Chapter XIX - The Return
Ellie woke up next morning feeling a lot better. She noticed Remus had fallen asleep fully dressed by her side and smiled. Getting up slowly, she headed to the kitchen where she found Severus sending an owl.
"Are you up already?" he asked in a gentle voice.
"Morning to you too." she said in a weak voice trying to sound stronger.
"How are you feeling?" and he pulled a chair and helped her sit.
"My head hurts a bit, but I'm able to think at least."
"I'm glad you're feeling better" he said, sitting next to her "The Headmaster has just sent me an owl to ask me when can I make it to classes. I just wrote him back saying I'll be back this afternoon."
"You're leaving" she said apprehensive.
"You don't need me here anymore." he said darkly "You have Lupin to take care of you."
"I don't know if I do." she said, looking down. "I was thinking that since now I'm... well... I'm... like him... I can make the experiments on myself. And he could be free to find a job again."
"What?" said Remus, at the kitchen door. Both of them jumped a foot in the air. They hadn't seen him coming. "What are you saying? I'm not leaving you!"
"Remus, you must find something to do."
He exchanged looks with Severus and understood he hadn't told her anything about the Daily Prophet. He thought it better not to tell her yet. Severus decided to help.
"Since I'm returning to Hogwarts, it really should be better if you had someone here."
"I'll write to my mother. I didn't want to upset her, I wish she didn't have to know, but I know she'll understand."
They suddenly remembered Ellie's mother! With all of last day's emotions they forgot to send her an owl.
Right on cue, there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it!" said Remus at once. Severus held him by the robes and said "I'll get it." Oh, right, thought Remus, he couldn't be seen.
"Severus!" said a female voice at the door.
"It's mum!" said Ellie surprised, recognizing her voice.
"Where is Ellie?" asked the woman still at the door. "Is it true what they said in the Daily Prophet?"
Remus sank in his chair.
"What Daily Prophet?" asked Ellie at once?
"Mrs. Wood, Ellie is fine. She is in the kitchen having breakfast." said Severus' voice.
"What Daily Prophet?!" asked Ellie again.
But Mrs. Wood came running into the kitchen before Remus could say anything.
"Ellie! Ellie!" and she embraced her tightly. A mother's hug is always a mother's hug, and Ellie felt a lot better than she had since she woke up. "Ellie, I was so worried!" Ellie still had no idea of what was happening, but Mrs. Wood let go of her and started inspectioning her. "But, my dear, where was it? You seem fine to me!"
"Where was what?" asked Ellie at last.
"The bite! Weren't you attacked?"
"It was in the Daily Prophet?!" asked Ellie, shocked.
"Well, yes! Didn't you read my owl?"
"We... I opened your letter, Mrs. Wood." said Severus at once. "Ellie was sleeping at the time. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you she was fine."
"But, is it true?" asked Mrs. Wood in a worried voice.
"Mum..." Ellie didn't know how to break the news. Now she was standing in front of her it seemed a lot more difficult.
"Mrs. Wood" said Severus "you know you can't trust everything you read in the newspaper. Especially when it's written by Rita Skeeter."
"Yes." said Mrs. Wood "That Rita Skeeter shouldn't be trusted." It seemed a weight had been lifted from her chest. She took a deep breath and said "Ellie! I'm so glad that it was just another rumor by that so-called- journalist."
Ellie was very confused, looking from Severus to Remus, she wasn't sure it was the best thing to do.
"Well, mum, I'm sorry to have worried you." she said in an uncertain voice. "I know how difficult it is for you to come here."
"Oh, dear! I was so worried I had to come! But now I know you're fine. You're really fine." she said winking to Severus. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you two." she said smiling.
Ellie was deeply embarrassed. Remus was livid. But Severus seemed to be the only one thinking along her lines. "Well, Mrs. Wood, it's always a pleasure to see you."
"I would really love to stay to make you lunch!" said Mrs. Wood.
"But, Mrs. Wood, how about your students?" said Severus in a worried voice "Surely you can't leave them." he hinted.
"I know I can trust you, Severus." said Mrs. Wood, laying a hand on his arm. "I always said so to Ellie. I'm so glad you worked out your differences and that you're together again. You naughty girl," she said smiling at Ellie "you should have told me! You know I always-"
"I know, mum!" interrupted Ellie. It seemed so unlike her to start talking about it in front of a stranger! Especially when the stranger was the man she loved! She dragged her mother to the living room, casting an apology look at Remus, and in less than a couple of minutes they heard Mrs. Wood Desapparate.
