A Traveller's Tale
by Greta Jameson
3. The Persistence of Memory
Severus stepped from the portal into the darkness of the hanging garden behind the Snape family home. It had rained earlier in the day, and the old stones of the manor glistened in the gathering darkness. It was milder here than back at Hogwarts and the scent of late-blooming jasmine hung on the light breeze and warmed his senses.
He sat concealed in the garden, considering his plan. Concealment was one of his natural gifts, and he loved the freedom it imparted. Without assistance, he could become translucent, and walk about almost unseen - especially after dark. With a little bit of hirudin from leeches to thin his blood and a few drops of the lanthanum-based potion he designed for himself - he could become invisible - even in bright light. He had taken that draught many times while on Albus' missions. It was, unfortunately, quite toxic, and he could only use it for short periods of time - no more than a few days every now and then.
Barely a shadow, he pondered the outcome of his visit. He had come this far before, only to leave without reconciling with his brother. Best not to think too much. If he contemplated the wisdom of his actions any more, he would probably depart empty handed again.
Leather soles ground against the wet flagstones as he approached the door. He paused to reveal, straighten his now-visible collar and knocked lightly. The heavy oak door swung slowly open. Severus clenched his jaw and fists in nervous anticipation. He looked down at his brother, his protector for so long, and smiled weakly. Salazar looked so much older and stronger than the last time he had seen him. His sandy hair had gone mostly grey and was cropped close against his head - now the fashion for wizards who followed that sort of thing.
Salazar stared intently back at him through his round, sliver-framed lenses. It was impossible for him to look at his brother and not think of their mother, so great was the resemblance. They stared across a gap of almost twenty years. Nearly, two decades since they had seen each other. Their parting all those years ago had been bitter. Salazar had told him to defy their father and stay, but Severus had followed him into Voldemort's world more out of duty than desire. He had promised Salazar that he would return when he had the chance, but did so only now, after so much time and tragedy had ravaged their family.
They stepped forward and wrapped their arms around each other, healing the rift that had grown so wide. Severus stroked the back of his brother's head with his large hand. He looked around the inside of the house and remarked, "It looks so much different than I remember. It's so much lighter than before."
"Yes, it was so gloomy. We wanted a clean break with the past, and thought our home should reflect that as well. We even put in electricity," Salazar said as he fiddled with the wall dimmer like a toy.
Severus smiled at his brother's antics until his eyes fell on Madeline and Samantha standing a few meters away - like ghosts out of the past. Samantha looked like Salazar, but had long almost-black hair. And Madeline resembled her sister Gabrielle so much that he startled to think his old love alive again as her silvery hair and pale skin shone in the dimly lit room.
"Come, come say hello," Salazar urged.
Madeline hugged him stiffly and said, "This is Samantha. Say hello to your uncle, Sam."
"Hello uncle Severus," she said softly.
He placed his hand awkwardly on her shoulder and replied, "I apologize for being away for so long, and hope that I can make amends for my absence."
"We hope that Sam will be going to Hogwarts next year," said Madeline.
"Wonderful! Are you sure she's up to the challenge?" he asked encouragingly
"She's absolutely brilliant! You'll have a chance to see for yourself tomorrow," Salazar exclaimed as he led his brother towards his study.
Severus settled into his father's old leather chair and watched the fire in front of him. The logs were still fresh and the flames licked the stones as they roared skywards.
"Would you like a drink?" Salazar asked fumbling with the bottles.
"No, I've got to keep my wits about me, thanks."
"Relax, you're staying the night, remember?"
"Right. In that case, yes. Whatever you're having is fine."
"We tried to contact you, you know, right after the war," Salazar said as he sat in a chair nearby.
"Yes, I know. I was in no condition to come home. I was an empty shell of a man."
"Those years were awful for us too. No privacy at all. The Ministry was crawling through the house, examining every inch of it and looking for evidence against father. They even tried to implicate me as his heir! I was forced to cooperate - because I wanted to clear our name. It was so humiliating. No one to speak to except those interrogating bastards! We were practically prisoners in the house. After father's death they began to ease up, and eventually they left us alone.
"We searched for you and sent out public inquiry. Albus Dumbledore replied and said that Voldemort was firmly in your past. I wrote back immediately and asked him to convey our best wishes."
"I'm sorry, I just wasn't ready."
"So, what has finally brought you home?"
"I don't know. I've been thinking about coming back for a while now and . . ." Severus paused as thoughts of Miranda filled his mind.
"And what?"
"Oh . . . nothing really. I've a new colleague who has made me think about the past and made me realize that I should have returned years ago, that's all."
