.:Thank you to all my reviewers, I do appreciate the constructive criticism, but there are a few things I feel like I should address. Dora-the-elda, I just used the Lord's Prayer. I didn't realize that the Catholic version was different from the Protestant version, which was entirely my fault. Shows you what a theologist I am *shoots self*. Bena Glinney, just to clarify, what I meant by bold letters, I meant in the thickness of the letters, not necessarily the color's vividness. I can understand where the confusion was however, so thank you for catching that. People tend to interpret things differently. Thank you both, I love hearing that my work is great, but I know that there are things wrong that need fixing. I appreciate your honesty. XOXO –Katie:.
The Saints of Donovan
Chapter 4: Countless Queries
After many long drawn out conversations and piles of paperwork, Donovan had a legal father. He had packed up his things in a bemused state, lucid about it all. If this man wanted to be a father for him, after years of being out of the picture, Donovan was willing to take a chance. God wouldn't have brought Severus into his life if He didn't intend for Donovan to learn a lesson.
Three days after Severus' arrival in Murntown, Donovan's suitcases were piling into the small Lexus at the bottom of the hill, and Father Donnellson was saying goodbye to the boy he had risen from the day he was born.
"You…you take care of yourself. And you're always welcome back here, you know that?" Donnellson said through choked tears as he hugged Donovan.
"Father…I will come back to visit. I could never leave my home and not come back." Donovan said, no tears spilling from his eyes. If truth be told, Donovan was rather happy to leave.
Severus watched as Donovan said goodbye to the sobbing father, sighing as he looked at his watch. He had to get back to London, and quickly. Donovan finally wrapped it up with the father and turned to get into the passenger side of Severus's Lexus. Severus nodded to the Father and got in as well, starting the Lexus and driving down the long beaten path out of Murntown.
He would have preferred that the car be silent and calm, but Donovan apparently did not.
"Do you mind?" Donovan asked. Severus looked at him side long, a yellow filing compartment of some kind in his lap, full of silver disks. He was holding one between his fingers and looking at Severus as is asking for consent.
"I…no…" Severus said, not exactly understanding what he was asking about. Donovan smiled to himself and slipped the disk into a slot in the dash that Severus had never noticed or even pondered upon its purpose. He pushed a few buttons, and twisted one of the knobs, Severus watching, bewildered as to what the point was.
"HE RODE INTO TOWN LIKE DESPERADOES OF OLD!" the speakers blared, making Severus jump at the heavy rock music. Donovan hastily twisted one of the knobs to turn the music down to a small hum.
"Wow…sorry…it's a tad bit more sensitive then I thought." Donovan said, Severus glaring at him with his beetle black eyes, panting heavily. He shook his head and turned back to the road.
"What is this garbage?" he snarled, putting his hand to his left temple.
"Ah…MO7s, punk band," Donovan said glumly, "They were in Wicklow a while back. I really wanted to go too, but Father Donnellson wasn't for it." He sighed.
"Yes, well, maybe he had your best interests in mind." Severus sighed, "And you consider this music?" Severus asked in repulsion.
"Yeah well, a lot of us in this generation think they're pretty deadly." Donovan said defensively. "Anyway, you seem out with the times. What kind of name is Severus?" Severus just continued to stare at the road ahead of him, a long uncomfortable silence ensuing for several minutes.
"What was mom like?" Donovan asked as they turned into a small town. Severus sighed as they reached a stop sign. He didn't remember much about Larien Silimaurë. It had been almost twenty years since he'd last met her, and that was at one death eater rally. She was the undercover type, doing various jobs for Voldemort that not many people could pull off. He had remembered that she was very beautiful, and he recognized her subtle features through out Donovan.
"She was very beautiful…you have her nose…and blue eyes." Severus said, looking at Donovan. Donovan's eyes were slightly watery, a smile playing in the corners of his lips. Severus smirked as he looked back at the road. He honestly did feel bad for Donovan. All he wanted was a family, and now Severus was stuck in a complicated predicament. Should he tell him the truth, or pretend to be something that he wasn't? He sighed as he drove through the old Irish town, hoping that no more questions would come.
"Did you love her?" Donovan asked, sniffing as he leaned against the cold car window.
"Yes." Severus sighed.
"So why did you two separate…why weren't you with her when I was born?" Donovan asked, spite being bitten back.
"It's…complicated." Severus said, his eyes narrowing on the road.
