Sorry, it took me a week longer than usually (at least longer than the last weeks), but it took me some time to translate the last chapter into German (due to school, exams, oral presentation in French…) so it took me the whole last weekend to do that. But now it is here, chapter 16. The end of the story, safe for the epilogue… So have fun reading, and remember, there's not much time left to tell me what you think about the story! (hint, hint, hint)
TriGemini: So, I take it that you liked the last chapter. ;D
Samantha Cameron: You were waiting for it? Did you know it was going to happen? Mhm… looks like I'm getting old… I must kill off more people and make more sad endings it seems… sigh
Hogwartsstollaway: Ah, but admit it, scaring you with my reply to your review made it all the more enjoyable to read the chapter, right? You know what, I was too having tears in my eyes while I wrote the chapter! (seems as though I'm repeating the ending of Skin on Skin when it comes to this). I have to admit, when I started writing Silence on Silk I was actually thinking about making it a triologie. (I even had a plot and a title for the last part, I just don't remember the title anymore, just that it was something with SoS again…) But now, I'm not so sure about this anymore. I fear it would also end with even less Draco/Hermione action than Silence on Silk already had (which I actually didn't plan to happen…) since it would take place in the kids last year at Hogwarts… So I guess, there won't be a third part. But who knows, maybe, after one or two other stories, I'm going back and do write a third part, who knows… Oh look, how much I'm babbling, and you just want to know what's going to happen in chapter 16. Okay, I will stop talking now.
Tiarwen: grows a few inches I'm glad you do!
Anniebells: You really thought I would let her go?
Alexian-goodess: I guess you should stop to tell me to update soon, it seems as thought this has subconsciously a bad influence on me…;)
xoKaSsIeox: glad you like it.
MaileKitten: oooookay, so I did understand the first sentence, but at the second one my pc said it is no English… no French… no German… no Spanish…. I'm confused….
Chapter 16
How can you see into my eyes like open doors
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numb without a soul
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home
Wake me up inside
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Now that I now what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life
Wake me up inside
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Frozen inside without you touch without your love
Darling only you are the life among the dead
All this time I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Without a thought without a voice without a soul
Don't let me die here there must be something more
Bring me to life
Bring me to life – Evanescence
"How long do you think have we been in here?" Felicitas asked Sean, trying not to sound too scared.
"I don't know. It could be some days or some weeks. But I'm sure no more than a month or so." Sean answered and shivered slightly. He had given his jacket to Felicitas, so she would stay warm. They still sat cuddled together against the wall farthest away from the iron bars.
She, the odd lady, hadn't come back to them yet. And he was glad that the girl hadn't either. She had been wrong. He told himself over and over again. They wouldn't stay here forever. Their parents would find them soon. They just had to!
"What if she comes back?" Felicitas asked in a whisper. Sean didn't have to ask whom she meant. He looked at Felicitas' worried face and swore to himself that he wouldn't let this woman hurt her. Ever.
He reached behind his neck and took of his necklace. He looked at the small silver plate with his family's crest on the front and his name on the back of it.
"Fee." He whispered and when she lifted her head to look up at him he put his necklace around her neck. Felicitas looked asking at her friend.
"It is a promise. I won't let anyone hurt you." Felicitas felt tears starting to form in her eyes and nodded weakly. She threw her arms back around Sean and held onto him as though he was her guarantee that they would be rescued soon.
"HERMIONE! HERMIONE!" Hermione ran down the stairs when she heard Sirius calling for her. Draco followed soon after her, Nathaniel on his arm. As they reached the entrance hall Narcissa, Thora and Sean were already standing there.
But Hermione took no further notice of them. She looked at Sirius who had walked into the house together with Professor Dumbledore, Remus, Damon and History. She looked at each of the five and when she reached her brothers face she took one deep breath. What she said next was more a statement than a question.
"You've found them!"
Katerina Everdeen was clutching her husbands hand when they entered the huge old house. They had apparated to the Malfoys immediately when they had heard that the place, where their children were held captive was finally located.
Now they were there. The grey stone let the house look cold. Or maybe it was because she knew that her son was in there. Probably afraid. Maybe hurt. Or … No! She wouldn't think about that. In a few minutes, she would hold him in her arms again. She would take him back home and make sure that this little red headed bitch would burn in hell for this!
"You go upstairs, we take the cellar." And so they divided. Remus, Professor Dumbledore, Damon and History went upstairs, careful to make not too much noise. Sirius walked towards the staircase that led downwards underneath the house. Draco, Hermione, Alexander and Katerina were following him.