Salazar smiled widely as he asked, "A new colleague? What's her name?"
"No. No, it's nothing like that, really, it's not," Snape fumbled.
"Come on, brother. You've never been a good liar, you know."
"I said, 'no', and I meant it! She's Phillip Traveller's daughter, and believe me, the fruit doesn't fall far. She's just as vicious as he was. I couldn't imagine anything between us . . . ever!"
"By Slytherin! I didn't know that Traveller had a daughter," Salazar said shivering as he remembered Traveller and his team of interrogators. Tell me about her."
"Well her name is Miranda and her gifts are transformation and telepathy. She's also an experienced auror."
"A telepath? Phillip Traveller's daughter? That's quite a powerful combination - those two - how unusual. And an auror to boot! What does she look like?"
"She's tall, comes up to about here on me," Severus said placing his hand just below his eyes. "And she has dark hair."
"Is she fair or dark?"
"Fair-skinned, too pale, really."
"And her eyes?"
Severus thought for a moment and finally said, "I think they might be dark, but I can't remember."
"She sounds lovely," Salazar said grinning.
"To someone she must be, but not to me. No, really!" Severus laughed. "It's just that . . ."
"What?"
"I feel like we've met somewhere before, but I just can't remember where or when that might have been. No, it's more than that, I feel like I know her very well. And I have felt this way from the instant she arrived. It's remained just beyond my reach, even though I've tried and tried to recall. "
A soft knock preceded Madeline's entrance into the room. "Sam is in bed, and I'm going up as well," she said as she kissed Salazar lightly on the cheek.
"I'll be up soon, dear, don't you worry," Salazar said shooing her out of the room.
As she left, she narrowed her round brown eyes and stopped to regard Severus like a large and dangerous but domesticated dog.
Salazar stretched and yawned as he said, "I'm sorry we didn't have more of a welcome for you, but your letter took us a bit by surprise."
"That's alright. It's just good to see you again. It's good to be home."
"We'll do something tomorrow; maybe Maddie will make a nice supper, or something. Listen, before we go up, is there anything we can do for you - anything you want?"
Severus hesitatingly began his long-rehearsed speech, "Well, now that you mention it . . . there is something. As you know, you were designated the keeper of father's worldly goods, and I of his otherworldly estate."
"Yes, I am well aware of his will," Salazar said seriously, as he sat up in his chair.
"Well, I would very much like his personal papers, books and writings, as I am the rightful heir to these things. But there are also other reasons I come to claim them."
"Such as?" Salazar asked in a businesslike manner.
"It is becoming far too dangerous for you to keep these things in the house. Voldemort has risen, and if he realizes what is stored here, you could become a target. They will be safer at Hogwarts, and you will be safer as well."
"Please take them - I am glad to be rid of them!" Salazar said feigning fright. "We'll find them for you in the morning. Now let us off to bed."
His brother led him up the stairs past his old room and into a luxurious guest room. Severus sank into the feather duvet, and smiled at the unexpected comfort of it, as he fingered through a box of keepsakes Madeline had left on the night table for him. Mostly family images for him to take back to Hogwarts with him. He undressed and crawled into bed, exhausted, but almost whole again.
Salazar paused at the large leaded-glass windows in the center of the old house and looked up at the moon. Surrendering Sebastian's papers to his brother weighed on his mind. By law, Severus had every right to them - they were his. But those papers could strengthen his hand with Voldemort, should he be forced to choose his side. He did not relish joining them, but would, if it became expedient for him to do so. After further consideration, he walked back downstairs to issue special instructions to his elves.
After breakfast, Hobby, the lead house elf appeared and timidly announced, "Master, we have found the door. We is ready for you."
"Very good, Hobby. We will be with you shortly," Salazar replied.
"What's happening?" Samantha asked.
"Nothing dear," Madeline answered quickly. "Uncle Severus is helping father with a project in the basement - getting some of granddad's things - that's all."
"In the basement? It's so creepy down there."
"Yes dear, we had better get a move on ourselves, or we'll be late."
"But I want to stay and see what they're doing!"
"That's not possible!" said Madeline, her temper beginning to flare. "Now, come along. We've got things to do in town. Give Uncle Severus a kiss goodbye. He'll be gone by the time we get back."
"Goodbye Uncle Severus," she said giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I hope you come back soon and bring your friend Miranda with you next time."
Salazar, I told you . . ." Severus said sharply to his brother.
"Yes, yes. I know what you told me. But I also heard what you didn't say. Besides, Sam knows how to keep a secret. She won't tell anyone. Will you Sam?"
