Chapter Twenty-Five

A Fatal Discovery

Severus stared at his calculations one more time, having gotten no closer to a solution to what she might be doing than he had before. He rubbed his eyes then, glancing at his watch before walking up the stairs, knowing it would not be long before their expected New Year's visitor would arrive. He paused to cautiously peer in the kitchen before going over to Jennifer, coming up behind her and grabbing her shoulders with such force that she nearly lost the spoon in your hand.

"Jennifer, why don't you let Mercy do that? You've been spending the entire holiday in the kitchen," Severus said as he began to knead her shoulders, ignoring her attempts at trying to shrug him off.

"It's a very important evening, Severus…"

"And I think it's more important for you to take a few moments to relax and let Mercy take over. Come on, there is absolutely no reason for you to get worked up about this."

"What do you mean there's no reason to get worked up? I'd like to make some sort of a good impression…"

"Jennifer, we are talking about a boy who spent every summer of his young life eating pumpkin ice cream in his swimming trunks at our kitchen bar. I hardly think he's going to need much impressing," Severus chided her. "Mercy, don't you dare let her try and take over again. Jennifer, I insist, come sit down, or I swear I shall put Subtle Slumber in your tea at dinner."

"You wouldn't dare!" Jennifer said horrified.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Severus said, getting a dirty look as she walked into the front room, then turned her critical gaze at the room itself.

"Do you suppose they're all ready?" Jennifer asked. Severus sighed, but didn't stop her when she went out into the hall and called up the stairs. It wasn't surprising when Alex was the first one down the stairs wearing a Muggle skirt much too short for Jennifer's liking and a knitted jumper with bunched up sleeves. "Are you actually going to wear that?"

"Of course, Mother. I wasn't under the impression this was any sort of formal thing, or should I warn him to come dressed in a suit and tie?" Alex teased. "I could throw Father's new dress robes on him if you like."

"He can have them," Severus said dryly.

"Did you ever find out who sent them to you?" Andrew asked as he, Aurelius and Alicia descended the stairs. Jennifer suddenly looked privately amused. Severus gave her an annoyed look.

"It was Chairman Shea and the board, if you must know," Severus said grumpily. "Mr. Wallace happened to mention it when I returned his research equipment. Apparently they thought my old ones were ill-suited for attending meetings."

"I'm sure they didn't mean to offend you in any way, Severus," Jennifer said. "And after all, you have had those dress robes for years…"

"If I want new dress robes, I'll get them myself," Severus said irritably. "But never mind that. Everyone looks fine, this is not as big of a deal as everyone is making this out to be."

"I can't wait to finally show Ben the house!" Alex said excitedly. "He's probably going to be so surprised to find out the downstairs is wired for electric…"

"Right, like a Muggle would be impressed by that," Aurelius said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, we didn't have any before in Haven's Bluff!" Alex said. "Not to mention…" she paused when she heard a knock at the door. Excitedly she answered it, popping the door open quickly to see Ben standing there, looking nervous. Aurelius sniggered softly. He was wearing a suit and tie.

"Um, hullo," Ben said. "Sorry if I'm late, but the house really didn't seem to want to…show up for me. Had a devil of a time convincing myself I had the right address," he grinned.

"I am so sorry! I should have gone out and waited," Alex realized sheepishly, showing him in.

"Hullo gang, nice to see you again," Ben said. Andrew grinned warmly at him while the other two waved noncommittally.

"Hello, Ben! Come in and sit down," Jennifer said amiably. "Perhaps I should check on dinner…"
"I'm sure Mercy can handle that, Jennifer," Severus interrupted.

"Well, coffee, then…"

"Alex, why don't you run and start that real quick?" Severus suggested. Grimacing, Alex rushed off to do so while the other three quietly found chairs.

"Nice house. Quite Victorian, isn't it?" Ben said. "Nothing like the old place."

"Yes, it's nothing like the old place, but we make do," Jennifer said.

"Jennifer often misses our life in Haven's Bluff," Severus explained.

"Yes, well, who doesn't?" Ben agreed. "In a lot of ways, it was a real eye opener…I guess it's actually part of the reason I'm living on my own now."

"But you are still going to school, aren't you?" Jennifer frowned.

"Oh, yes, sure, of course!" Ben said quickly. "I still have four months left. I rent a room near the school, in fact. I'm hoping to continue on to college though if I get a scholarship…engineering or something…actually, I haven't exactly decided for what yet."

Jennifer glanced at Severus' expression, but then gave him a warm smile.

"And you work as well, correct? What is it that you do again?" she asked.

"Well, right now I'm just a clerk in a gift shop downtown… it pays the bills, you know," Ben said with a shrug and a nervous grin.

