I need a mother
Author: Leta McGotor
Disclaimer: I owe nothing but Cassy. The other belongs to JKR.
Chapter 5
'Severus, don't understand it wrong…'
'What? They've kidnaped my daughter because they think she's the last but she isn't, you are.'
'Yes. But I thought Cassy is miles away from here and that they would find my name first. I couldn't know… Why have you stayed here? You did know that they would take her with them. Why are you here? Why?'
'I … I …don't know. I … had no time to … I was at Hogwarts and Cassy with her aunt and it seemed, well, safe. Why would those people want such a little girl… She can't use any magic and…'
'Severus, nobody is able to use this kind of magic. It's, let me think how to explain, it just is there … within you. Several centuries ago there was a very big family. There were many children. In the time it happened there were 13 if I'm not mistaken. 12 of them wanted power, more power than they could use but they tried. With the time they all became really powerful and nobody was able to stop them, nobody could control them. They murdered, tortured and turned the world upside down. The people were scared. They didn't know where to go, to live, which place was safe. And in fact there was none.'
'Like the Dark Lord today?'
'Yes, but more terrible, without any scrupel to get the power. It was a darker time than the time of Grindelwald and Voldemort together.'
'That is impossible.' He said crossing his arms.
'No, Severus, it isn't.'
'What happened? What or who defeated them?'
'So it went on for several years and nobody thought there was any rescue for the world, but there was. The 13th child of the family didn't turn bad but the young woman, the youngest of them all, was too weak to fight against her brothers and sisters. So she trained all day and all night. She thought she was ready and went to her family and fought. But she was wrong and lost. Hardly alive she returned to her dearest friend, an eagle. When she broke down because of all her injuries the eagle came and gave her strength. So it stayed with her for days, weeks and even months. With hardly any strength on it's own the eagle went to find other friends for support. It's hopes barely lost a very old wizard turned up and went to the weak woman. He kneeled at her side, layed his hands on her back and gave her strength and power. He and the eagle vanished when the woman opened her eyes. She found a necklace with a beautiful stone shimmering in all coulors of the rainbow. She took that necklace and went again to her brothers and sisters.'
'Was she a bit crazy?' She was hardly alive and now she tried to defeat her brothers and sisters while she was weaker than before?'
'Don't interrupt me, Severus. Just listen.' She snapped.
'Her brothers and sisters laughed but a few were impressed. They thought that she was dead and now she stood in front of them. But they laughed and didn't know that they made a very big mistake: They didn't consider the power o f the dearest friendship of all times and the power of wisdom. They underestimated her sister. Today nobody knows what really happened. It's said the battle lasted months and it was very hard for the lonely woman. But in the moment of her own defeat the power of the eagle and the wizard helped her and she destroyed the power of her brothers and sisters. In the process the woman was hurt badly and when she died the wizard and the eagle appeared with a little child in his arms. He took the nicklace and gave it to the child. 'There will be a time when nobody will hurt others but it is a time far away from now. Until then it is your duty to prevent the world from those who want power only for their own advantage.''
'It sounds like a fairytale.' Severus doubted the truth of the story. 'That can't be true. And how will that help my daughter?'
'I only wanted you to understand. They can't use Cassy, she is too young. But we have to find her before they notice that she is useless to them. For what I know it can't be the people who are after our family for ages. They have given up hope years ago. I know for sure they aren't the kidnapers. But who?'
'That's the question: Who? Whos knows that? And I don't understand it. Why can't you use that power if it is inside of you. That makes no sense.'
'Over the centuries the knowledge of using it has been lost. But it is said there is a book which says how to use it if you are not belonging to the family.'
'That means you can't but they can?'
'Yes, but Cassy is too young. You have to be over an age of 16 years.'
'Why especially 16 years?'
'The woman, the 13th child, was 16 years old when she defeated her brothers and sisters.'
'That doesn't help us, does it? I mean where have we to look for her? Theoretical she could be everywhere.'
'Let me think.' Minerva sat on the ground while Severus paced around her. Nobody spoke a word. Severus was in panic. When they see that Cassy was useless to them they would kill her, no doubt. So they had to find her before that. But where? He had no idea. This day was the worst of his life and he hoped that it would not be the last day of the life of his daughter.
'Severus…? Severus?' He turned around.
'Yes?'
'What is with … with Voldemort? Can he know?' He stared. Why hadn't he thought about it himself? It was clear. He needed her to strentghen his power and if he knew he would make sure that nobody would destroy his plans. He went pale. If the Dark Lord knew the story he would also know that Cassy was too young and he would murder her at first place. He was petrified. Has he already lost her?
'Severus?' He felt a hand on his shoulder but he didn't react. His thoughts raced through his brain and he couldn't catch one. 'Severus?' Minerva grabed him at his shoulders and shaked him. 'Think clear, Severus. Where are the quarters of Voldemort? Where?'
'I…they are… I can't explain …only show. Minerva, she could already be dead. She…' A tear slipped down his face. There weren't any tears since his early childhood but he couldn't stop the one, the second, the third, he simply couldn't. Minerva sighed. Was he right? Had they lost her? No! That couldn't be true. Cassy was alive and they would rescue her. She hugged him to comfort him and he cried into her shoulder.
'Please Severus, think clear. Show me where it is and we will rescue your daughter. She is alive. Trust me, I feel it.' He looked at her while collecting himself. She was right. There weren't all hopes been lost. He took Minerva's hand in his. She would support him and it was encouraging.
'I'll show you.' Both vanished into the thin air.
'That girl is barely 8, not 16. She has to be 16. Look!" He throwed the book to the man standing in front of him. The man stared at the passage in the book. His master was right.
'But Master, I… I didn't know she have to be that old. I thought it doesn't matter how old she is. Nobody said something about an age. …No, please.' The man started screaming. A not bearable pain shot through his whole body. He fell to the ground and the pain vanished. He breathed heavily.
'Master, please give me a chance. I … I… there is … is another member of that family.' He stuttered full of panic.
'Another one? And has he or she the right age? I hope it for you.'
'Yes, she has the correct age. I'm speaking of Minerva McGonagall. She is…' But his Master started laughing, a hard and very cold laugh.
'Dumbledore's right hand? I'll see how you get her.' He laughed again. 'And when you are by the work catch Potter and bring him to me, too.'
'But that is impossible. Dumbledore would never let go him alone anywhere. There are too many members of that order. It's impossible.'
'But you have the opinion Minerva McGonagall is as easy to kidnap as the girl? I'll see. But don't dare to fail.'
'Of course not, Master.' With these words the man turned around and strode away. He would lose his head. He could commit suizide. It was impossible to bring Minerva McGonagall to the manor. He sighed. The man walked out of the building and into a nearby forest. He had to think. So he sat down on a tree-trunk. There he sat for awhile and in the moment he wanted to give up hope for an idea he heard whispering voices. He hid behind another tree and watched the two people who strode to the manor. One of them he recognized was Severus Snape and the other – his heart jumped of joy – was Minerva McGonagall. He smiled to himself. The Dark Lord would be very pleased.
Thank you for reading. Please, tell me what is good and what I've to improve. I'll stop writing if you dont tell me.
And thanks to Lady Henrietta, Morgana-Alex and sinnasmurfen for reviewing