"No dad. I promise."
"Good girl!"
Madeline took Sam's hand and ushered her through the door without bidding them goodbye.
Severus sipped his strong black coffee and changing the subject said, "Madeline was very upset this morning."
"Yes, she hides it well, doesn't she!" Salazar laughed. "She was furious that I still had some of Sebastian's belongings in the house. She couldn't believe that I hadn't surrendered his papers to the Ministry, and wants them all gone before she and Sam get back."
"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble."
"Not to worry. She'll get over it soon enough. Your next visit will be more pleasant. Come on, we'd better get a move on. No telling how long this will take."
Torches lit their way as they descended the wide stone steps into the basement. In former days, these rooms were used to store perishables and dry goods. Now, the elves frequented them only to walk between the manor and the estate outbuildings.
The voices of the elves echoed loudly against the stones. They were distressed and fearful of their assignment, but their natural joviality shone through when they found themselves free from immediate danger. Their conversations abruptly halted when Salazar walked into the room. Severus followed and surveyed the large piles of dirt that the elves had moved revealing a door in the floor.
"Excellent job! Now let's have it open," Salazar politely ordered.
The elves stood around the door in a semicircle. After several moments of silence, the door smoothly swung open and rested securely on the floor, and one of the elves fetched a wooden ladder. Severus stepped towards the pit but hesitated at the edge and said, "Take care, all of you, there's no telling what spells Sebastian cast to protect his possessions." Then he descended into the hole, followed by Salazar and the company of elves who carried lanterns, rope, and other tools.
The room was empty save for two large wooden trunks, held closed by iron padlocks. Severus touched the lock on the first trunk with his wand and it easily gave way. The hinges, so long idle, creaked loudly as he opened the trunk. His father's black jacket lay across the contents, its golden buttons embossed with a design of snakes devouring their own tails gleamed in the lamplight.
He lightly ran his hand across the garment, remembering his father as his fingertips grazed the boiled wool. Sebastian had been kind to his sons as long as they obeyed him, and Severus had fond childhood memories of him. As he grew older however, he began at first to question and then to resist his father's decisions. He drew his hand suddenly away from the garment and frowned. He recalled one summer when he was about fifteen years old, he had refused to accompany his father to Voldemort's court. He remembered the look in his father's blue eyes as he calmly considered his latest defiance. Instead of raising his hand to him, Sebastian had offered him his magnificent set of daggers in return for Severus' company. Unaccustomed to such generosity from his father, Severus accepted and went with him. Building on that success, his father showered his acquisition of dark knowledge with compliments and gifts, and the relationship between father and son warmed. The more repugnant the task, the greater the recompense, and Severus quickly became an accomplished dark wizard.
"Severus, what's in there?" asked Salazar impatiently.
"Oh," he answered, waking from his dream to fumble through the contents of the trunk. "Sebastian's old clothes: jackets, vests, pants, and even some shoes. No papers though."
"Must be in the other, then - let's have a look," Salazar said as he touched the padlock on the second trunk with his wand and the lock fell clattering onto the dirt floor. The trunk was filled to the brim with books and unbound parchment. Salazar motioned for Hobby to bring the lanterns closer and picked up one of the volumes and began to page through it.
"Our great father's final insult to his sons," Salazar said sarcastically as he threw the volume back into the trunk. "His memoirs are nothing but gibberish!"
Severus knelt down and examined a stack of parchment. Seemingly random series of numbers and letters covered the pages in Sebastian's wispy, formal script. "I don't think so, brother. These are merely encoded. They will have to be deciphered before we can extract the information. Not necessarily an easy task, but not an impossible one."
"Yes, of course. You used to like to break codes when we were young, didn't you?"
"No, I hated it. It was another thing he forced me to learn."
"Hobby, please prepare these trunks and bring them upstairs. My brother and I will wait for you there. Come on Severus," Salazar said shivering, "let's get out of here."
When at last he heard the door to the main house slam shut, Hobby dismissed the rest of the elves and hurriedly copied each of Sebastian's documents before bundling the originals for transport to Hogwarts.
"Would you please stop complaining! We wouldn't even be here if it hadn't been for you neglecting to buy all of your textbooks on our first trip," Lucius Malfoy growled quietly to his son as they entered Flourish & Blotts bookstore.
"I only overlooked two of them because I was upset by all of the Ministry's doings!" Draco replied angrily. "Bloody raids!"
Lucius stared disappointedly at his son and clicked his tongue as he coldly said, "If you continue to make excuses for your mistakes and expect others to make up for your shortcomings, you'll never amount to anything. Now, which ones did you forget?" He grabbed the paper that his son proffered in his gloved hand and scanned the store to see if there was anyone worth talking to. No one special on the left, and to his right - Oh!