"And do you plan to continue doing this work for however long you are going to college?" Severus asked.

"Well…I want to, really," Ben said with a nod, but noticed that Jennifer was frowning and furrowing her brows at him. "Although... you know, your daughter is a very strong-willed girl, Mr. Snape…"

"Something I am perhaps aware of even more than you," Severus said calmly. "Might I ask, however, what that has to do with the question?"

"Well…" Ben looked helplessly towards the dining room, and was relieved to see Alex hurrying back in, beaming at him.

"So what did I miss?" Alex asked.

"Not much, we were merely attempting to get some idea of Benjamin's future plans and whether or not he was going to keep his job if he goes to college," Jennifer said.

"Oh, no, don't be silly! He can't possibly keep up those hours and make decent marks there, he hardly keeps up with everything as it is. No, I'm going to support him," Alex said. Ben closed his eyes a moment. "I'll be making enough money at the Ministry I'm sure to get by on…" she said, then hesitated when she saw the expression on both Ben's and her parents' faces. "Well, it's not like he didn't want to work. I simply talked him out of it, that's all."

"Like anyone can get a word in edgewise when she starts talking," Aurelius muttered audibly to Andrew.

"Why don't you three go set the table," Jennifer said in a warning tone. Reluctantly the three of them got up, each one eyeing the couple critically before leaving the room. "Alexandria, while I'm sure you want to help Ben, that sounds like an awful big commitment to take on when you are going to have your own expenses to think about."

"Oh, well…" she hesitated. "It's an investment, really. He'll make more money if he graduates from college."

"I think we're getting ahead of ourselves, Alex," Ben said quietly. "I think what they're after… what I'm really here to say is… actually…"

"We're done!" Andrew declared cheerfully, and began to walk into the room. Immediately Severus pointed him back out of the room, the other two pausing behind him. "All right. I guess we'll get drinks then," he said amiably, and they reluctantly went back towards the kitchen.

"You were saying?" Severus prompted, but nothing came out when Ben opened his mouth again.

"What he's trying to say is that last week he asked me to marry him," Alex said. "And I said yes." Jennifer took Severus' arm, but decided not to say anything.

"Interesting," Severus said, unsurprised. "And how do you plan to pay for it?"

"Oh, well," Alex said, looking a bit off balance.

"Most of my family wouldn't be interested in coming," Ben put in. "In fact, my sister is the only one who would bother. So we were just…you know…just a small affair…paperwork sort of marriage, you know."

"I see, and then you're planning on getting by on a Ministry assistant's salary to handle all of your expenditures for… how long?" Severus asked, attempting to ignore the fact that Jennifer was clutching his arm so tight he was losing circulation.

"Four or five years…perhaps less…" Ben said.

"Any plans for a family?" he interrupted once more, causing Ben to freeze again.

"Oh, not until he's out of school, Father," Alex assured him quickly.

"Well, good. I'm glad you thought at least that part out," Severus said expressionlessly. "But since you are planning to wait on that, don't you think it might be more prudent to wait until after he is out of school before you think of getting married?" Alex and Ben gave each other a quick glance.

"Father, that's four years…"

"Hardly forever, and long enough to both get on better financial ground. Afraid you'll grow apart?"

"No, that's not it…" Alex said.

"Good, because otherwise we shouldn't even be having this conversation."

"Mr. Snape," Ben said, Alex biting back what she was going to say. "I appreciate your candor, and I understand your concern, especially since it's obvious that Alexandria is used to a rather comfortable lifestyle…"

"Oh, Ben…" Alex said.

"No, no you are," Ben said firmly and then turned back to them. "But I have already waited four years for a second chance to even see her again, thanks to my own mother's interference in the matter, and I am not waiting another four for you, Mr. Snape. I have already been living on my own for several months and I well know what it's going to take for us to make it on our own. Perhaps it won't be easy… perhaps it will be downright difficult, but not as difficult as it would be if we tried to wait. And while Alexandria and I have gone a few rounds over the schooling business, I assure you that I will do whatever is necessary to make this work, regardless of any other personal ambitions I may have."

"I see," Severus said solemnly. "Thoughts, Jennifer? Reservations?"

"One, at least," Jennifer said with a strained voice, while Alexandria gazed at her anxiously. "If you honestly think that I would let any of my children have a Ministry wedding, you certainly don't know me very well. And if you insist on doing such a thing instead of allowing me to see you properly turned out at a proper wedding with all our family and friends I will most certainly disown you," she declared with a thin and serious smile.

"As long as you're paying," Alexandria grinned, glancing at her father who remained expressionless.

"Of course we are, what nonsense! Ministry wedding…" Jennifer muttered getting up and walking towards the dining room. There was a loud noise then, and Jennifer sighed when she saw several toppled chairs. "Andrew! Honestly!"

