Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Updated: Thursday 14th April 2005
Chapter Sixty Five: Fall Out
After the grisly discovery of the Fat Lady's portrait, the students had been evacuated to the Great Hall. As the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress set about warding the entrances and imparting their instructions to the fleet of prefects, two sets of eyes searched the sea of student's faces. When it became apparent that the object of their attentions was not present, the two men shared a look.
"Lupin." "Severus" The two voices interjected each other.
"Estella." They both said.
"Dumbledore." They continued. Had it been under any other circumstances they may have been able to appreciate the humour, but this was no laughing matter. Sirius Black had been spotted inside Hogwarts, and now his daughter was missing.
"Professor Snape! Professor Lupin!" A short, dwarf-like man ran towards them as fast as his little legs could carry. "Estella Black is not present or accounted for!"
Severus Snape sneered, biting back the urge to snap at the man for his senseless ability to state the obvious. "The Ravenclaw rooms are all cleared?" He asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I just helped the sixth year prefects conduct a final sweep." Professor Flitwick continued, wringing his hands nervously. "And Madame Prince has just returned with the students who were in the library."
The two unlikely allies shared another look.
"We'll search our respective quarters momentarily." Remus said breathlessly, fear gripping his heart.
"Until then we must assume that Black has got her." Severus said gruffly.
"Ah, Severus, Remus." Albus Dumbledore approached them. "I don't want you to be alarmed, but…"
"Estella's missing!" Both men growled at the headmaster.
"We're wasting time, Albus!" Remus said, looking slightly more worse for wear than the man beside him. "What would you have us do?"
"The students will remain here tonight." Albus said. "I have warded the entrances and instructed the prefects to stand guard."
"What happened?" Severus scowled darkly. "I thought the school was impenetrable!"
"It appears Sirius Black made his way into the school while the Dementors were distracted by the students coming back and forth from Hogsmeade." Albus said. "The integrity of his intended destination, however, was not compromised. He was unable to achieve entry into Gryffindor Tower without the password. Since I fear Mr Black could still be waiting in the shadows to ambush his target as they return to their dormitory, the students will remain here until the school is searched."
"What makes you think he hasn't already acquired his target?" Severus said, his voice straining to maintain its icy tone and belie the inner turmoil he was feeling at that moment.
"It is a distinct possibility that Sirius Black has come to claim his daughter." Albus said, his eye devoid of its twinkle. "Though Harry Potter…"
Severus glared, his face hardening. "We shouldn't be wasting our time protecting Potter and searching the castle! We should be out combing the forest and alerting the Aurors! He has a hostage now, and his wand!"
"Surely you do not wish to incite a panic, Severus." Albus implored. "The Ministry would only insist on bringing Dementors into the School"
"Very well," Severus said wearily, rubbing his forehead irritably. "I shall search the Dungeons via my quarters. Lupin…"
"I'll go by my rooms now…" Remus assured, shifting his weight anxiously. "I'll need to be secure within the hour. Albus, has anyone searched Gryffindor tower?"
"All Gryffindor students are accounted for." Albus said, relieved.
Estella lay unconscious on the floor of the deserted common room, all but hidden by view by a thick wall tapestry she had rolled under. Oblivious to the furore her disappearance was causing elsewhere in the Castle, Estella dreamt.
Darkness. Cold. Emptiness all around her. The nightmare was nothing new to Estella as her body was frozen in a silent scream. But then she hears it… something new. Something coming towards her.
"Estella!" A voice called, starting at a whisper but getting closer and closer as time went on. "Estella!"
'I'm here! Over here!' She tried to scream out, but she could make no sound. Whoever was coming to find her would surely never find her.
Yet still the voice came towards her, until finally she could feel the comforting warmth of breath against her brow.
"Found you." A voice whispered softly in her ear, twin beacons of light glistening at her through the dark.
A sudden popping noise and Estella found herself in the unused guest wing in one of the school's attics. She was reliving the afternoon her Godfather had taught her how to fight the Boggart. The scene was playing itself in mute, so Estella could only watch the body language of her memory-self and Remus as they conversed. Having seen the Boggart turn into the dog well enough the first time, Estella focused on Remus' mannerisms. To her surprise, he had a stunned, almost fearful look on his face when the Boggart had turned into the stray dog she'd seen in London. If she didn't know better she was sure she could see a hint of recognition in the weary werewolf's eyes.
