Disclaimer: I do not own HP. I repeat, I do NOT own HP. But, of course, you lot know this, right? If not, whack yourself repeatedly in the head with a blunt object until you do.

Serpens Erus Temptatio

"Serpent Lord's Temptation"

Chapter 17 – Feeling's Gone

"Merlin's beard," breathed Severus when he and Harry appeared in front of the building Charlie Weasley lived in.

The entire building was completely ablaze and the fire department was vainly trying to put it out. In a small park just across from it, what appeared to be the occupants of the building. Harry craned his neck but didn't see a tall, red-headed man among them.

All of a sudden, a little dark-haired wraith came running out of the crowd and flung itself on Severus' legs with a sob.

"Unca Swev!"

Severus swooped down on the four-year-old girl and picked her up, gently rocking her back and forth as he whispered something in her ear.

"Ri! RI!"

"Christopher!" snapped Harry, gaining the attention of a ten-year-old boy with a shock of red hair that was stained with ash.

"Uncle Harry! Father…"

"What happened?" asked Harry, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Christopher swallowed hard and replied, "There was a man. He…he looked like the picture's of Uncle Ron."

"What did he do?"

"He…he…"

Harry knelt down beside the boy and said, "Tell me, Chris. What did he do?"

"He…" Christopher's eyes welled up with tears as he sobbed, "He killed Father!"

Harry's eyes went completely black again and he pulled the distraught boy close. He looked at Severus over the ten-year-old's shoulder and their eyes locked.

Severus caught the anger in those eyes and closed his. He knew what Charlie's three children were going to have to live through from experience. His own parents had been killed when he was young and he'd grown up in the care of his Death Eater aunt and uncle.

At least these three children didn't have to go through that particular horror.

"Charlie's dead," reported Harry's head from the fireplace.

"Ri?" asked Hermione. "Chris?"

"They're fine. I know now who's blood Aubrey's letter was written in."

McGonagall nodded and said, "Charlie's. Have you told Molly?"

"Sev's telling her right now. Mr. Weasley's getting ahold of Bill, Fred, and George. I think it'd be best to have them all at Hogwarts."

"Good idea, Potter," sneered Draco, who had just arrived in the office. "Bring him right to us."

Harry glared at Draco and snapped, "Remember if you will, Malfoy, that your not the only worried father among us!"

"Stop it, both of you!" hissed Hermione.

"Sorry, Mione," muttered Harry. He then looked at McGonagall and said, "We'll be back in about an hour. Where's Mischa?"

"With Nadia," replied Hermione. "Aubrey sent a letter to Lily."

"In Charlie's blood," added McGonagall.

Harry's eyes flooded black and he snarled, "That fucking bastard! This time I'll damn well make sure he's dead!"

"Harry, don't…" began Hermione, only to have a fierce, dark gaze fixed upon her.

"Don't what?" hissed Harry. "Don't get angry? Don't imagine what sort of horror three innocent children are going to have to go through? Don't imagine what Chris and Ri might remember about their father's death? Don't think of what Lily is probably going through right now? I can't help but think about those things, Mione."

Draco opened his mouth to say something but McGonagall hurriedly cut him off.

"Thank you, Harry. Get them here safely."

"I will," swore the dark-haired man vehemently. His head vanished from the fireplace a moment later with a pop and the Headmistress sighed.

"Now what?" asked Draco.

"Now we try and keep Harry from going after Aubrey," said McGonagall. She looked solemnly at Hermione and continued, "He's going to want revenge."

Hermione just nodded.

"The Weasley's have been the only family he's ever had," she said softly. "Sev and I will try our best to hold him down."

"Use the child for leverage if you have to."

Hermione blinked and stared blankly at McGonagall.

"I know it is a cruel thing to do, Hermione, especially to Harry…but we must not let him go after Aubrey."

Hermione nodded slowly and said, "I know." She then blinked and asked, "What about Sirius and Remus?"

"And my mother?" added Draco. "If Aubrey's going after every soul Potter knows, she'll be included."

"I already thought of that," said McGonagall. "The members of the Order who were watching the Weasley's are trying to find them as we speak."

"My mother's in the Caribbean," said Draco. "With Lupin."

Hermione colored slightly and coughed at that. Draco arched an eyebrow at her but said nothing.

"I'll inform Nymphadora and Kingsley then." McGonagall looked curiously at Hermione and asked, "Would you know where Sirius is?"

"Not a clue. Harry might. I think they keep up regular correspondence."

"I shall ask him when he returns. Until then…go get some rest, the both of you."

"I don't think I could do anything right now," said Hermione.

McGonagall smiled gently at her and said, "Try, my dear."

"I will."

The bushy-haired witch rose from her chair and left, Draco trailing behind her. As the door to the office swung closed, McGonagall put her head in her hands and prayed that nothing else would happen.