"Has Ben been grilled enough that we can eat now?" Aurelius asked casually from the kitchen.

"If you ask me, I think he's a bit well done," Andrew said, shying away from his mother's glare as he appeared and righted the chairs.

"Wait until it's your turn," Alex said as she came in, standing by her chair as Severus gestured for Ben to take the chair on his right.

"Actually, I have decided never to get married," Andrew declared, Jennifer glancing at him skeptically as she walked to her own seat and sat down, the others soon following. "For one thing, I think it'd be far more fun to dance with everyone else's wives. Pass the butter?" he said casually, ignoring his parents' stare.

Alicia ate quietly and didn't really contribute much as the others began to talk about adventures they had once had together in their years at Haven's Bluff, some of which they hadn't dared mention in front of their parents before. Distractedly, every now and then, she would reach in her pocket and feel the simply signed holiday card that she kept there as she nibbled on her dinner, vaguely aware of when the rain began to pad upon the narrow draped window at the other end of the table. A chuckle went through the room as Ben saw what the desert was, grinning at the dish a pumpkin ice cream.

"I don't believe it! You have no idea how hard it is to find this outside of the magic world," Ben he grinned, shaking his head. "How I missed our fun times in that little town."

"We all do in some way," Jennifer sighed.

"Perhaps you can come out to Hogsmeade one weekend. I'm sure Father Pachem and the others would be really glad to see how you're doing," Alex suggested.

"Perhaps, if I can ever get a weekend off," Ben chuckled.

"Let's not get too public about this relationship until you've graduated, Alex," Severus frowned at her.

"Rose didn't wait," Alex pointed out daringly, but Severus frowned at her again. "All right, fine, I can keep it quiet."

"It would be the first time," Aurelius said dryly, and even Ben couldn't help but chuckle at that.

A rumble in the background suddenly caused the room to quiet down, Ben glancing at Alex questioningly. Aurelius pulled up his sleeve thoughtfully to look at his bracelet, glancing at his father who seemed on edge as well.

"It's just a bit of harmless thunder," Jennifer said quietly, but her voice sounded strange even to her ears. Another rumble, longer and louder, trembled through the room.

"Alexandria, why don't you and your siblings entertain your guest in the living room?" Severus suggested, getting up. "I need to check some things."

"Sure, maybe we can watch some television or something," Alex said getting up.

"Oh, no! I finally step foot in a magic house for the first time in years and she wants to watch the telly," Ben chuckled as they walked out of the room.

Aurelius hadn't missed the nervous exchange between his parents before Severus scurried down to the basement, Jennifer making a play at helping Mercy straighten up before following behind. He, too, couldn't help but be worried. Something didn't feel right… something inside kept telling him that this wasn't just another storm. He walked in to find the others actually sitting on the floor in front of the couch beside the television, still off, talking in low voices.

"No, there isn't anything, anything at all in the regular world they can come up with that explains what is happening out there," Ben was saying when Aurelius came closer. "The top Astrophysicists in the world are baffled… every day they have a different answer. The popular one at the moment is it's being caused by a Black Hole."

"And what is that in Muggle terms?" Alex asked intently.

"It's like an imploded star that sucks in everything around it with a very powerful gravitational pull like a giant funnel," Ben said. "They think now there's some sort of super Black Hole that is somehow slowing things down. Some of them even think if it keeps up, the planets might lose orbit and float off into space or something."

"This is not caused by any Black Hole," Aurelius said firmly. "Ciardoth is behind it, I'm sure of it," he said, pausing as another rumble could be heard and he glanced at his bracelet again.

"You don't think this is a normal storm either, do you?" Alex asked in a low voice.

"Well, I know a way we can find out," Aurelius said, his other siblings growing serious.

"Let's do it," Alex said, Ben glancing at her curiously, but not saying a word.

"Andrew go stand point at the basement door," Aurelius said, and Andrew immediately got up.

"You realize this may be a big mistake, of course," Alicia said, getting to her feet.

"We can always just ignore what the coin shows," Aurelius reminded her before flipping it up in the air. "Is Ciardoth behind the storm?"

Ben watched with the rest of them in awe as the coin came back down in Aurelius' hand, the picture of the Oracle changed into a scene so horrible they knew they wouldn't be able to ignore it.

"It's a burning house!" Alicia exclaimed. "Does anyone recognize it?"
"We seem to be looking at it from above it," Aurelius frowned but shook his head. "I don't recognize it either."

"Ciardoth is definitely behind this," Alex said. "Someone get Andrew. I hope no one was in there."