Blinking madly to get the image out of her head, the scene changed. She was back in London outside the grocery store where she worked over Summer and the grateful stray dog she had just fed was licking her hand. Looking down at the dog and patting its head encouragingly, Estella lost herself in the dog's watery grey orbs. Overwhelmed by a sense of de ja vu, Estella peered closer at the dog's eyes, the pieces clicking into place.
She had seen those eyes before.
"Estella!" The raven haired boy's seeker trained eyes spotted the crumpled form of the missing child almost immediately. It was late morning, the students having been sent back to their Houses shortly after breakfast.
"Somebody get a teacher, quick!" Ron urged, helping Harry pull Estella off the floor and onto a nearby lounge. "Hermione, light the fire! She's ice cold!"
The castle got very cold at night. With all the students in the Great Hall and the school's magic concentrated on enforcing the school wards against intruders, the fires within the Houses were put out. Estella had been lying on a cold stone floor in but a thin woollen skirt and shirt under her 'indoor' robes.
With the assistance of the teacher's corridor, the Gryffindor common room was soon swarming with teachers.
"Out of my way!" Severus roared as he made his way through the throng of curious students. "Someone get these students out of here! This is not a circus!"
"Students, to your dorms please!" Professor McGonagal said sternly, clapping her hands before turning to look at the sleep deprived potions master. "Severus, was that really necessary?"
"I thought the Gryffindor tower had been cleared of students, Minerva." Severus replied silkily.
"Professor Snape, sir." Harry said, rising to his feet from where he had been kneeling on the floor by the lounge where Estella lay. "Estella was on the floor half hidden by a tapestry. It… it would have been easy to miss her sir…"
"Potter! Once again I find you in the thick of it." Severus said, swooping down on the persistent child.
Harry stared back defiantly. If he could face a basilisk and the memory of Lord Voldemort, he could handle Severus Snape. "Well it's a good thing I was in the thick of it, Sir; because half the house passed through this room before I saw her lying there!"
"Well congratulations Potter, for indulging your hero complex once again!" Severus spat, his eyes glinting dangerously. "Five points from Gryffindor for each student who was being so unobservant!"
Clenching his jaw, Harry's stood toe to toe with the greasy git of a man before him, his hands clenching into fists as he held his arms rigidly at his sides.
"Harry…" Hermione hissed from behind him, placing a stabilising hand on his shoulder. "We should let the teachers tend to Estella."
Severus was just about to retort with a biting comment aimed at the know-it-all Gryffindor, but Minerva had shooed the golden-trio away.
"I came as soon as I heard!" A dishevelled Remus Lupin said as he rushed into the room. Last night had been the full moon.
"Coming through!" Madame Pomfrey stormed in behind Remus. "This child ought to be in the infirmary!"
Estella had been in the infirmary for the past hour, and she had yet to awaken. Remus had wanted to maintain a vigil, but Madame Pomfrey was unrelenting in her determination to pack the tired old werewolf off to bed.
"The child is in shock, Severus." Poppy had said gravely. "There's no telling when she will awaken."
The words echoed around in Severus' mind as he sat at his niece's bedside, a strange sense of de ja vu of some five years previously sending shivers down his spine. Relieved wasn't a word strong enough to describe how glad he was that Estella hadn't been taken in the night. It concerned him, however, that the child was found unconscious and in shock though… what had she seen? Who had she encountered? Most importantly, what did they tell her?
Severus could practically feel the life he had built for himself and his charge crumble around him.
What if she now knew what he'd done? What If Estella knew Severus had withheld information that could have at least made her father's life in prison easier? He should never have sent Black that letter all those years ago. There was no way the letter had survived the deteriorating conditions of Azkaban all that time, but a memory of it was enough. A memory and a pensieve and Severus would lose Estella. There was too much Gryffindor in her. As much as he tried to discourage it or ignore it, he couldn't hide the fact that his niece had the innate ability to see the good in everyone. If Black had cornered her long enough to talk with her, it was just a matter of time before Estella woke up – in more ways than one. No one, least of all Estella, would want to have to face the fact that their parent did terrible things. She'd had a hard time trying to accept Black's betrayal of the Potters… all it would take was a suggestion that he didn't do it and Estella would jump on the bandwagon, eager to reveal the good in the man.
