Chapter Thirty-Seven

The Plight and Flight of Aurelius

Aurelius entered quietly and slumped in one of the extra chairs set out in the office, petting Rasputin absently until he heard Alex's voice coming closer. A moment later she entered with Andrew right behind her.

"So all that slopping about in the barn paid off, did it?" Aurelius said grumpily.

"You aren't sore at me, are you?" Andrew asked.

"No, but Camille was positively livid. I'd watch your backside for the rest of the year. Not that we still won't beat you anyhow, we still have more sparring points."

"Oh, you didn't hear?" Andrew said almost innocently. "Rose got fifty points too."

"What?" Aurelius said, sitting up straight in his seat.

"Yes, that Elf Willow of hers, it bloomed, and Sprout got the best crop of Elfnip pollen she says she's ever had! She got points for nurturing it through all these years."

"That damn tree!" Aurelius snapped. "You know if we lose this year, everyone's going to be blaming me for it! I'll never hear the end of it!"

"Is that what's been bothering you lately, Rel? Are your housemates giving you a hard time about Pali?"

"They don't need to," Aurelius said acidly. "I know what they're saying behind my back. But I don't care how much Gryffindor brown noses this year, it'll still be our colors flying at the feast, mark my words."

"Well, it's not like we asked to be given points," Andrew told him gently. "Look, if it means that much to you, I hope you win. Really. Just don't be this way, Rel."

"I haven't been any way," Aurelius glowered.

"Andrew's right. You've been shutting us out. You've never been like this so long before," Alex said worriedly. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"Yes," Aurelius said. "You can both stop acting like everything is to bloody hell right! What the craters is the matter with you? School this, club that, gossip this, buddy buddy that. Have you both completely forgotten what happened to Mum? Are you just as oblivious as she is?"

"Aurelius, we've hardly forgotten," Andrew said softly. "But we can't really do anything but make the best of things."

"Make the best of what?" Aurelius asked. "That automaton doll that everyone keeps pampering and pretending to be our Mum? She's nothing but a shell of what she was, and I refuse to be sucked in by the rest of your attempts to say everything's all right when it's not. It's bad enough she has Father following her around like a puppy to have the two of you to not see this for what it is. Don't you get it? Nobody's even trying to find Mum anymore! And I refuse to let this supplanter take her place!"

The silence that followed was so long and deadening as Aurelius took his seat again that they clearly heard the sound of footsteps and the door open, not bothering to look up when Severus and Jennifer came in.

"Good, you're all here, I see, and yes, we are running behind. I had to run up to McGonagall's office for something," Severus said, nodding for Jennifer to close the door as he headed to his desk. "Why do you three look as if you were attending a funeral? Have you been into something I don't know about yet?" he asked suspiciously, and Andrew and Alex shook their heads, Aurelius merely crossing his arms. "I had planned on some good news for you, but if you're not going to tell me what's going on, maybe I'll withhold it and let you find out the hard way tomorrow."

"Don't forget, you promised Dumbledore," Jennifer reminded him with a smile, walking up to stand beside him. It was then she looked up to see her portrait, but it was acting very strangely. A worried look was on the portrait's face, and Jennifer found herself distracted by it.

"Very well," he sighed, pulling out a chair. "As you know, the school will be having one more trip to Hogsmeade before we begin the final review push for end of term. I'm sure you'll be happy to know then that you'll all be going."

"All of us? Alicia too?" Andrew asked.

"What about that third year rule and all of that?" Alex said.

"We're not going as a school function so much as we are a family function, and yes, Alicia as well, and Zoë and Zacchius," Severus said, although it was obvious from his expression he was less thrilled by the last two additions. "I know this hasn't been an easy year on any of us. All of our lives have been turned around in ways some of us didn't think possible. In other ways, they've been changed forever," he said softly, glancing momentarily at Jennifer. Jennifer nodded but glanced back up at her portrait, who looked as if she were trying to knock on the glass to get Severus' attention, mouthing a name. Jennifer looked over at Aurelius thoughtfully. He was still sitting with his arms folded, but was listening intently. How she wished she could read him! "And I know right now that we are all looking for a bit of reassurance, so that we can get past what happened and learn to be a family again. That is why your mother and I have had a long talk, and we have decided that one of the ways we can take a step forward is to renew our vows of marriage. Tomorrow afternoon with just family and a select few friends, we will all meet in the Grove to do so."

Severus had considered many reactions to his announcement, but the three of them turning white as sheets had not been one of them. As surprised he had been at that, nothing had quite prepared him for what happened next.

"Filthy blackguard son of a bitch," Aurelius said, shaking his head in complete disbelief at Severus who stared back at him in shock. "I can't believe it. I can't believe you went and sold out to this thing. What was it, Father, was she holding out on you?"