"I'm sorry, Remus!" Ellie said, entering the kitchen. "She really isn't like this at all! I don't know what came into her! Saying such personal things when she doesn't even know who you are!"
But Remus started laughing and, turning to Severus, said "This is delicious, you know! She didn't have a clue that I was here!"
Severus, however, was looking rather pale. "Ok!" said Ellie "Does anyone care to tell me what the hell is going on here?"
Severus seated on a chair.
"Yes," said Remus, in a much serious voice "I think we should. You better seat down, Ellie."
***
They told her everything that had happened. About Remus asking for Severus' help, about how she was, about the Daily Prophet, about the Fidelius Charm... Ellie heard everything in silence while Remus was talking. He sometimes seemed embarrassed when he had to mention that he had attacked her, but other than that the fluent explanation seemed to satisfy all Ellie's doubts.
"Remus" she said when he finished the whole story "When you woke up, after the moon had set, did you just run to Severus? Didn't you feel exhausted like you used to?"
"No..." he said, surprised at her reaction. He thought she would swear revenge on Rita Skeeter, give a tremendous "Oooooooh! So that's why my mum was so strange!", or even sit quietly, absorbing all that had happened. But she seemed very business-like suddenly. "I felt wide awake. But... you were hurt, weren't you? That must have had an effect on me."
"What do you think, Sevy?"
"I'm sure there was something wrong with the ratio leeches bumbledin. The potion you used turned pitch black right after the full moon."
"Nooo." said Ellie scandalized. Remus was completely at sea. "But I'm sure I had them right!"
"The receipt had them right, but you must have mixed it up at last moment. I really think you should try it again. Do you want me to check it with you while you prepare the next one?"
"Would you?"
"You just have to tell me when it's due. I'll be here."
"Sevy, thanks!" she said. After a moment of silence, Severus got up. "I must get my things ready at Hogwarts. Send me an owl when you start preparing the next potion. Take care of Ellie." he said to Remus, before leaving the kitchen.
Ellie walked him to the door. "Thanks, Sevy." she said, breathlessly "I... I don't know-" "I'll see you next week." he interrupted her. "Be a good girl till then." He kissed her forehead. For a moment, his deep black eyes were as bright as a warm fire in the winter and she smiled.
"Sevy!" she called, when he made it to turn and leave "What was the potion you gave me to drink?"
But Severus just winked at her and desapparated with a pop.
Ellie woke up next morning feeling a lot better. She noticed Remus had fallen asleep fully dressed by her side and smiled. Getting up slowly, she headed to the kitchen where she found Severus sending an owl.
"Are you up already?" he asked in a gentle voice.
"Morning to you too." she said in a weak voice trying to sound stronger.
"How are you feeling?" and he pulled a chair and helped her sit.
"My head hurts a bit, but I'm able to think at least."
"I'm glad you're feeling better" he said, sitting next to her "The Headmaster has just sent me an owl to ask me when can I make it to classes. I just wrote him back saying I'll be back this afternoon."
"You're leaving" she said apprehensive.
"You don't need me here anymore." he said darkly "You have Lupin to take care of you."
"I don't know if I do." she said, looking down. "I was thinking that since now I'm... well... I'm... like him... I can make the experiments on myself. And he could be free to find a job again."
"What?" said Remus, at the kitchen door. Both of them jumped a foot in the air. They hadn't seen him coming. "What are you saying? I'm not leaving you!"
"Remus, you must find something to do."
He exchanged looks with Severus and understood he hadn't told her anything about the Daily Prophet. He thought it better not to tell her yet. Severus decided to help.
"Since I'm returning to Hogwarts, it really should be better if you had someone here."
"I'll write to my mother. I didn't want to upset her, I wish she didn't have to know, but I know she'll understand."
They suddenly remembered Ellie's mother! With all of last day's emotions they forgot to send her an owl.
Right on cue, there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it!" said Remus at once. Severus held him by the robes and said "I'll get it." Oh, right, thought Remus, he couldn't be seen.
"Severus!" said a female voice at the door.
"It's mum!" said Ellie surprised, recognizing her voice.
"Where is Ellie?" asked the woman still at the door. "Is it true what they said in the Daily Prophet?"
Remus sank in his chair.
"What Daily Prophet?" asked Ellie at once?
"Mrs. Wood, Ellie is fine. She is in the kitchen having breakfast." said Severus' voice.
"What Daily Prophet?!" asked Ellie again.
But Mrs. Wood came running into the kitchen before Remus could say anything.
"Ellie! Ellie!" and she embraced her tightly. A mother's hug is always a mother's hug, and Ellie felt a lot better than she had since she woke up. "Ellie, I was so worried!" Ellie still had no idea of what was happening, but Mrs. Wood let go of her and started inspectioning her. "But, my dear, where was it? You seem fine to me!"