He listed and leaned on his serpent-headed cane for support as he traversed the memories of nearly half a lifetime ago. She had once been his reason for the stars shining in the sky and neither time nor childbearing had ruined her incredible beauty. He watched her move easily through the stacks in her black trousers of finely woven wool and a short black tunic with polished wood buttons. Her daughter seemed so different, with dark hair and dark eyes in a green and blue plaid jumper.
The remarkable thing, he thought, was that they both could easily have passed for muggle had it not been for the light of wizardry in their eyes. They must be blending, terrible practice but fashionable these days, like so much else that repulsed him.
"Father, what is it? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine son," Lucius said as he put his arm around Draco. "It's just someone I haven't seen in a long, long while. Take a look at that woman over there and her child, and tell me who you think they might be."
Draco thought that the woman looked a lot like his mother, but even he noticed this woman's superior grace. Then he assessed the girl and his eyes grew wide with surprise, as he blurted out, "Professor Snape. But, he doesn't have a family does he?"
Lucius smiled, pleased with his son's observation, "No, you're absolutely right, he doesn't, but his brother does. Come, let's say hello."
Lucius could have walked directly over to her, but instead he circled around to draw her into conversation at the deserted edge of the shop. "Hello, Madeline," he purred.
She turned towards him with the pleasant smile she usually wore in public but let that mask fall as their eyes met and held each other in silence. "Oh, Lucius . . .how good to see you," and gave him a polite peck on the cheek.
He closed his eyes to feel her kiss more acutely, and when he opened them again, she felt them bore through her like a blazing core through her deep snow.
"This is Samantha," she said maneuvering her daughter between them. "And this must be Draco. Isn't he turning into a handsome young man?"
"And Samantha should be headed to Hogwarts next year if I'm not mistaken."
"Yes, we hope so."
Lucius' lips tensed and he stared coldly at Madeline for saying, "we".
"Mother, can I go explore the rest of the store?" Samantha asked.
"Excellent idea," said Lucius removing his gloves. "And Draco can chaperone to see that she stays out of trouble, can't you son?"
Draco started to object, but saw from the hardness in his father's eyes that he would not be allowed to, so he said, "Sure," and led Samantha off.
When he was sure the children were out of earshot, Lucius caressed Madeline's cheek tenderly with his bare fingertips. "Not a day has passed that I haven't . . ." he murmured earnestly.
"Lucius, please, don't."
". . . That I haven't thought of you, and wanted to touch and to hold you."
She looked away, tears welling in her eyes.
"Please, don't turn away," he said as he ran his open palm down her neck and back drawing a shiver from her.
She surveyed the face of the man she had chosen as her own so long ago. He was still as handsome as ever, with his flowing blonde hair and piercing spring-sky eyes. But he was stronger and surer of himself than he had been in his youth, and she felt drawn to him even more than before.
"Madeline, you remain the love of my life," he said as he gathered her up and kissed her. Her small sighs let him know that he was still welcome - at least this little bit. "Let me love you again, please," he whispered in between kisses.
"I can't," she said placing her hands on his chest and pushing him back lightly. "Salazar is a good husband, and he has been very kind to me. I will not betray him."
He stepped away from her and said, "I think you misunderstand me. What I propose will not shake our lives, or this precious social order one little bit. I suggest only an occasional tryst to revisit our youthful passions that were so cruelly interrupted," he whispered as he leaned forward kissing her forehead.
She just stared back at him and did not respond.
His face remained impassive, but he smiled inwardly at her conflict. He hadn't expected her to entertain such a suggestion for even a moment - yet she was considering it.
"Mother! Mum, where are you?" Sam called
"Over here dear," Madeline said as Sam ran round the corner.
"And where is that son of mine? He should be with you."
"I'm right here," Draco said sharply stepping from behind the adjacent bookshelf and staring reproachfully at his father.
Try as he might, Draco Malfoy couldn't get to sleep that night. He tossed and turned as the moon shone brightly, cutting swaths of light across his bedspread. After conceding defeat to his conscience, he put on his robe and headed towards the kitchen to get a late snack.
At the base of the steps he could smell and hear the fire in the main hall, and went there instead. Lucius sat alone in his chair, staring at the flames raging in the enormous fireplace. He gulped down half a glassful of amber liquor and poured some more from the crystal decanter on the side table. Before placing the bottle back, he turned it round in front of his face, and smiled at the rainbows of light it cast around the room.