"Aurelius…"

"Shut up, Andrew! Can't you see what's happening here? Mum's dead! Her memories are gone and I'm not going to have this bastard butcher her memory any more with this pet pretender," he snapped, turning on Severus again. "You're nothing but the traitor everyone said you were. You're nothing but a spineless coward so stuck on what you've lost that you'll accept anything in return and even sell your soul to do it. You're not even trying to save her! You're just so jolly happy with this new plaything that you're willing to marry it and to hell with what she was! Fine, live your perfect lives with your puppet mummy and perky little whore. I hate this family, and I most especially I hate you!" Aurelius shouted, tearing the door open and running out at full speed, the force of the door slamming behind him breaking one of the windows in the back of the room.

But that shatter was minor compared to the look on Severus' face that moment, completely unwilling or unable to move at first as if he had been literally turned to stone by the mere force of his son's words, his skin a matching grey. Jennifer stood helplessly beside him, a mere glimpse at his face causing her to turn away, brushing her eyes in a futile attempt to keep them from stinging.

"I should go after him," Severus murmured at last, breaking the silence and glancing around at the two still sitting there looking quite numb at what had just happened, tears openly streaming down their cheeks. "Perhaps you should stay here with the children, and get word to Dumbledore that we have a family emergency to attend to."

"No, wait," Jennifer said, suddenly springing to life. "You stay, I'll go." Severus turned and stared at her.

"Jennifer, he's not angry with you," Severus said in a low voice.

"I know, Severus," Jennifer said, "but he's never going to accept me as his mother until I start acting like one. I need to be the one to go after him." Severus let out a long sigh, glancing at his watch.

"He's heading towards the Dark Forest," Severus murmured.

"Of course he is, he's going to Pali," Jennifer murmured back. "I have to go." Sighing softly, he reached over and handed her his cloak.

"Take Ratfly with you. Perhaps you should take Dodger as well," Severus said.

"I'll stop by Sagittari's office and see if he can't get the centaurs to help. Don't worry, Severus, the Unicorns will look after him," Jennifer reassured him, kissing him gently before heading towards the door. "It's not your fault."

"I deserved what I got," Severus whispered, reluctantly watching her go then looking over at the other two. Their cheeks were dry now, quickly wiped clean but otherwise neither of them had moved with completely somber expressions on their faces. "Anyone have anything else to add while we're at it?"

"I'm sure he didn't mean it," Andrew said softly. "He's just upset."

"Hm, yes," Severus said, sitting down resignedly. "I remember the feeling when my father got remarried. Of course in that case it was to a different person," he added dryly.

"Yes, but isn't she in a way?" Alex said. "And if you're marrying her now, isn't that like giving up on who she was before?"

"Alexandria, all of us are always changing, whether our memories are present or not. We grow and adapt, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. So perhaps what you should be asking is if there has ever been a point where I have given up on her?"

"No, you've been with her every step," Alex admitted, feeling a bit less troubled by Aurelius' words. "Although I don't think Aurelius has really given up on her either, you know."

"No he hasn't," Severus agreed. "Nor has she lost faith in him."

Severus let them go some time later so that he could put up a note on the door and slip up to Dumbledore's study. Alex and Andrew wandered around aimlessly for a while, their friends stuck in their classes. Finally, Halbert Hagrid appeared down the hall, running up to them in surprise.

"There you are! You picked a fine day to cut class. We had a history test!" Halbert scolded Andrew.

"We didn't skip class. We met Father for lunch and something happened and it ran over," Alex said.

"Oh good, you didn't skip? Then I should warn you about question twenty seven…"

"Halbert, that's not important right now. Aurelius is gone, he bolted, ran away," Andrew said. "He told Father off and left."

"Told him off?" Halbert said with interest. The three of them walked out to the courtyard to get out of the halls, all the while Andrew explained to them everything that happened, even repeated to some extent what Aurelius had said after he had insisted hearing it. "What a foul mouthed little beast!" Halbert couldn't help but exclaim.

"Please, Halbert, he's still our brother," Alex warned him. "Not that I think it was right, but I understand why he's angry. He just wants Mum to get better and thinks we've abandoned her."

"Oh, I know. I suppose I can understand that too," Halbert agreed. "Although what a Unicorn could possibly see in someone who'd talk to their father like that is beyond me."

"Well, yes, I do admit that's strange," Alex said, glancing almost apologetically at her other brother. "If there was one of us who I'd say was least likely to attract an animal known for its purity, it would be Aurelius. I mean, what does he have that we don't have?"

"A Unicorn, obviously," Halbert said dryly. Andrew suddenly stopped short, looking between both of them.

"Yes, a Unicorn, obviously! Then that means…" Andrew paused then, as if trying to work something out.