"Where was what?" asked Ellie at last.
"The bite! Weren't you attacked?"
"It was in the Daily Prophet?!" asked Ellie, shocked.
"Well, yes! Didn't you read my owl?"
"We... I opened your letter, Mrs. Wood." said Severus at once. "Ellie was sleeping at the time. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you she was fine."
"But, is it true?" asked Mrs. Wood in a worried voice.
"Mum..." Ellie didn't know how to break the news. Now she was standing in front of her it seemed a lot more difficult.
"Mrs. Wood" said Severus "you know you can't trust everything you read in the newspaper. Especially when it's written by Rita Skeeter."
"Yes." said Mrs. Wood "That Rita Skeeter shouldn't be trusted." It seemed a weight had been lifted from her chest. She took a deep breath and said "Ellie! I'm so glad that it was just another rumor by that so-called- journalist."
Ellie was very confused, looking from Severus to Remus, she wasn't sure it was the best thing to do.
"Well, mum, I'm sorry to have worried you." she said in an uncertain voice. "I know how difficult it is for you to come here."
"Oh, dear! I was so worried I had to come! But now I know you're fine. You're really fine." she said winking to Severus. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you two." she said smiling.
Ellie was deeply embarrassed. Remus was livid. But Severus seemed to be the only one thinking along her lines. "Well, Mrs. Wood, it's always a pleasure to see you."
"I would really love to stay to make you lunch!" said Mrs. Wood.
"But, Mrs. Wood, how about your students?" said Severus in a worried voice "Surely you can't leave them." he hinted.
"I know I can trust you, Severus." said Mrs. Wood, laying a hand on his arm. "I always said so to Ellie. I'm so glad you worked out your differences and that you're together again. You naughty girl," she said smiling at Ellie "you should have told me! You know I always-"
"I know, mum!" interrupted Ellie. It seemed so unlike her to start talking about it in front of a stranger! Especially when the stranger was the man she loved! She dragged her mother to the living room, casting an apology look at Remus, and in less than a couple of minutes they heard Mrs. Wood Desapparate.
"I'm sorry, Remus!" Ellie said, entering the kitchen. "She really isn't like this at all! I don't know what came into her! Saying such personal things when she doesn't even know who you are!"
But Remus started laughing and, turning to Severus, said "This is delicious, you know! She didn't have a clue that I was here!"
Severus, however, was looking rather pale. "Ok!" said Ellie "Does anyone care to tell me what the hell is going on here?"
Severus seated on a chair.
"Yes," said Remus, in a much serious voice "I think we should. You better seat down, Ellie."
***
They told her everything that had happened. About Remus asking for Severus' help, about how she was, about the Daily Prophet, about the Fidelius Charm... Ellie heard everything in silence while Remus was talking. He sometimes seemed embarrassed when he had to mention that he had attacked her, but other than that the fluent explanation seemed to satisfy all Ellie's doubts.
"Remus" she said when he finished the whole story "When you woke up, after the moon had set, did you just run to Severus? Didn't you feel exhausted like you used to?"
"No..." he said, surprised at her reaction. He thought she would swear revenge on Rita Skeeter, give a tremendous "Oooooooh! So that's why my mum was so strange!", or even sit quietly, absorbing all that had happened. But she seemed very business-like suddenly. "I felt wide awake. But... you were hurt, weren't you? That must have had an effect on me."
"What do you think, Sevy?"
"I'm sure there was something wrong with the ratio leeches bumbledin. The potion you used turned pitch black right after the full moon."
"Nooo." said Ellie scandalized. Remus was completely at sea. "But I'm sure I had them right!"
"The receipt had them right, but you must have mixed it up at last moment. I really think you should try it again. Do you want me to check it with you while you prepare the next one?"
"Would you?"
"You just have to tell me when it's due. I'll be here."
"Sevy, thanks!" she said. After a moment of silence, Severus got up. "I must get my things ready at Hogwarts. Send me an owl when you start preparing the next potion. Take care of Ellie." he said to Remus, before leaving the kitchen.
Ellie walked him to the door. "Thanks, Sevy." she said, breathlessly "I... I don't know-" "I'll see you next week." he interrupted her. "Be a good girl till then." He kissed her forehead. For a moment, his deep black eyes were as bright as a warm fire in the winter and she smiled.
"Sevy!" she called, when he made it to turn and leave "What was the potion you gave me to drink?"
But Severus just winked at her and desapparated with a pop.