"Did you hear that?" Felicitas asked. Sean nodded silently and tightened his grip on the girl. Felicitas waited for the familiar feelings of warning and fear to come. But they didn't. Instead, there was something else. Something tucked at her heart. She felt as thought her mother was calling out to her. Felt, as though she could feel her arms around her, her head resting on her hair.
"Mommy." She whispered.
"Fee?" Sean was afraid that Felicitas was going crazy now. That it had been too much for her. But Felicitas slowly arose from the floor and took off Sean's jacket. She turned towards him and held the jacket out for him to take.
Sean took the jacket slowly back and looked worried at Felicitas. But she was smiling widely.
"They're here. They're bringing us back home now." She throw her arms around Sean and hugged him tightly before she released him and ran towards the bars.
"MOMMY!"
Remus had never thought that it would be this easy. But it seemed as though some things about people who sought to destroy and rule others were always the same. For one, they often thought they were invincible. And that made them make mistakes. As history has often proved.
Ginevra Weasley seemed to be no exception to this rule. They hadn't taken more than a few steps when she practically ran into them. The sight of people in the house must have confused her, because she was magically bound in less than a minute.
"What… what do you think you're doing?" she screamed at Remus, demanding to know why she was bound like some criminal.
"The fact that you aren't in your room in the burrow proves that you ARE a criminal." History said, the dark colour of her hair and her eyes made it obvious what she thought of the younger woman.
"NO! You can't take me away! That is not fair! She will get away again! I will be punished and she will get away with it! She should be the one bound and brought away. Not me! It is all the fault of that mudblood!" she screeched and tried to fight of the bounds.
Dumbledore lost his patience and put a silencing charm on the young woman, making sure she wouldn't say anything until she was brought to a judge.
"FEE!" Hermione followed her daughters voice and ran deeper into the darkness. Draco was following her immediately together with Alexander and Katerina. Leaving Sirius to think of lightening the hall with a spell, so they wouldn't fall now that they were so close.
"FEE!" Hermione fell to her knees in front of the bars and took her daughter's hands in her own.
"Mommy! I'm so glad you're finally here!" Felicitas cried openly when she saw her parents standing there. Sean walked slowly to the bars, barely believing that his parents were really standing there on the other side.
A quick spell and the door was open. Sean ran outside and threw himself into his mother's arms. Now he allowed himself to cry against her shoulder. He didn't see Felicitas being lifted into her father's arms and carried outside of the house. But he felt his father doing the same with him. Once they were outside they apparated back to the Malfoy's home. No one wanted to wait to see Ginny being brought outside. They just wanted to hold their children and go home.
"No one's here Professor." Damon said and closed the door behind him.
"This room's also empty." History said and glared at the now silent and bound woman.
"I was sure she had kidnapped her too." Dumbledore murmured and ran a hand through his beard. He looked at Ginny but she made no sign to show whether she knew whom they meant or not. Dumbledore sighed and shook his head.
"We should bring her to the Ministry now. I've already made sure Judge Benson is informed. He will take care of the matter."
"I will go and tell Molly and Arthur." Remus proposed and moved to walk back downstairs.
"Be gentle. Molly will not take it easy." Dumbledore warned him and Remus nodded before he left the house.
"Well, then, lets bring this package to the judge and hope he'll let her rot in Azkaban together with some Dementors!" History said and shoved Ginny towards the door.
But at the end of the day, History's wish had not been fulfilled. Judge Benson had decided that Ginny was put into St. Mungo's department for mental illnesses of criminals. With a side-glance to Sirius he had said that from St. Mungo's no one had ever escaped.
Molly had had a nervous breakdown when she heard what had happened. It became even worse when she found out, that Arthur had been involved. She said she would never speak a word to him again, but only five minutes later she was crying against his shoulder, feeling guilty for not seeing the true evil in her daughter.
Nathaniel had never been happier than in the moment when his parents had walked into the door with Felicitas in Draco's arms. That night the twins slept both in their parent's bed. But they both did so for the last time. The following night was spent in their own beds, while Draco and Hermione took advantage of their precious alone-together-time that night.
Somewhere in another place, a five-year-old girl with reddish blonde hair was walking aimlessly around in a forest. She was holding a doll in her arms and murmured the same word over and over again.
"Mommy"
Okay, so only the epilogue left for me to write and you to read. And then it is over….
And I wouldn't be me if I weren't already thinking about what to write after this one… I was thinking about some Angelina/Slytherin (not sure whether Montague, Flint or Pucey) story. That is, if there is some interest in any of those couples out there… (if you haven't gotten it by now: I want you to tell me whether or not to write about one of the above-mentioned couples. ;D)