"What is it, Andrew?" Alex asked.

"Come on, we need to see Dumbledore," Andrew said and dove inside. Taking the stairs by two, Andrew and Halbert sprinted up the stairs. Alex had a hard time keeping up and getting a stitch in her side, complaining at them that nothing was worth this much of a hurry. "Buttercup!" Andrew shouted at the gargoyle, which opened to reveal a staircase. Halbert's jaw dropped in surprise.

"Hey, how come you know the password?" Halbert asked him accusingly.

"Because Andrew is Dumbledore's little family snitch, that's why," Alex wheezed. Andrew ignored them both, hurrying up the spiral stairs and knocking firmly. At last it opened, Dumbledore getting to his feet from behind his desk. Severus, who had been sitting in a chair in front of him with his face partially covered with his hand, looked up in surprise, the haunting grief on his face quickly changing to an expression of alarm.

"What is it, Andrew?" Dumbledore asked. "Do you have news on Aurelius?"

"Yes and no," Andrew said. "I know why Aurelius is the one in mother's dreams."

"Please sit down and continue," Dumbledore said, coming out from behind the desk to sit down with them.

"It's because of the wand," Andrew said. "When mother has mentioned Keki before, she always remarked about how a part of her died the day that Keki did. And Aurelius… the other day when he was upset about not being able to go back into the forest, he said he felt as if part of him was left behind. I had always thought before it was just meant figuratively, but could it be that when they bond that a literal part of their souls sort of switch places?"

"It isn't something that's been proven," Dumbledore said, glancing at Severus, "But from what those affected by a bond have described and actively being around some who have experienced it, I believe there is something more than figurative happening there, yes."

"All right, let's suppose it is for the sake of argument," Andrew said. "When Keki died, the magic of her Horn was gifted to Mum, and part of it went in a wand… the same wand Aurelius has, and the rest went into the Grove. Well, what if that part of Mum that she lost is in the Horn too? She said she kept seeing Unicorns in her dreams. I think perhaps they were trying to contact her in some way through the part of Keki that lives inside her. They no longer have a direct link to Mum, except through dreams, but they do have a direct link to Aurelius through the wand and used his image to try to get through to her."

"But why would they bother? I mean, what's the point? What can they do?" Alex said with confusion.

"Well, I'm not sure if they can do anything directly, but I think that the Keki part inside Mum figured out how to cure her, and that's by getting that part of Mum that was left in the horn back to her. Since that missing part of her was never affected by the Obliviation spell, it could be used to form a sort of bridge between Mum and her memories before the time that Keki died. Once those sort out, the memories that happened after that point should also fall into place. I'm not sure how that's supposed to work, exactly, but I do know that we need to get her, the wand, and the rest of the Horn in the same place because the Horn has to be whole for it to work," Andrew said.

"But then that means Aurelius might be leading her there without knowing it!" Alex said brightly.

"He might not know he's doing it, but I think the Unicorns do. The only part I can't figure out is why they just didn't tell him since it seems he can communicate with them," Andrew said.

"Communication and understanding are two different things," Dumbledore said. "And while riding a Unicorn, a rider has a tendency to forget their troubles in the outside world. It is quite possible that they did try to tell him. They may have been trying to tell us indirectly as well. Severus, why did you pick the Grove to renew your vows?"

"I… I don't know," Severus murmured. "It just seemed appropriate."

"It would have brought Jennifer, the wand, the Horn, and you all to the same location, and I'm not sure that would have been a complete coincidence. Don't forget, Severus, that a part of that Horn was used to cure you from what would have been nearly certain death. You must be there as well if he's correct, and I believe he is."

"I need to go," Severus said, abruptly standing and heading out the door.

"I'll be along with the children in a little bit," Dumbledore said, glancing over at their anxious faces. "You should all be there, to support Aurelius as well as the family. Halbert, I'd be so grateful if you updated Professor McGonagall on the situation and where we are going."

"Yes, Professor. I hope it all works out," Halbert said, patting Andrew's back. "Who knew that pointed head of yours could reason all of that out," he teased lightly.

"Oh, yes, ten points to Gryffindor for your solid reasoning, Andrew. Come, let's go get the others."

The Dark Forest was teeming with life; the warm soft weather coaxing color out in even the most timid of wildflowers, and patches of mushrooms and toadstools peeked out of every shadowed corner. But Jennifer wasn't thinking of any of that as she passed them, her hand every now and then resting comfortably on the wand tucked in her belt as she looked for any sign of Aurelius and his friends. The brook was the first stop, then the Centaur Glen and the meadow, but not one of patch of white had she seen. Above her, Dodger and Ratfly scanned the skies, until finally they swooped over her and took off in the same direction. Following their lead, Jennifer took to the path leading towards a hilly, rocky part of the forest with spindly trees that crowded each other for light. A sudden chill went through her and she paused, looking around at the strangely familiar area for a long time until it dawned on her that she was standing where she had faced the Wraith the night that Keki died. She shivered but forced herself to continue, the land growing unnaturally flat as she walked further on, glancing up every now and then to see where her familiars were.