Draco wondered whether he should he go and speak to him. His father would probably be furious with him if he knew that he had seen most of his meeting with Mrs. Snape, and he anticipated a shower of insults. Still, he felt he ought to, and so stepped out of the shadows in the doorway.
"Father, can I speak with you?"
Startled from his thoughts, Lucius looked in the direction of his voice without seeing him at first. When he finally focused on him, he said, "Draco? What are you doing out of bed?"
"I'd like to speak with you, if you don't mind."
"Certainly, come and have a seat. What can I do for you, son?"
His father's eyes - usually clear and sharp - were watery and red. Draco glanced at the decanter and figured that it had been nearly filled at the beginning of the evening. He was unaccustomed to seeing his father drunk, and knew enough to tread carefully. At the best of times, Lucius had a volatile temper, and Draco assumed that a great deal of alcohol could only make it worse.
"I . . . I . . ." he started, but paused and looked into the fire.
"Spit it out, boy"
"I saw you and Mrs. Snape at the shop today. I saw everything," he said as he turned challengingly towards his father.
"I thought that you might have."
"How could you? You know that you shouldn't have! What about Mum?"
Lucius laughed quietly and asked, "Would you like a drink? Single malt . . . one of my best."
His father had never offered before, and Draco hesitated a moment before he accepted.
He poured his son a large glass of scotch and handed it shakily to him. "Where to begin?" He began quietly, but his voice rose until it rang loudly round the room, "The lady now known as Madeline Snape would have been your mother had not a cruel, power-mad world prevented it!"
Then, he shielded his face from his son as tears streamed down his face.
Draco watched his father cry, and took a big sip of whiskey to dampen his shock.
"Oh, how I loved her," Lucius murmured. "She was everything to me" he said as he glanced sideways at his son. "And I was not much older than you are when we met." He thought for a moment, and then smiled, remembering. "When we finished school we became lovers in plain sight of both families, and they seemed to be pleased with the prospect of our future together." He smiled and let his head fall back, basking in his memories.
Then he sat up, and focused again on the fire. "And then one day Sebastian Snape - father of your beloved Professor - ruined our chances for happiness by asking for Madeline's hand in marriage for his son, Salazar. The Greenstones immediately assented, without even so much as consulting Madeline or me.
"But you said they liked you. Why would they have done that?"
"Because Snape was Voldemort's counselor, and heir-apparent to his dark kingdom. They dared not refuse," Lucius said furiously. "Sebastian was a great man: a powerful wizard, a renowned scholar, and patriarch of the most prominent pure-blood family of the day. There was little that other wizarding families would deny him, and he knew it - so he took the best of everything for himself."
Lucius poured another drink and continued, "I offered to take her away and start life somewhere else, far away from everyone, and she refused - too bound by familial loyalty and fear of Snape's retribution to run away with me. And sadly, I have been repeating that same offer to her, every few years since then. She refuses . . . I go on a bender for a day or two," he said raising his glass. "And we get on with our lives. We attempt to assuage our lost love with phrases like 'sometimes things just don't work out'. But trust me, nothing ever stops the pain. Lucius stared into the fire and whispered, "The only thing that does help is revenge."
Draco watched his fist clench and open over and over and was frightened by what he must have been thinking.
"Father, there's something I have to tell you," he began.
"Yes, what is it," Lucius snapped back, disturbed at the interruption.
"It's why I came back to find you today. I wanted to tell you what Samantha said. She told me that Professor Snape came for a visit just the night before."
"Did he? Moving around a little more than expected . . . perhaps he doesn't know."
"She also told me that he's seeing someone and . . ."
Lucius laughed, "You mean he's finally put out the torch he's been carrying for Maddie's sister all these years? Who is she?"
"She said her name was Miranda. Now I don't know for sure if it's the same lady, but it said in my letter that our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher is named Miranda Traveller - she's a telepath."
"But she's only just arrived," Lucius said, placing his glass on the tray and sitting forward. His eyes scanned the room excitedly. "That's too soon to be involved! Now, remember the bit about telepathy, but she has other gifts too, correct?"
"Yeah, transformation. And she was an auror."
"He shouldn't be associating with an auror and he knows that! At least not without reporting it to us. This is the first I've heard of it."
He rose from his chair - suddenly sober - and paced in front of the fire, "Damn!" he yelled. "This is what happens when one neglects ones' duties. I assumed that she would not last the term, so I neglected to interview her. I'll have to pay them both a visit and see what's going on. I've got to report this. The Master must know. Good work son."
"Father, there's more. Samantha said that Professor Snape came home to get, 'some of granddad's things'."