"I have a feeling that there was," Aurelius said grimly, and then looked up when Alicia and Andrew ran back in. "Recognize it?"

"No," Andrew said with a frown.

"Wait, we're coming in closer," Aurelius said.

"Oh, no, look!" Alicia gasped. "Look, there's a little girl, up on the roof!"

"I know who that is," Alex said, paling. "That's Lindsay Thurspire!"

"Quick, Alicia, draw a picture…"

"No! The closest paintings would be in the house! We can't risk going in that inferno!" Aurelius said.

"Well, I'm hardly going to stay here and watch her die," Alex said, grabbing her broom and heading for the front door before anyone could say anything.

"Wait! We don't even know where she is!" Andrew said.

"The Thurspires live on the east side of town, and with that fire I don't think we'll miss it," Alex said as she stepped outside.

"You're not going anywhere without me," Ben protested, mounting up behind her before she could argue.

"Come on!" Alicia said.

"But what about telling Father?" Andrew protested.

"Later, Andrew! Alex is right! We don't know how far in the future that was, we may not have a moment to spare!" Aurelius said, grabbing his broom and racing to keep up.

"Blast it!" Andrew cursed then took out his new wand, writing a name on the mirror in the hall before taking off after them, nearly losing sight of them in the storm-ridden sky.

Lightning flashed around them uncomfortably close, and Andrew found himself reaching for his Quidditch goggles to protect his eyes from the drenching rain as he finally caught up to the pack. The visibility was dismal at best as they raced through the town, and it was probably just as well; for it protected them from being seen from the Muggles of London who would be very surprised indeed to see the four brooms racing overhead.

Suddenly Andrew saw a thick black cloud ahead that choked the sky, forcing them to fly below it; it was then that they saw the house and it looked far worse in person than it had in the coin.

"Lindsay!" Alex shouted loudly, hovering the broom away from the heat now blasting out of it.

"Alex, over there!" Ben said, pointing out to the lower kitchen roof at one end of the house.

"Rel! She's over here!" Alex shouted over the roaring fire, flying closer to the crying girl. Aurelius immediately followed, putting an arm around the crying girl and pulling her off onto his broom, somehow managing to get them away as something in the house exploded and the flames grew even stronger.

"Mummy! Daddy!" the girl began to shriek, growing hysterical as Aurelius began to fly away from the house. "Save them too! You have to save them too!"

"There's no way we can go in there, Lindsay," Aurelius said, gazing at the inferno.

"No, you have to! You have to try!" she said, beating on him.

"Come on! Let's at least try to get the fire out!" Andrew said.

"We can't fight this. It's too far gone," Alicia said, getting out her wand anyhow.

"Ben, come watch her," Aurelius said. Immediately seeing the sense in that, Ben turned to keep the girl back as Aurelius joined his siblings as they joined hands. "We're going to try a suffocation spell! Prepare for Sync!" he said, casting the first spell.

Then together as one, the four of them cast the spell, the flames suddenly dying at the force of the blast. But as Aurelius had them let up the spell, the momentary puff of white smoke suddenly turned black, the flames licking back up again.

"Try again!" Severus barked out as he and Jennifer ran up to them, joining hands and grabbing the line. "Be careful to focus on the fire itself, not the house!"

"Expelliaero!" Aurelius boomed, the rest of the family responding in kind as a vast amount of power like Aurelius hadn't felt before surged through him and towards the blazing fire. Like a candle between a pair of fingers, the inferno snuffed abruptly out, leaving a ringing sensation in their ears as the loud roaring of the flames suddenly ended, leaving only the sound of Lindsay's crying and Ben's soft attempts and calmly her in its place.

"Great constellations, what happened here?" Jennifer asked shakily, taking a step forward, but Severus was a bit quicker, throwing his hand out as he strode towards the blackened house.

"Stay back, everyone. Jennifer, send a flare up," Severus said, casting a ward against heat on himself as he stepped into the house.

"And how exactly did you know to come here? And why did you just leave us a cryptic message instead of getting us?" Jennifer asked as sparks left her wand, looking both hurt and angry at her children. The rest of them looked at Aurelius.

"I had a vision," Aurelius said evenly. "I'm sorry, Mother, but there wasn't any time to waste. Lindsay was nearly killed."

"Where's my Mummy and Daddy?" Lindsay demanded to know again, shaking so terribly that Ben took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders.

Jennifer looked up towards the blackened doorway, the rain licking the cooling coals and causing a strange steaming mist around the already disheartening scene. A moment later, Severus reappeared with a very distant look on his face. Pausing at the door, he shook his head, and Jennifer felt a lump in her throat, choking it back forcefully as she gazed at the little girl standing behind them, refusing to let the realization sink in that Ederick and Megan were dead.