Suddenly she heard a neigh and turned to see the unmistakable form of Pali, his partially severed Horn pointed directly at her, while on his back Aurelius sat with a strange, solemn face.

"Aurelius," Jennifer said, feeling slightly relieved. "We need to talk. Won't you come down?"

"Quiet," he snapped and Pali stamped twice at the ground. In answer a score of Unicorns suddenly emerged from the trees completely encircling her, their Horns all down and pointed at her, their eyes mirroring Aurelius' anger. "You are now the prisoner of the Unicorns. Do you concede?"

"Um, yes, I suppose so," Jennifer agreed. "I surrender. What are the conditions, Aurelius?" she asked, hoping that saying his name might force him to acknowledge he was his own person.

"You will do as you are told," he said simply. "Let's go."

"All right, Aurelius," Jennifer agreed, following behind a pair of Unicorns while Pali took position right behind her. "I don't suppose we could talk as we walk?" she asked, but didn't get an answer in return. "I'm afraid you really upset your father today. In fact, I've never seen him quite like that before."

"You've hardly known him long," Aurelius said icily. Jennifer relaxed a bit. So he still knew who he was. Perhaps it was the anger keeping them from merging?

"I suppose in a way," Jennifer said. "In other ways, I feel like I've known him forever. In fact, in some ways I feel the same about you and the other children. And I know that you feel like by doing this we've given up, but really it's the opposite. I've lost more than just memories, Aurelius, and this is a way of getting some of that back. Surely you can't think I don't long to be whole again. But more importantly, I want you and your father and the rest of the family to feel whole again too."

"You talk more than my sister does," Aurelius said in an almost condescending tone. "Keep walking."

"Alex and Andrew are very worried about you," Jennifer said. "Would it be all right with you if I told them that you were safe?"

"What makes you think you'll get out of here to ever tell them?" Aurelius asked, Pali's Horn gently nudging her on a bit.

Jennifer turned back towards the front and looked with amazement into what she could only think of as a garden of trees. Well-laid paths, wide enough for two Unicorns to walk abreast had been laid throughout the grove and fragrant blossoms of different kinds dropped to the ground creating a layer of pink and white around them. There was a tingle of energy in the air that Jennifer recognized it at once. Forgetting she was supposedly a prisoner she found herself pushing ahead of the pack, walking up to an intersection as if expecting there to be a Unicorn standing there, waiting. But no, Keki was dead. Jennifer frowned as Pali positioned himself behind her again, nudging her forward a little more. Just then she saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looked up with surprise to see Severus coming towards them, the Unicorns surrounding them backing away from him. Only Pali held his ground, his horn still pointed threateningly at Jennifer's back.

"Severus? What are you doing here?" Jennifer said, completely puzzled.

"Helping him help you," Severus said calmly.

"I don't need your help," Aurelius said acidly, getting off of Pali's back, keeping a hand on his side.

"You only think you don't. A part of Keki's Horn was used on me, so without me your wand is useless," Severus said in the same even tone.

"What's going on?" Jennifer asked.

"The Unicorns think that Keki's Horn might unlock your memories, Jennifer. Aurelius, ask the Unicorns how to restore the Horn from the missing parts."

"Wait a minute," Aurelius said angrily, glaring at his father. "They just told me about this, so how do you know about it? And for how long?"

"From Andrew about ten minutes ago, now are we going to attempt this or not?" Severus said impatiently. It wasn't Aurelius that answered but Pali, neighing loudly and backing away from him, the rest of the Unicorns forming a circle around them looking rather odd as some of them had to step halfway through some of the trees to manage it.

"He said to make a triangle between you, the Horn and my wand with Mum in the middle, and they'll do the rest," Aurelius said, picking a spot to stand as he got out his wand. Jennifer watched nervously as Severus than took a step to the side, his eyes focused on where he estimated the Horn was buried. Then she looked up to where the Unicorns were lowering their horns at her. Within a second there was a sound like a very high-pitched whinny, and she was hit by bright light from all directions.

Severus watched in surprise as the blasts of white light converged upon her, while a golden glow had taken hold over himself, Aurelius' wand and the ground where the horn lay, enveloping her completely. As abruptly as it began, the light ended, showing only empty air between them.

"Where is she?" Severus demanded, looking at Aurelius then over at Pali. "Where did she go?"

"She's in the caverns below us, Father," Aurelius said distantly, barely aware of Severus' look of alarm when he turned to face him. "It's all up to her, now."