His eyes heavy as they burned into Estella's still form on the bed, Severus supposed that he could hardly blame the child for feeling that way. No one, not even him, would want to accept that the blood they came from was inherently evil. Especially not in magical society where blood meant so much to so many.
Hopefully she would be able to apply that same logic in accepting his reasons. His feelings for Black aside, he had truly thought he had been doing the right thing by his niece by allowing her to get on with her life. If she had to go through her earlier education tortured with the possibility of her father's innocence it would have made the degrading comments of her peers all the harder to bear. At least in thinking he was 100 guilty she had been able to agree with them and ignore it.
Severus knew Sirius had not betrayed the Potters, but without Pettigrew's body – alive or dead – there was no confirming who killed all those Muggles. Sirius had to have done it – they'd found Peter's finger. How would Peter have been able to fake his own death and escape from the explosion in time? Either way, it was better for people… better for Estella… to believe beyond a reasonable doubt that Sirius was guilty. He knew what it was to live with doubt… to live with not knowing… and he wouldn't wish that on anyone. Especially someone who actually had reason to like Black.
Since Black's escape, however, he was at a loss. Maybe he should have told people what he knew. The Dark Lord was as good as dead, the threat to his exposing his cover would have been minimal. Maybe it would have benefited Estella to have faith in her Father. He was willing to admit that his initial resolve to keep his knowledge to himself was driven by his unreasonable hatred and lust for revenge. He could only hope that people would see that this irrational temperament was a by-product of his time in Azkaban and the negative effect the Dementors had on his perspective. Now time had passed, he didn't feel the same burning motivation to hide the truth purely to get at Sirius; but it was just too late to change things now without people getting hurt; and after Potter's run in with Voldemort in his first year and the continued ambiguity of just how those Muggles died, Severus felt he was still of right mind to withhold his information.
Something he would do at any cost.
Estella's eyes flew open, unfocused. Severus leant forward in his chair to get her attention.
"Estella?" He said quietly, mindful not to wake Lupin just yet and have him interfere. Touching her shoulder, he was dismayed to see her flinch, but ignored it as he pressed on. "What were you doing in Gryffindor Tower?"
His voice was low and unthreatening. Severus was a hard man, but he wasn't a fool. It seemed, however, that Estella was still too fragile to answer his questions for she started to tremble.
"I was looking for Harry." Estella whispered shakily, closing her eyes. "May I have some water, please?"
Severus' jaw twitched restrainedly as he took in the latest revelation. 'Potter' his mind spat. 'Potter put her in this position!'
"Here." He said, holding a glass with a straw up to Estella's mouth and waiting while she drank from it. "I've had your things moved back down to your room." He said after she had finished. "No arguments."
Estella sighed. "I don't see why," she said carefully. "All I did was fall asleep on the floor."
She was covering it up.
"You're lying." Severus hissed… between the mention of Potter and her apparent intention to lie to him, his temper had flared. "You don't end up in shock from falling asleep on the floor!"
"I had a nightmare." She said simply. "It must have had a profound effect on me."
The look she gave him was pointed, an eyebrow raised in challenge as if to say 'remember that day at Malfoy manor?'
Frowning down at the obstinate child before him, he challenged her glare. "Sirius Black was seen outside the Tower. He slashed the portrait. Are you telling me you didn't see him?"
"I didn't see him outside the Tower." Estella said, employing her Slytherin methods of misdirection. "And if he slashed the portrait he couldn't have gotten in, could he?"
"You didn't let him in?" Severus asked.
"No." Estella answered. 'I opened the door, he let himself in after that.'
"Why did you pass out then?" Severus pressed on. "You had no reason to think you had to stay in there for your safety."