"That's tripe…" Donovan murmured, sliding down in his seat belt, his arms crossed. Severus sighed.
"I don't know why half the time…" Severus said, the road opening into nothingness again.
**
After a couple of hours of driving between sheep and cow grazing pastures, and listening to multiple bands such as MO7s, Severus pulled up to a small mobile building with about a dozen cars parked in front of it. He turned off the car and turned to Donovan, and was surprised to find that he had dozed off. Severus looked uncomfortable as he placed a hand on Donovan's shoulder, shaking him lightly.
"Donovan, wake up boy…"he said silkily. Donovan's eyes fluttered open and he stretched.
"Where are we…?" he grumbled, running a hand through his tangled locks.
"Kilpoole. Get your things, we have to return the car." He said, getting out without another word. Donovan looked around, slightly confused. There didn't seem to be an airport around for miles, and there wouldn't be since this little building and handful of cars was right next to the ocean cliffs. But he did as he was instructed to and got out, lugging his canvas bags out and lumbering as fast as he could after Severus into the rickety old mobile. He panted as he dropped his bags in the doorway, glaring at Severus as he talked to a tall lanky man in odd, blue and yellow checkered pants with a polka dot bow tie.
"Is it ready then?" Severus asked, handing the keys to the man.
"Yes Mr. Snape. First door on the right down the second hall on level twenty…er…six…" the man smiled with crooked gold teeth. Severus nodded, and then turned to Donovan. He cocked an eye brow at Severus as he took one of his bags and led him down a long hall.
Donovan started to panic slightly; this mobile had been no bigger then the first floor of the orphanage how could it possibly be this spacious!? They continued down the hall, a few more odd characters bustling about with files, a couple of them with owls perched on their shoulders. His head spun; where was he!? At the end of the hall they reached what seemed to be a set of elevator doors. Severus pushed the up button and tapped his foot lightly as the elevator hummed downwards. He seemed to be oblivious to the fact that Donovan was staring at him, his jaw hanging slightly open and a cold sweat dripping down his brow.
The elevator binged open and they walked in, Severus pushing the red button label 26. Donovan
stared at the panel of numbers; they went all the way up to 200. Donovan's knuckles were white as he clutched the rail in the elevator car, his breathe quickening. Severus cocked an eyebrow down at him.
"Are you alright?" he asked. Donovan nodded yes, although Severus knew he was lying, due to the fact that he had been keeping a close watch on his thoughts and feelings since meeting him through legilimancy. He was panicked, and Severus knew it. If he could just get him to the twenty-sixth floor and into the proper room, he could get him safely to London. But as long as he was in Ireland he could dash back in a frightened state all the way back to Murntown, and Severus couldn't allow that to happen.
The elevator shook upward, incredibly slower than Severus would have wished it to. When the car finally binged and came to a jerky stop, the doors creaking open again, slower than Severus had wished, they stepped out, Severus making haste down the hall to his right and to the second door. He opened it and beckoned Donovan to follow. The room was completely empty save for an old woolen sock on a pedestal in the middle of the room.
"Severus where in the hell are we!?" Donovan asked, gulping hard as Severus closed the door behind them. Severus looked at Donovan sternly.
"We're going to my flat now…" Severus said severely, taking Donovan by the wrist and pulling him forward towards the pedestal.
"Stop being such a caffler! Tell me what in the world is going on because, I haven't got a baldy!" Donovan exclaimed, his eyes wide with panic as he pulled away from Severus. Severus grumbled under his breath.
"Listen to me Donovan, and listen closely. I will explain everything to you later, once we get to my flat, but you have to trust me, and have faith in me until we get there." He spat harshly through his teeth, his brow creased in aggravation as he took Donovan's hand and forced it onto the sock, along with his own.
"NO!" Donovan yelled, yanking backwards. But it was too late. He felt a pull at his navel as he still tried to wriggle out of Severus' firm grip. He felt nauseous as a fiery sensation whipped about him. All of a sudden the floor slipped out from under him and he fell backwards out of Severus' hold, dropping his suitcase stumbling backwards into a bookcase, dozens of books falling onto his head. Darkness overcame him in a swirling current as he felt a hot stream of blood drip down his forehead.
.:Anyway…that was boring. This chapter wasn't very eventful I know but it will be in the next chapter. Donovan finds out pieces of the truth, but is helpless to do anything about it.:.