarcasm. Stacey had ignored her and was now watching the clock; it didn't hit her that breakfast was almost half way over until Laurelle made a comment about it.

"I'm guessing you didn't have breakfast yet?" Stacey's eyes grew wide

"Oh my god...breakfast!" She jumped up and ran into her closet dragging out some baggy sweatpants and a tank top. She was frantically trying to get everything on and nearly fell on her face when she attempted to get her sock on while moving on one foot to her mirror.

"Mind me asking what you're doing."

"Grandpa..I mean Dumbledore said that if I showed up at breakfast then I could spend more time at the infirmary."

"So you won't be teaching classes today."

"Acutely, I won't be teaching classes for a week." Laurelle looked horrorified

"What then who will fill in for you."

"Why who else, Lockhart." If it was possible her face grew more mortified then what it was already. "I'm kidding, I'm not going to tell you, but I promise you'll enjoy him."

"But who-" Before she could finish her sentence Stacey ran out the room leaving a very confused Laurelle trying to kill a beetle that had landed on her nose.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Everyone looked on in shock as the doors to the great opened and revealed a panting Stacey. She ran the entire way from her room to the great hall just so she could make it to breakfast, but looking who sat at the head table made her wish she hadn't come at all. It was the devil himself, sitting there evil as sin. Lucious Malfoy. Meaby she should go quickly and warn Laurelle that now wasn't the best time to go and get breakfast, but before she could turn around and get to the door he stood up and shouted across the hall.

"Ah, Professor Vitale please come and join us." She looked over at her grandfather to see what he had to say and to her grave disappointment he nodded his head yes, but he didn't look to happy about it. Mumbling to herself all the way to the table she pulled out a seat next to Lockhart and attempted to sit down. "Oh no my dear, your seat is right here." He stood up and pulled a seat out for her and she hesitated for a second. It's not that she feared him or anything it's just that she would rather kiss a toad then have him near her. This man was someone not to be taken lightly and she knew that the only question now was how she would get out of it.

"You know I really should be-"

"Nonsense." When she sat down he drew his face closer to her, his voice dark and full of threat. "I wouldn't recommend going aginst me Miss. Vitale." It took her everything not to get up and go to the bathroom to hurl.

"Don't you even think about threating me. If you wish me to stay then move you pale vulgar face away from mine." She whispered threw clenched teeth. He jerked back and gave a cold laugh.

"Ah, it seems that you Americans do posses that fighting spirit, I'm impressed. But it would be best to control it."

"Look is there a reason why you called me over here."

"Yes, I would like you to attend a 'dinner party' I'm having in a week. You will need a descent pair of robes not these," He looked at her sweat pants and tank top in disgust. "rags that you have on. You will also be required a date or companion, might I suggest Severus. It seems after all that you two are close."

Yea, if you call squashing him with a Quidditch hoop close then we are like two peas in a pod. She though. Then she remembered what both Laurelle and Severus said about him. 'Don't go near him!' she imagined both of there voices screaming it at her in usion. Quickly she got up completely forgetting to eat and stared down at him. "I'm so sorry Mr. Malfoy, but it just seems that I am terribly busy for the next few weeks and will not be able to attend and I really must be leaving. My scheduled is very full and I need to get an early start on things." She didn't even bother to say bye and instead power walked to the two big doors that served as an entrance to the great hall.

When she blasted out of the great hall she saw Laurelle and quickly grabbed her by the elbow dragging her in the opposite direction. "Hey....what the? What are you doing?" she wailed

"Nope, you don't want to go in there trust me Laurelle." She shook her head violently, still dragging her.

"And why the fuck not?"

"Because the Devil is visiting, that's why." Laurelle looked shocked and scared.

"He...he...why...?"

"I donno, but I hope to god that he doesn't ask me again-" Stacey saw the confused look on Laurelle's face. "He asked me to some dinner party and-"

"Oh my God Stacey, tell me you said no!"

"Why?"

"Umm remember I told you he was a Death Eater?"

"Yea."

"Well I never mentioned there favorite past time did I?" Stacey stopped pulling Laurelle and ran into an empty classroom.

"What, I thought serving Mr. Tall, dark, and Evil was all they lived for."

"Humph, that's what you would think wouldn't ya?"

"Stop answering me with questions!"

"Why does it annoy you?" Stacey glared at her and Laurelle rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Ok fine."

"Thank you"

"Yea yea, anyway these little 'parties' they host aren't parties; well they are but not the kind you would think of."

"What do you mean?"

"Umm there enteramient."

"Huh?"

"Oh for Christ's sake Stacey do I have to spell it out for you?"

"Well with the excellent way your describing this to me..."

"God damit!"

"It's not nice to use the Lords name in vain." Stacey smiled

"I'm Jewish."

"No your not!"

"I know, I just thought it sounded good."

"Would you just get on with it!"

"Ok Ok, basically there not parties, it's more like one big orgy then anything."

"Holy shit your kidding me right?"

"No, I hate to say it but I'm not. But this isn't like your regular orgy though, instead of the woman coming willingly they usually capture muggles or muggle born woman and rape them while torturing them. It's all for sheer fun and it's sickening." Stacey looked like she was about ready to faint "That's why Snape told you to stay away from him, I just tell you to stay away from him because he's a slim ball."

"Well I knew that!"

"Of corse ya did dear."

"I'm hungry."

"Yea me too, hey lets go down and harass the house elves into giving us some food. There's no way I'm going in the Great Hall, Not with that little slime bag's father anyway."

"Ok, but please do me a favor."

"What?"

"No tormenting the house elves. I remember the last time we went down there and you got them all wild up. Not only did you get months worth of detention, but as a teacher I got into serious trouble and some of them still refuse to even come near me."

"Ok, ok. I promise." Stacey knew she was lieing so when they both went out the door she hit her in the back of the head with her two fingers.

"Ouch! What did you do that for?" Yelled Laurelle

"Oh no reason" And then they left

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

A.N: I am really sorry that I took so long to post this Ch up, But I have been having bad computer problems. No to mention I am trying to pass my Spanish class since my average is a C..*Glares at her Spanish book* Stupid book.and guys Severus isn't going to die so don't worry. Why would I ever want to get rid of him? He's my favorite if I had to get rid of anyone it would be that little brat Draco. But alas I can't do that yet either. I will have my avenge one day though muhahahaha.