"I had no reason to think I would be missed." Estella answered. "I must have dozed while I was waiting for the Gryffindors to get back from dinner."
"On the floor?" Severus asked, shaking his head. "I don't believe you."
"Don't then." Estella said, starting to roll over. Inside, she was falling to pieces. She'd never lied to her Uncle like this before, and every instinct in her was telling her it was wrong to not tell him what happened, but she was just so afraid of him getting mad at her for not putting her defence skills to work and capturing her father. She'd let a convicted killer get away! Did that make her an accomplice? Would she be sent there?
No one could know what happened.
"I'm sorry, Estella." Severus said quietly before standing over her, wand drawn. "Legilimens!"
Taken aback by the sudden attack, but not at all surprised by it, Estella built up her walls. When determined enough, she could manage to keep just about anything from her Uncle. To stop him from digging, she sent the memory of her Boggart through. As predicted, her Uncle withdrew himself from her mind and leaned over her.
"You have seen Black!" Severus said, almost fearfully. "In the school. At a different time. Your Godfather is conspiring with him and he's been coming and going for how long? HOW LONG? Do you have any idea…"
By now, Severus had his hands wrapped around Estella's arms, shaking her firmly into the bed as his voice rose in urgent tones. He truly hadn't meant to get so mad, but he was just so scared of losing her. He wasn't ready to explain.
"It was a Boggart!" Estella blurted out, sobbing with her Uncle's sudden manhandling of her. "Why must you always think the worst of people?"
"I don't believe you." Severus hissed, relinquishing her arms to reveal his own hands were shaking. "I'm sorry I grabbed you." He muttered as an after thought.
"Yeah, well, don't be." Estella said coldly. "The fact you don't trust me hurts more; and you evidently aren't going to apologise for that."
"I have nothing to apologise for." Severus said silkily. "I know you too well. I don't know exactly what you're lying about, but I know you're keeping something from me."
"Oh like I'm the only one keeping secrets." Estella bit back flippantly. "Quit sulking. You're just annoyed because you can't get what you want out of my mind."
Severus froze. Did she know his secret?
"Bring me a Boggart then, if you won't believe me." Estella said arrogantly. "Remus will vouch for me, but if you can't even trust me then I doubt you'll trust him."
"That won't be necessary." Severus said evenly. "Now tell me why you were really in the Tower!"
"I wanted to tell Harry about what my father did to his parents, alright? You happy now?" Estella cried. "Merlin you're not happy unless you know everything, are you?"
"There's more to it than that." Severus said, trying to keep control of his temper. "It is not in your nature to be so antagonistic."
"Oh like you wouldn't be antagonistic if you woke up with someone in your face!" Estella huffed, shooting him a patent Snape sneer. "Leave me alone."
"No." Severus snapped, leaning in so their faces were inches apart, their eyes level. "Legilimens!"
Fuelled by his anger, Severus attacked Estella's mind with a force reserved for Master Occlumens. Estella put up a valiant fight – matching Severus in stubbornness – but still Severus pushed, and pushed. Severus knew the risks, yet blinded by his anger he couldn't stop himself. The more he saw Estella resist him, the more determined he was that she was hiding something, and the harder he pushed. He had gone too far to back off – to back off would be to concede defeat. He had really underestimated Estella's desire to keep her experience a secret, and the more he became aware of that, the more he wanted to know it. It was a vicious cycle.
He could only hope she would forgive him.
What on earth was she hiding?
"Severus!" Remus Lupin was out of his bed and across the room in a flash. He had awoken moments earlier, his sleep disrupted by disturbing noises and the all too familiar scent of fear. The scene he was welcomed with as he roused from slumber was something he'd reserve for his worse nightmares.
Severus was crouched low over his niece's bed with dilated eyes burning manically. Pinning the child down to the bed with one hand, his wand hand levelled his wand between her eyes.
"What are you doing?" Remus roared, trying to pull the out of control man off the defenceless child on the bed.
"Professor Lupin! Professor Snape!" Madame Pomfrey screamed as she barrelled out of her office to see what the disturbance was. "I will not have this kind of behaviour on my ward!… Oh dear Lord, what have you done to the child?"
End Chapter: Fall Out